# Pfaudler "showroom"



## goldandsilver123 (Aug 23, 2018)

I visited today the Pfaudler factory, this is their "showroom". 30 Gallons reactors


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## 4metals (Aug 24, 2018)

Very nice equipment. Unfortunately (for Phaudler's marketing department) most people never see this stuff and have no idea how to apply it in their particular situation. Most peoples exposure to this equipment is from having worked at a facility using it so the word spreads slowly.


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## nickvc (Aug 24, 2018)

4metals most of the participating members of the forum would never have enough material to even contemplate buying this gear, this is for serious large players or large karat scrap refiners..


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## snoman701 (Aug 24, 2018)

Not necessarily.

I'd love one of these. 

I can do it all in buckets and barrels, but I'd prefer to do it in glass. 


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## goldandsilver123 (Aug 24, 2018)

nickvc said:


> 4metals most of the participating members of the forum would never have enough material to even contemplate buying this gear, this is for serious large players or large karat scrap refiners..




I think 4metals is refereeing to "large" refiners, I worked with a few refineries and all off them refine using several 100L plastic drums with excess nitric and addition of urea.

Most of them think "you shouldn't change a winning team"


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## 4metals (Aug 24, 2018)

A lot of mid-sized refiners could benefit from these reactors or other Phaudlers on the market but if they don't hire someone experienced with these units they probably wouldn't make a purchase. That's where Phaudler could step up their marketing a bit to offer some how to seminars (or webinars) to show a refiner putting their gear through its paces.


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## Palladium (Aug 24, 2018)

I could drive a Lexus if i wanted to, but my Toyota gets me to the store just fine! :mrgreen:


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## Lou (Aug 25, 2018)

Sometimes a Pfaudler indicated; if one is to boil or distill, then it is required.

Generally speaking though, good FRP equipment is better for digestion equipment at ambient pressures through simmering aqua regia.


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## 4metals (Aug 25, 2018)

> Generally speaking though, good FRP equipment is better for digestion equipment at ambient pressures through simmering aqua regia.



There is a lot to be said for a little pressure on an aqua regia reaction, that is where this equipment shines.


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## cuchugold (Aug 30, 2018)

I used to wear tailor made suits and $500 shoes. These days I prefer bermudas, T-shirts, and boat shoes.

You can buy a medium size STOL aircraft for the price of a new small Pfaudler (which is illegal to export out of the US to many, many countries!).

Different strokes for different folks. Disposable equipment, kettles, plastic drums, etc. is a big plus for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxns6McW_8E


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## 4metals (Aug 30, 2018)

Never had a pair of $500 shoes, my cowboy boots are my finest at $150. But I have had Phaudlers, and they can be sweet. Shoes and money never made me any money, Phaudlers in the right application have. 

Does STOL in the video refer to Short Take Off & Landing? If it does I think I would prefer the LTOL version. I was waiting for that plane to do a nose plant!


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## cuchugold (Aug 30, 2018)

Yes 4metals for STOL. I never enjoyed paying up for shoes, but sometimes you have to dress to enter a circle. It's like a bulletproof vest, if you will, in a certain situation. 

As for the Pfaudler, if someone donates me one, I'd find a way to sell it, and keep my plastic buckets!. :G


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## Lou (Aug 30, 2018)

Can pick up used glass lined vessels and spark test 'em for cheap.

Plenty of places in my neck of the woods.


Agreed on the pressure on aqua regia/nitric/etc.

Where it really shines is HCl/Cl2. That's where pressure is very beneficial.


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 30, 2018)

I've spent many hours wandering around used equipment yards looking for Pfaudler kettles. One time, we found a yard that had an acre or three of nothing but Pfaudlers. I tried to remember where it was but I can't. It may have been here in AR, in the early 80s. The Pfaudler kettles I've had or those that were in a place I worked, were all just the bottom part: the steam jacketed, cast iron, blue glass lined, kettle itself. Usually 50 gallons. No lid. No mixer. No anything else. Actually, for what we were using them for, dissolving a lot of metal, that was all we needed. Sure a lot cheaper than if you bought the whole thing.


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## snoman701 (Aug 30, 2018)

4metals said:


> Never had a pair of $500 shoes, my cowboy boots are my finest at $150. But I have had Phaudlers, and they can be sweet. Shoes and money never made me any money, Phaudlers in the right application have.
> 
> Does STOL in the video refer to Short Take Off & Landing? If it does I think I would prefer the LTOL version. I was waiting for that plane to do a nose plant!



Lol...I don't think I've ever had $500 total in footware at a given time, and I buy redwing boots!!! 




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## cuchugold (Aug 31, 2018)

goldsilverpro said:


> I've spent many hours wandering around used equipment yards looking for Pfaudler kettles. One time, we found a yard that had an acre or three of nothing but Pfaudlers. I tried to remember where it was but I can't. It may have been here in AR, in the early 80s. The Pfaudler kettles I've had or those that were in a place I worked, were all just the bottom part: the steam jacketed, cast iron, blue glass lined, kettle itself. Usually 50 gallons. No lid. No mixer. No anything else. Actually, for what we were using them for, dissolving a lot of metal, that was all we needed. Sure a lot cheaper than if you bought the whole thing.


That's very reasonable GSP. I got the price "indication" from Pfaudler for a 30 Gallon reactor a few years back, and it was $100,000 give or take, depending on the extras. At that time it was also export restricted, so really not viable at all for me.


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## Lou (Aug 31, 2018)

Wow!

That is quite expensive. Normally I can pick up a used 50 gallon Pfaudler for 500-1500 without lid and 3K with the lid and 3-7 nozzles. 

What’s expensive are heat exchangers!


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## cuchugold (Aug 31, 2018)

Lou said:


> Wow!
> 
> That is quite expensive. Normally I can pick up a used 50 gallon Pfaudler for 500-1500 without lid and 3K with the lid and 3-7 nozzles.
> 
> What’s expensive are heat exchangers!


Thanks for the information Lou. At that price, it is a bargain. I remember clearly the conversation I had with the lady in sales. I had the definite impression that she didn't want to sell any units!. Weird company!.


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## 4metals (Aug 31, 2018)

At that price do they need to be re-glassed? Re-glassing is pretty expensive and there are lots of used equipment yards that actually are certified to do re-glassing. I guess they can make the most profit reworking them. 

The vessel in the picture at the showroom has a water jacket so no heat exchangers needed to heat up a reaction. I have a client who hooked up an off the shelf hot water heater with a closed loop circulator to heat the water in the jacket.


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 31, 2018)

4metals said:


> I have a client who hooked up an off the shelf hot water heater with a closed loop circulator to heat the water in the jacket.



About 30 years ago, I did the same thing to heat a 375 gal, SS, milk storage tank. It was about 3' x 6', with a rounded bottom. Perfect for a 30" dia. tumbler when stripping x-ray Film. It had copper coils under the tank that were used for coiling. I hooked up a pump to circulate hot water directly from the off-the-shelf hot water heater through the coils. I put a timer on it that started the pump 2 or 3 hours before we started work. I'm thinking we ran the solution at about 140F. Worked great. Don't recall ever having a problem in the 2 years I ran it. I seem to remember writing this up on the forum about 10 years ago.

From the prices for re-glassing back then, I wouldn't touch a kettle that had even a tiny flaw in the glass, like a chip or crack in it. When dissolving metals, you have to be very careful. It's safest to first put the metal pieces carefully in it and then add the solution. If you start with the solution and then add the parts, you'll very likely chip the glass. You can get heavy chemical resistant industrial matting to place on the bottom to act as a cushion for the parts.


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