A distillation column is an indispensable assistant for creating pure alcohol at home. Do-it-yourself mash columns: drawings, instructions Alcohol distillation column

After familiarizing myself with popular sites and forums on rectification topics, I decided to make my contribution to the common cause. Home craftsmen struggle with columns and attach a lot of automation to them. Pressure sensors, start-stop systems that disrupt the entire rectification process, etc.

The main problems lie in low altitude, incorrect calculations of installations, working on a gas stove, focusing on the pressure in the column, and simply a simple misunderstanding of the essence of the rectification process. And what’s most important is that everyone completely forgets that the correct column does not require automation. Automation is only an assistant.

The given diagram of a distillation column is one of six options for solving the above problems. The “trick” is that you can make it low (super low) and get quite high-quality alcohol. Let me make a reservation... working on a gas stove is dangerous, the slightest mistake can lead to irreparable consequences - you have been warned. The stability of the operation of a specific circuit solution lies in the so-called. storage tank under the reflux condenser shifted to the side, by adjusting the power supply (heating) in the cube, cooling and reflux return, you can reach a stable alcohol shelf with a nozzle height of only 80 cm. There is no temperature saw in the column due to the impossibility of splashes getting on the thermometer sensor. The hydraulic level installed in the selection unit allows you to monitor the level of accumulated reflux, which allows you to more accurately stabilize the process at the beginning of rectification and eliminates column flooding during proper operation. The accumulative “glass” is borrowed from the well-known device of the same name (Soxhlet Extractor).. Franz von Soxhlet

While developing design ideas, you can also work with automation. Instead of a selection regulator, you can install an electronic valve by connecting it through a comparator that takes temperature readings. Thus, the column turns into an ultra-small batch column with fractional selection. The comparator is programmed to open the valve at a certain temperature, the valve opens, the accumulated reflux is drained into the receiving tank, after which the process in the column will break down and the temperature will rise, and the comparator will close the valve. Of course, you can open and close it by hand, but the process is tedious. Thus, on the column you can select all the substances in turn; the process is described in a little more detail

A distillation column is a complex technical device. It is more difficult to make than a regular moonshine still. But it is doable at home. And although distillation columns are freely sold, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase them. In addition, at home, especially in rural areas, there are plenty of scrap materials from which you can make a workable structure and enjoy your own homemade drink. An independent design will cost about 2-3 times less than a purchased mini-distillery.

Components of the structure

The homemade device has the same functional parts as its factory counterpart. The column structure consists of the following elements:

• Frame.
• Dephlegmator (refrigerator).
• Nozzles
• Thermal insulating material.
• Electronic assistants.

The moonshine still as a whole additionally contains:

• Coil.

If you make your own distillation column correctly, it can be installed on any tank with a capacity of 20 liters or more. The optimal volume is in the range from 20 to 50 liters, as the calculation shows. When using a tank of a smaller volume, the column will only be able to be heated to operating temperature and half of the possible product yield will be obtained.

Using a tank of optimal volume makes it easier to set the optimal temperature. This parameter during rectification is the main one for the production of a quality product. In addition, preparing to distill 2-3 liters of moonshine will take the same amount of time as 8-10 liters. Why use time inefficiently when you can waste more? In addition, this reduces the cost of the product.

Column operating principle

The mash is poured into a cube, which is heated. As a result, alcohol-containing vapor is released.. The vapor is lighter than the liquid and rises to the top of the column. There is a reflux condenser, which is cooled by running water. As a result, the steam condenses and flows down, but along the way it hits special elements. At the same time, the mash continues to boil, and its vapors flow upward, where they mix with the condensate. This continuous process is called rectification. A home-made moonshine still is no worse: a do-it-yourself distillation column will have the same properties as a factory product, subject to the design parameters.

As a result of rectification, the condensate, which is called reflux, is saturated with vapor. And steam, on the contrary, is saturated with phlegm. As a result of this exchange, the lightest vapor particles, which have a high concentration of alcohol, rise upward. Its boiling point is lower than water. From the top of the column, alcohol vapors are discharged into a reflux condenser for purification and saturation, and then into the refrigerator. The result is pure moonshine.

Features of the still

A container suitable for the distillation cube, which will respond to the following queries:

• Consists of stainless steel.
• It has a suitable volume - 15−20 liters.

Beginners use a pressure cooker, but for optimal operation of the column, a larger container is required.

Heating of the cube:

• Electricity.
• Gas.

Many people will decide to install the cube on the kitchen stove, but the height of the column may interfere. Therefore, it is optimal to place the cube on the floor. Accordingly, it is better to heat the mash with electricity.

It is easier to regulate the power of electric heating. For this purpose, I installed a heating element in the cube, and took the voltage regulator from an old TV. The Chatelier principle works - with greater heating, fusel oils enter the body of the product. They are dangerous. Therefore, you need to monitor the heating, and automation copes with this better.

Note! Having a smooth adjustment of the mash heating power will make life much easier. Otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve stable operation from the device.

The use of automatic control systems is not absolutely necessary. To do this, it is better to increase your moonshine brewing experience. Therefore, at first, a simple mash heating power regulator is sufficient.

But with time you can automate the process. In addition, many people are sorely short of time. And the automation system in this case is a good help. The process of brewing moonshine will proceed with minimal human intervention. A ready-made technical solution that will prevent tailings from getting into the product can be purchased at a specialized store. The task of such a system is to shut off the selection of rectified product at the moment when the temperature in the column ceases to be optimal.

Construction and assembly of the structure

The issue of self-manufacturing a distillation column is half considered. Now you need to take on the main components of the structure.

The rectification system drawer consists of:

• Pipes that have insulation and a nozzle.
• Dephlegmator. Includes product selection unit, cooling jacket and temperature sensor.
• Connections for external communication.

Alcohol is a volatile substance that is highly flammable. At the top of the column there is a hole for communication with the atmosphere. You can't leave it open. You need to insert a tube into it and put a rubber tube on it. You can also use a tourniquet.

The end of the tube should be lowered into a container of water.. The presence of bubbles will indicate whether the alcohol vapor is spreading outside the device. If there is excess pressure, and it occurs due to overheating, this will help avoid an accident.

Column tube

This is the nozzle itself for the column. Here the process of interaction between cold phlegm and hot steam occurs. To increase the contact area of ​​these substances, a filler is used. The most common filler is metal scourers for washing dishes. But any stainless steel wire will do. The packing density is about 250 g per 1 liter of column volume.

Note! When using washcloths as a filler, you need to make sure of their quality - boil a piece of washcloth in a saline solution. If the product is made of a metal other than stainless steel, then signs of corrosion will appear. It is necessary to cut the product before testing - manufacturers are cunning and sometimes only apply a protective layer of stainless steel. The internal structure must be exposed.

Pipe size:

• The minimum diameter is 32 mm.
• The length of the requirement affects the quality of the separations into fractions. The longer, the better the separation.
• The optimal height is 40−60 diameters.
• The minimum height is at least 20 diameters.

The outside of the pipe is wrapped with a thermal insulating layer.

In order for the filler to be securely fixed inside the pipe, a stainless steel mesh should be placed on top and bottom of it. The pipe must have a thread for fastening from below to the distillation cube, and from above - for connection to the dephlegmator.

Ideally, the height should be 1.5 m. This will allow you to obtain pure alcohol. Standard version - 2 drawers, 80 cm each.

I fill the apparatus with washcloths and secure them with a tea strainer. At the same time, the pressure does not jump. Output rate - up to 1 liter per hour. Distillation is not as difficult as it seems.

Dephlegmator

Light fractions condense in the reflux condenser. The device may have different designs. In practice, the simplest is a direct-flow dephlegmator. It is also called a shirt or refrigerator capacitor. There are drawings of a reflux condenser on the Internet, but it is easier to make the option described below.

The design is made of two pipes, which have different diameters and are inserted into one another. A cooling jacket is installed between them.

Components:

• Fittings for inlet and outlet of cooling water.
• At the top there is a tube for communication with the atmosphere.
• At the bottom there is a fitting for selecting the product.

Note! To ensure that the quality of the product does not suffer, use only silicone tubes and gaskets as a tapping fitting and seal.

The material for making the reflux condenser can be an old thermos or ordinary stainless pipes. The inner tube is equal in diameter to the nozzle tube. If you don’t have welding equipment at hand, use a soldering iron.

Note! Experts recommend using copper or titanium for moonshine stills. The thing is that copper absorbs sulfur oxide, and this improves the properties of moonshine. But this material is expensive, and it is difficult to work with it at home without welding.

The product selection unit is a washer that is welded into the inner tube of the reflux condenser. Located below. The selection unit must contain the following holes:

• For the sampling tube.
• For the thermometer when using it.

For experienced users, a thermometer may not be needed. But for beginners it is advisable to install it. The operating range of the column is 45−55 degrees of cooling water. You can measure the temperature at the junction of the reflux condenser and the drawer. Then the indicators should be around 77-81 degrees.

Before the end of the pasture, the temperature usually fluctuates.

For effective cooling, a screw spiral should be used. Then running water will flow around the dephlegmator better.

Choosing a refrigerator

Note! Using a Dimroth refrigerator is not advisable. The design differs in that substances with a low boiling point can bypass the cooling zone. A dim rotary refrigerator is good for those liquids that boil at temperatures above 160 degrees.

An air cooler should not be used. Cooling in this case will be ineffective. This would be the case if a steam tank was attached to the distillation column. But in this type of device it is not needed.

A laboratory glass cooler is an ideal alternative. It can be purchased at any laboratory glassware store. To regulate the rate of product selection, the tube from the reflux condenser to the refrigerator should be equipped with a tap. You can use a faucet clamp.

Connection sequence:

• Bottom of the refrigerator.
• Fridge.
• Top of the refrigerator.
• Top of the reflux condenser.
• Dephlegmator.
• Bottom of the reflux condenser.
• Stock.

Cooling running water will move along this route. It is important that it enters the reflux condenser jacket warm.

The ideal design of a moonshine still with fusel oil separation is distillation column. If the temperature conditions are observed, you can obtain the purest product. But it will be deprived of its original taste.

But in a regular moonshine still - a distiller - you can get moonshine with a pronounced bouquet. For this purpose, a steam tank is used in the design. But there is a nuance - with a bouquet of aromas, moonshine distillate may contain impurities of fusel oils.

Attention, TODAY only!

The most common way to obtain strong alcohol at home is. However, factories producing alcohol, or more precisely vodka, use a fundamentally different method - rectification. What is a distillation column for home brewing, what are its pros and cons, and how to make it yourself, we will figure it out.

General principles of rectification and distillation

Quickly navigate to the article

Distillation. Alcohol and other vapors are separated from the hot mash as it heats up, mixed in the upper part of the cube and almost all go together into the outlet tube and then to the refrigerator and reservoir. It is very difficult to divide these vapors into beneficial (alcohol) and harmful (the so-called “fusel”). Partially achieving the result is achieved by controlling temperatures and separating “heads” and “tails”.

Rectification. The vapors do not rise up directly, but pass through the liquid - phlegm. It is located in “plates” that are installed in the distillation column. Highly volatile substances settle in the liquid (boil easily, at low temperatures), and less volatile substances remain in the steam. As a result, vapors purified from heavy fractions rise upward. Unfortunately, flavoring and aromatic components are also difficult to volatile.

Both options for distilling mash have fans. And both groups of “fans” are irreconcilable. A simple homemade moonshine still with a jug (also known as a steamer) produces alcohol, albeit not very pure, but still meeting the standards. And most importantly, it turns out delicious.

If the raw materials are distilled through a purchased or home-made distillation column, the quality and purity of the moonshine will be higher. But, as experts complain, the tastes and aromas of natural raw materials disappear - the product becomes emasculated. This happens because it is based on a different processing principle.

Read also: Moonshine still Germany and others

Advantages and disadvantages of distillation systems

Pros of distillation:

Minuses:

• It is impossible to obtain pure and at the same time strong alcohol - chemical dehydration will be required.

Pros of rectification:

• with column distillation, especially multi-level distillation, a very pure product is obtained, unattainable for moonshine distillate;
• You can immediately produce high-strength alcohol.

Minuses:

• the process takes longer;
• high costs for water and heating;
• the device is not cheap;
• understanding the process is quite difficult.

You can weigh everything and decide which method to choose for yourself. But in any case, rectified alcohol is not 100% alcohol purified from harmful impurities, this is especially true for imperfect and homemade devices. But the distillate has quite acceptable characteristics, and if the distiller approaches the process responsibly and is savvy, his drinks will be much better than store-bought ones.

Scheme of the simplest rectifier

To make a homemade moonshine still for purification using the rectification method, you will have to work a little. Here is a simple and reliable design that you can make with your own hands at home:

For a moonshine device of this type you will have to spend a little money. Basic materials that will be needed:

1. Stainless steel pipe - D about 50 mm, length 1.2–1.5 m.
2. Stainless steel washcloths. You will need to cut them with metal scissors and fill the pipe halfway with them.
3. Adapters for water tap and cube lid.
4. An ordinary thermos that will act as a reflux condenser. It will need to be secured to the neck with the drip-catcher pipe using an adapter. It will also be necessary to weld adapter tubes for water supply/discharge and a tube for communication with the atmosphere to it.
5. We fix insulation material around the pipe.
6. You will need a sheet of metal to cut thrust washers from it.
7. We will also need:

Column) is a device for the production of “under-rectified”, that is, strong and relatively pure moonshine. The resulting product is better than distillate, but does not reach the level of rectified product. You can read about its difference from a conventional moonshine and distillation apparatus here -.

Today we will consider the option of making a reinforcing column with our own hands. This work requires knowledge of its structure, and owning a welding machine and grinder. It is quite difficult to assemble something adequate from trash, but we will try to offer you the most budget-friendly and affordable option, which will yield a strong and relatively high-quality product.

There are not as many components as it might seem at first glance.

• Three pipes with a diameter of 32 mm made of stainless steel.
• Two nuts for connecting to the cube.
• Stainless steel refrigerator
• Sewer pipes, coupling and adapter for washing machine (dephlegmator).
• It is used as the basis of the distillation cube.

So how will we do solid column, then you will need a welding machine with electrodes and a grinder.

The design will not imply disassembly, and it will need to be washed directly with water.

Before starting work, I suggest studying the structure and operating principle of this device.

Did it most successfully Lucky on your Youtube channel. A lot of questions are closed in the comments, so also study this section.

Blueprints

Your base for the machine will probably not be the same as ours. For this reason, you will not be able to make an identical column, since your pipe and connection sizes will be different.

That's why we have prepared for you selection of drawings, which you can use to navigate while working. Choose the best option for yourself, assemble all the parts and you can get to work. The video will be presented below.

Drawing with dimensions and names of parts.
Made of copper.
With a drawer of 22 mm.
Visual diagram.

Step-by-step instructions for making a reinforcing column

It is very difficult to explain the practical part in words, so I suggest you watch 2 videos from the Youtube channel homemade PRODUCTION. These videos are considered the most popular, as they show a budget option for manufacturing a reinforcing column.

The whole process can be divided into several parts:

1. Preparation of equipment and components of the apparatus.
2. Connecting and welding pipes, that is, creating a sealed system.
3. Testing and improving distillation (adding or working with a reflux condenser).

The result is a rather ugly, but working moonshine still. On it you can make moonshine with fortification, selecting most of the harmful fractions from the product.

Copper column

If stainless steel does not suit you for some reason, then the only alternative would be copper. The device will be more expensive, more efficient and better. This material is difficult to care for, but the results are always fantastic.

I propose to study the operation diagram of a copper reinforcing column and understand its main components. The author will talk about those parts of which it consists, so after watching the video you will have an objective picture of how it can be done.

In order to understand the essence of the processes occurring inside the distillation column, we recommend that you refer to alcohol columns. It reveals the theory of producing ethanol, the quality of which is close to maximum.

Today we will talk about the design of a home rectifier and how this device can be made with your own hands.

Before you begin creating a distillation (packed) column (RC), you need to purchase suitable material. It should be noted right away that all kinds of non-ferrous metals should be deliberately excluded from the design of the device: no copper alloys, no food-grade aluminum and similar materials. Only stainless steel is a chemically inert alloy that is not subject to corrosion and does not emit toxic impurities during the rectification process.

On the pages of FORUMHOUSE you can find a lot of advice regarding the use of copper in the design of rectifiers and distillers. But if you read, you can find even more people who disagree with such opinions. The explanation is quite simple: hot alcohol is a very strong solvent. Therefore, contact of hot alcohol-containing liquids with any non-ferrous metals is extremely undesirable and even dangerous to health.

beutiflet User FORUMHOUSE

Only glass, silicone and stainless steel.

Working scheme of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The figure shows a diagram of a standard RK, once you understand it, you can assemble a home rectifier yourself.

Let's look at the main design elements in more detail.

Alembic

Any metal container made of stainless steel and having a suitable volume can be used as a distillation cube.

As for volume: some people use a regular pressure cooker (with built-in heating), while others have slightly higher requirements. In general, everyone focuses on their own needs.

viktor50 User FORUMHOUSE

The pressure cooker is too small, you need a capacity of at least 15-20 liters. The rectification process takes quite a long time and getting a liter in half a day is not kosher.

As for heating the column: the simplest (but not very practical) option is to install the distillation cube on an electric or gas stove. The fact is that the column has a relatively large height, so it will be better if the distillation cube stands on the floor (rather than on the stove).

Electric heating allows you to install the cube directly on the floor, which makes the design of the RK less cumbersome and the entire installation as convenient to use as possible.

Timothy1

We need to switch from gas to electricity - it’s easier to regulate, and the height is added! I cut the heating elements into the flask, connected the voltage regulator from the TV and off we went.

Be that as it may, when heating the feedstock, smooth adjustment of the power of the heating element must be ensured. Otherwise, the whole idea will be doomed to failure.

Many users, in an attempt to improve the design of the RK, equip the device with automatic control systems, as well as complex regulators. But if you are used to controlling the process yourself (and in the case of a homemade distillation column at first you will not be able to do otherwise), then installing an automatic control system is not an extreme necessity. Until you have sufficient experience in the field of home rectification, a simple power regulator included in the circuit of one of the existing electric heaters will be quite sufficient.

Timothy1

I have three heating elements from a Soviet kettle - 1.25 sq. LATR, shown in the photo, perfectly regulates one heating element.

The rectification process in this case is carried out using one (adjustable) heating element. The remaining 2 are needed exclusively for heating.

If you have already had time to thoroughly enjoy the visual perception of the process, and lack of time does not allow you to constantly be near a working RK, then the automation system integrated into the design of the device will allow you to control the process, requiring minimal human intervention. Automation allows you to select the contents of the distillation cube, preventing tail fractions from entering the “body” of the product. There are ready-made technical solutions that can be purchased in specialized stores. Such systems, reacting to temperature changes, at the right moment shut off the distillate selection unit or, conversely, open access to cold water to the dephlegmator.

Rectification drawer

The rectification frame includes several components:

1. Pipe with insulation and nozzle.
2. Dephlegmator with distillate selection unit, water jacket and thermometer.
3. Connection for communication with the atmosphere.

Considering that alcohol vapor is very flammable, the hole for communication with the atmosphere (which is necessarily created at the top of the distillation column) must be equipped with a fitting and a rubber tube. The end of the tube should be lowered into a container of water. This will help prevent the spread of vapors indoors and their ignition.

Let's consider the design of the listed nodes.

Pipe (packed column)

The process of heat and mass transfer occurs in the lower pipe of the distillation column. A special filler is placed in its internal space, increasing the contact area between hot steam and cooling phlegm. When making a column yourself, it is easiest to use dishwashing sponges made of stainless steel as a filler (nozzle). Sometimes a special twisted wire (also made of stainless steel) is used.

If you use metal wool as a filler, then the quality of their manufacture should first be checked. To do this, you need to cut off a piece of a washcloth and boil it in a solution of table salt. If the washcloths contain another alloy instead of stainless steel, the products will not be able to withstand such a test and will quickly rust. It is imperative to cut the washcloth. After all, if it has a protective coating, then only in this way can its internal structure be exposed.

The packing density should correspond to the indicator - 250-280 g of packing per liter of internal volume of the packed column.

The quality of separation of boiling fractions directly depends on the size of the packed pipe. Having considered the practical experience of FORUMHOUSE users, we can conclude that the minimum pipe diameter should be 32 mm. In general, the higher the pipe, the better the separation of fractions. The optimal pipe height should correspond to 40-60 of its diameters (minimum 20). The outside of the pipe should be insulated with a layer of protective material.

belor44 User FORUMHOUSE

A metal mesh is installed in the inner cavity of the pipe (top and bottom) to hold the filler.

belor44

In my column for NDRF, the filler is washcloths. At the same time, there are nets from a tea strainer. The pressure is stable. A meter-long column with a diameter of 35 mm produces an under-rectified product with a strength of 96% at a rate of 950 ml per hour. There are no choke points.

The bottom and top of the distillation pipe are usually equipped with threads, which allow the unit to be connected to the distillation cube and to the reflux condenser.

Dephlegmator

The main purpose of a reflux condenser is the condensation and separation of light fractions that have a lower boiling point (relative to reflux). In practice, the reflux condenser can have different designs. The simplest to manufacture is a direct-flow (jacket) type reflux condenser, or, as it is also called, a refrigerator-condenser. It consists of two pipes of different diameters, between which there is a cooling jacket with running water.

In essence, a direct-flow dephlegmator is a stainless steel pipe that is welded into another pipe made of the same material (only of a larger diameter). Externally, the device looks like in the image.

The photo shows that the reflux condenser has two fittings (for supplying and discharging coolant) and a tube for communicating with the atmosphere (above). At the same time, at the bottom of the reflux condenser there is a fitting for selecting distillate.

To avoid the appearance of foreign impurities and odors in the final product, it is recommended to use only silicone tubes for sampling the distillate.

The reflux condenser body can be made from stainless steel pipes or from an ordinary food thermos and an additional inner pipe. The diameter of the inner pipe is usually equal to the diameter of the packed column. If you do not have access to argon welding, then you can fasten structural elements using an ordinary soldering iron.

The distillate selection unit, located at the very bottom of the reflux condenser, is a shaped washer welded into the inner tube of the device.

In the sampling unit, it is necessary to make holes in advance for the thermometer (if you plan to use it) and for the sampling tube.

The need to introduce thermometers into the design of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a controversial issue. “Experienced” people often do without thermometers at all. At the same time, there are distillers who, on the contrary, measure the temperature where it needs to be done, and where it is not at all necessary. For example, installing a thermometer in the body of the distillation cube only allows you to monitor the heating process. That is, by watching it, you can roughly figure out how much time is left before the column boils.

But there are two structural units in the Republic of Kazakhstan where temperature control brings tangible practical benefits. This is the outlet pipe of the reflux condenser and the reflux condenser sampling unit (instead of the reflux condenser sampling unit, you can use the space between the packed column and the reflux condenser to install a thermometer).

If the temperature of the running water drops below 45°C at the outlet of the reflux condenser, then the separation of fractions will not occur very effectively (due to supercooling of the reflux). If the temperature is above 55°C, then during the selection of the “body”, “tails” will break into the selection tube.

Monitoring the temperature in the selection unit allows you to determine the temperature of the steam at the outlet of the packed column, and at the same time gives an understanding of which fraction is being separated at the current time. For example, if the steam temperature in the selection unit is in the range of – 77.5-81.5 ° C (depending on atmospheric pressure), then only the “body” of the product will enter the distillate selection tube.

Siberiafish User FORUMHOUSE

The temperature during the distillation process was kept in the range of 78.8-81.3. Before finishing, she began to jump.

The inner end of the thermometer tube, soldered into the column, must be plugged.

In order for the reflux condenser to be cooled evenly on all sides, a screw spiral can be soldered into the cooling jacket, which will set the correct direction of the cooling flow.

And here is the design of the reflux condenser suggested by one of the users of our portal.

Timothy1 User FORUMHOUSE

I wound two meters of corrugation into the def - it removes 3 liters per hour!

The design of this device is as follows.

In most cases, the corrugation, which allows running water to pass through, is wrapped around the inner pipe of the reflux condenser (it is not shown in the figure). But this approach does not always allow achieving effective heat transfer. The feasibility of introducing such a design can only be determined by practical means.

In practice, you can find dephlegmators of a wide variety of designs (including horizontal devices). We have described only the most common ones.

Dephlegmator dimensions

The main quantity that determines the dimensions of the device is the area of ​​contact of the steam with the cooled surface. This value is often determined empirically. It depends on the power supplied to the column and on the temperature of the coolant.

Timothy1

The distillation column I made two weeks ago produces 1200 ml of alcohol per hour. More is possible, but cooling is not enough! Input power during acceleration is 3.5 kW, during hauling – 1.25 kW.

The product output is always proportional to the input power. For example, if the power supplied to the cube (during the rectification process) is 700 W, then the maximum productivity of the column will be 700 ml/hour (in practice, with such power we have 300-500 ml/hour). The area of ​​the reflux condenser with such productivity should be equal to 200-300 cm². This area is possessed by the internal pipe of the reflux condenser, which has a length of 300 mm and a thickness of 32 mm.

Doobik User FORUMHOUSE

The speed of distillation primarily depends on the heating force. If the stove can boil 1 liter of mash per hour, then no matter what the device is, you will never get 2 liters per hour. The purer and stronger the product, the slower the distillation. The device itself can slow down the process only in one case - low power of the dephlegmator, i.e. when it is necessary to reduce the heating for normal operation of the device. The larger the diameter, the larger the heat transfer area, and the better the heat removal.

From all of the above, we can conclude that it is better to have a reflux condenser with dimensions exceeding the calculated ones. After all, excess cooling area will never lead to the cessation of condensate formation, and, consequently, to the cessation of rectification.

By the way, on the Internet you can find a calculator for calculating a dephlegmator, which will help you navigate the dimensions of the device being manufactured.

Fridge

As a refrigerator for the sample distillate, you can use a laboratory cooler, which is usually purchased at a laboratory glassware store.

In this case, the device can be made independently - according to the principle of a shirt-type reflux condenser (only the refrigerator will be much smaller in size). To do this, again, you should use stainless steel tubes of small diameter. The length of the refrigerator should be approximately equal to the length of the reflux condenser.

In order to regulate the rate of distillate selection or stop (start) selection in a timely manner, the distillate selection tube should be equipped with a tap or clamp (for example, from a dropper). The location of the clamp is indicated on the general diagram of the RK.

The cooling cavities of the refrigerator and reflux condenser are connected to each other in the following sequence: bottom of the refrigerator - refrigerator - top of the refrigerator - top of the reflux condenser - reflux condenser - bottom of the reflux condenser - sewerage. Simply put, a series connection of pipes is used, and water is supplied to the reflux condenser already slightly heated.

The temperature of the cooling water in the reflux condenser, as we already know, must correspond to certain values ​​(approximately 45-55°C). And additional taps for regulating the water flow will help us achieve the required indicators. The valve from the gas welding torch regulates the flow most subtly.

Sequence of distillate distillation

Let's consider the sequence of work with our distillation column. First of all, we dilute the raw alcohol (obtained after preliminary distillation of the mash) with tap water to a strength of 30%...40% (there is no consensus on this indicator, but the lower it is, the less the likelihood of an accidental fire). Then we pour it into the distillation cube, assemble the distillation column and attach it to the distillation tank.

The column, under no circumstances, should deviate from the vertical level. Otherwise, the quality of the final product will noticeably suffer.

After the RK is installed, you can begin heating the contents of the cube. The distillate tap must be closed. At the moment when the temperature of the steam in the dephlegmator begins to rise sharply, it is necessary to reduce the power supplied to the column to a minimum (the temperature at this moment can quickly reach 70-78 ° C, which is associated with a sharp rise of vapor through the packed part of the column). The device should be left in this position for 30 minutes. This is necessary for the RC to warm up and for the process of heat and mass transfer to begin inside it. The temperature in the upper part of the Republic of Kazakhstan may drop.

After the specified time, we turn on the water supply to the refrigerator (and to the reflux condenser) and begin selecting the “heads”. We repeat once again that you cannot drink “heads”!

The end of the selection of “heads” can be determined by several signs: temperature stabilization around 78°C and a change in the organoleptic characteristics of the selected distillate (the distillate begins to smell like alcohol).

After selecting the “heads”, you can begin selecting the “body”: increase the power of the column and adjust the temperature of the water in the reflux condenser (45°C - 55°C).

We enjoy the process until the “tails” are cut off. The beginning of condensation of the tail fractions can be judged by the increase in temperature in the reflux condenser (to approximately 85°C) and the appearance of fusel odor in the sampled distillate. At this point we will consider the rectification process complete. The tailing fractions can be selected for use in subsequent distillations, or they can simply be disposed of. It's up to you to decide.

If you are familiar with in practice, then we invite you to take part in the discussion of issues related to this fascinating topic. If you are used to eating equally sophisticated snacks along with exquisite drinks, then this article will teach you how to endlessly surprise your guests with the unusual taste of the prepared dishes.