Detailed diagram of the distillation column. DIY distillation column - detailed description and diagram. The drawer of the rectification system consists of

A distillation column is a device that separates liquids of different boiling points. This device is mainly used in industry. However, at home you can assemble a device such as a distillation column with your own hands. More on this below.

Operating principle

The specified device operates according to the following algorithm:

• The tank is filled with raw materials containing alcohol.
• Heat it to a boil.
• As a result, steam is released, which condenses at the top of the column and is discharged into a special vessel.
• The remaining liquid moves in a circle again.

Necessary components

A high-quality homemade distillation column is obtained only from correctly selected materials.

For the assembly process you need:

• Stainless steel pipe up to 150 cm long, up to 50 mm in diameter, wall thickness up to 1 mm.
• To make a reflux condenser you will need a thermos. Its volume should be 0.5 - 0.75 l.
• Adapters for joining the reflux condenser and the pipe with the cube cover.
• Insulation with which the thermal insulation of the column packing element will be carried out.
• A tube with a diameter of 4 to 6 mm to make outlets for water and a refrigerator.
• A piece of stainless steel sheet to make support washers.
• Fluoroplastic for thermometer sleeve.
• Drills of different diameters.
• Electric soldering iron with a power of 100 W.
• Electric drill.
• Hammer.
• Pliers.
• Emery machine or electric drill attachment.
• Gas-burner.
• File.
• Sandpaper.
• Flux, solder (soldering acid).
• Hose or flexible tube 6 cm long.
• Thermometer.
• Adapter for taps.

Assembly instructions

In this case, the following actions are necessary:

1. Cut a piece of pipe to the required length. Then chamfer and trim the edges.
2. To connect the distillate sampling unit and the pipe to the device cover, make adapters. In this case, special attention will be required. On one side, the existing adapter should be tightly inserted into the pipe, and on the other, it should be equipped with a thread, the pitch of which is 1.5-2 mm.
3. Make support washers for the nozzle. Their diameter will ensure a tight fit in the pipe. Therefore, this hole parameter should correspond to 3-4 millimeters. Insert the washer on one side of the pipe. This is an important action. In the place where the pipe is connected to the container, an adapter should be soldered. In this case, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the soldering area first. The tinned adapter is inserted into the pipe. The soldering locus should be heated with a gas torch.

   

4. Build nozzles for the column. Pour them into the pipe and shake it well to distribute them evenly.
5. Insert the support washer into the nozzle pipe. After this, place the tinned end of the selection. Heat the commissure locus. Then put the heat insulator on the pipe.
6. Now we need to start disassembling the thermos. Sand the bottom with sandpaper. This place needs to be tinned. Build a bracket from tin, and loops from steel wire. Their significance is important. After this, insert the loops into the hole of the bracket and twist them using pliers.
7. Then you need to nail the free end of the wire to the wall, first holding it in a vice. Take the thermos with both hands and jerk sharply. This is necessary so that the bottom falls off.

   

8. Grind the welding seam connecting the lid and the thermos flask around the perimeter. This procedure is considered complete until a small gap appears around the entire edge. Separate the inner flask of the thermos from the outer part.
9. Make a reflux condenser. For this purpose, you need to remove the bottom and vacuum lid of the flask. This must be done scrupulously. Drill a hole in the center of the inner flask along the back wall to allow air access inside. You should clean and tin the hole, then insert a pipe into it and solder it. Make another hole in the center of the bottom of the thermos. Place the bottom on the flask. Solder the tube to the bottom of the thermos. This is a significant process.
10. Then you need to tin the neck of the thermos and the selection unit. After that, insert them into each other and solder them. For the cooling water inlet and outlet pipes, holes must be made in the lower and upper parts of the outer flask of the thermos. This should be done carefully. Then you need to solder the joints of the tubes. For the thermometer sleeve, drill a hole in the distillate sampling unit. This is important. In the bushing itself, use a drill to make a hole the same size as the thermometer probe. Then insert the bushing and take-off unit there.
11. After this, you need to thoroughly rinse all adhesions with a baking soda solution. Then the reflux condenser should be attached to the column, after which the apparatus must be washed again with water.

    

Mini version of the specified device

Currently, a small distillation column is in demand. This device is available assembled and takes up little space. Industrial production drawings of a distillation column are difficult for ordinary people. However, the process of distilling alcohol at home can be much simpler. The industrial format distillation column design requires multiple trays to fully purify the final product. This makes the assembly process quite complicated. In order to make such a unit as a distillation column with your own hands at home, you will need the availability of available tools. The cooler can be made from a copper tube. To do this, you need to wrap it around the rectifier column. Metal scourers are made from stainless steel. During operation, their service life in the distillation column is long. For the existing 10 cm of pipes you need to take one washcloth. A medical clamp from a dropper can be used as a faucet at the outlet of the system. The distillation column circuit usually ends with a tube for communication with atmospheric air. Therefore, a thin medical syringe needle is ideal for this purpose.

If we briefly explain the theory of alcohol production and rectification, then this is actually multiple distillation of mash, carried out in countercurrent plates. Instead, any elements with a large interaction area are usually used. To make a distillation column with a diameter of 3 to 5 cm at home, a metal sponge can act as a contact element. It should fill all its internal contents. When the distillation column operates, the distillate slowly flows down, and alcohol vapor rises up.

Do-it-yourself distillation column: features of assembly and testing

Some models of this device require the use of a 220 V boiler and running cold water for the cooler. All elements of the device can be connected to each other through conventional soldering. Small deviations in the parameters when assembling such a useful device in the household will have little effect on the output product. However, to increase the volume of alcohol, the size of the distillation unit must be increased several times. For example, a one and a half meter pipe of a column will provide the output of up to 30 liters of alcohol every 24 hours. Upon completion of the manufacture of the apparatus, you need to lubricate all connections with a soapy solution and blow it out. Thus, unnecessary leaks can be seen in the form of bubbles. If the water cooler is connected to the water supply tube, after turning it on at full power, having previously plugged the outlet, leaks in its system are determined under pressure.

Alcohol production process

In this case, some criteria should be taken into account. The temperature at which alcohol can be obtained from mash in a distillation column at home varies from 82 to 84 °C. This is important to know. At 98 °C, distillation of alcohol must be stopped. Since at this temperature the evaporation of fusel oils is in full swing. Through repeated distillation of alcohol, its more complete purification is achieved.

Bottom line

All of the above allows you to understand what this device is. Also from this we can conclude that a distillation column can be made with your own hands at home without much effort. To do this, it is enough to have the desire and the necessary devices that will be needed to create the specified apparatus.

To build such a unit, you need to know the basic principles of the column’s operation and the essence of the processes that occur in it. And a lot of interesting things happen there - the rectification process differs in its physical and chemical foundations from conventional distillation.

How does a column work?

As in a conventional distiller, the column has both a heater and a refrigerator, which are full-fledged working elements. But on the path of alcohol-containing steam from the surface of the mash to the refrigerator coil there is another complex unit, which is called a distillation column. It is a tall pipe, the diameter of which is 30-50 times greater than its length. Optimal dimensions for heat and mass transfer processes that occur inside the column.

The heated steam rises up the pipe, slowly cools along the way, condenses, and flows down back into the container. As it moves from top to bottom, the condensate comes into contact with hot steam, is reheated, and the low-boiling components turn back into steam. Among these components is ethyl alcohol. If you select the operating mode of the column in such a way that alcohol vapor begins to condense at a certain height, where the intake pipe is installed, then pure alcohol, without impurities, will flow into the refrigerator.

After some time, a dynamic equilibrium regime will be established in the column, due to the difference in heat capacities of the liquid and vapor phases; in addition, the liquid-vapor mixture is divided into fractions according to the chemical composition, on which the vaporization temperature depends.

In the very top part, vapors of volatile impurities - aldehydes, acetone and other toxic substances - collect. When the temperature at the top thermometer of the column is above 70 C, they simply fly away into the atmosphere - the column is connected to the outside air by a pipe or valve and operates almost at atmospheric pressure.

At a height of approximately ¾ of the length of the column, alcohol vapors accumulate, which need to be collected. Below are fusel oils and other substances whose boiling point is higher than alcohol. In the alcohol selection zone, the temperature should be maintained at 74-78 C. To make this possible, a significant column height is required; the larger the zones of different fractions, the easier it is to separate one substance from another.

How to make a rectification column

A homemade distillation column at home is not a myth. This is confirmed by numerous videos and photographs on the Internet and posts on forums. Even if they are half as good as the craftsmen say about them, then such a device is worth making. But we must take into account the fact that for the production of moonshine, as such, a distillation column, regardless of whether it is home-made or industrially made, is unsuitable.

The rectification apparatus is designed to produce alcohol with a minimum of additives, including aromatic substances and resins, which give moonshine a special aroma and taste. But the resulting alcohol can be used as a basis for any alcoholic drinks made at home, without fear of poisoning with fusel or methyls and esters, which contribute to a severe hangover.

For re-distillation of raw alcohol or ordinary moonshine obtained in a distiller familiar to moonshiners, a rectifier is an indispensable thing. No distillation system can compare with the quality of the resulting product.

Column manufacturing technology

A do-it-yourself distillation column will work properly at home only when its height is at least 1.8-2 m with an internal diameter of 40-50 mm. Such a column is difficult to manufacture, store and operate. It is best to make it collapsible, with clamp or threaded connections; it is also convenient to use couplings. If you have lathe skills, then the coupling connection will not be a problem. Otherwise, you will have to use the paid services of professionals.

What does a column consist of?

The main components of the distillation column:

• frame;
• refrigerator-reflux condenser;
• nozzle (disc or spiral);
• thermal insulation;
• thermometers.

The entire moonshine still also includes a tank for mash and a refrigerator for condensate, which is a regular coil. If you make a distillation column correctly, it can be installed on any moonshine still with a tank with a capacity of at least 20 liters. At smaller volumes, it will only be possible to accelerate it to operating mode and obtain several liters of alcohol (50 percent of the possible yield).

The optimal evaporator volume is 25-50 liters. This makes it more convenient to regulate the process temperature, which is one of the main factors during rectification. In addition, the production of alcohol with a volume of up to 8-10 liters takes the same amount of time to prepare and disperse the column as 3-5 liters. Saving time is also in most cases very important for reducing the cost of the product.

Column body

It is best to make it in three parts, approximately equal in length. At the bottom, a flange is welded to the stainless pipe for installation on a distillation tank with a strong lid. The height of the column is impressive - about 2 meters. A flange connection with a sealed gasket is the optimal solution. The flanges must be welded in such a way that the column is in a strictly vertical position, this is the only way it will work properly.

The body segments are connected with clamps or threads - whichever is more convenient. The main thing is to ensure tightness. The best material for the main pipe of the column is food grade stainless steel. It has relatively low thermal conductivity, and heat loss in the column is undesirable, up to the point of vapor entering the refrigerator.

The two lower parts of the column are simply sections of pipe. They will contain nozzles - special devices that increase the contact area between steam and liquid. The more complex uppermost part is there:

• a flow-through refrigerator must be equipped;
• a drain pipe is provided;
• thermometer socket;
• air valve.

The flow cooler occupies approximately ½ of the top third of the column. The simplest solution is to wind a copper or stainless steel coil over the pipe. A more complex option is to place the same coil, ball cooler or Dimroth cooler inside the pipe. For this purpose, you can use a larger diameter pipe, connecting it to the lower part using an adapter.

There are many options here - the essence is the same, the reflux condenser must provide a barrier to the steam and turn it into condensate before reaching the air valve. Only vapors with a temperature no higher than 60 C should penetrate there. If the refrigerator does not cope with its task, then alcohol will escape into the air along with volatile substances.

The air valve is installed at the highest point of the column and serves to equalize the pressure. You can not install the valve, but simply install a thin copper tube (Ø 3-6 mm). The presence of a tube requires special temperature control at all stages of rectification. When selecting heads, T = 55 - 65 C should be at the level of the intake pipe.

The selection is carried out through a pipe cut into the body below the refrigerator at a distance of 2-5 cm from it. It is a regular tube to which a silicone hose from a medical IV is connected. A do-it-yourself distillation column works very slowly; the main intake is carried out in drip mode. This must be taken into account - the production of 8-10 liters of alcohol takes a whole working day.

Nozzle

This part of the column is one of the most important. For rectification, two types of packings are used - disc-shaped, in the form of cap-shaped or sieve elements, and spiral, made of a metal mesh tightly twisted into a spiral or special wires twisted into prismatic spirals, which are simply poured inside the column. In the latter case, a mesh filter is installed at the bottom of the column to prevent the nozzle from falling out.

The most effective cap-type disk packing for a do-it-yourself distillation column. You can make it yourself from ready-made parts sold on the Internet. In this case, the work should begin by purchasing the plates - the diameter of the body must correspond to their size. It is easier to find a pipe for the cymbals than vice versa.

Copper plates for column

Mesh partitions are much easier to make; all you need is a drill or drilling machine and a set of 2-3 mm drills. Partitions are made of stainless steel, brass or copper. There should be 8-10 of them per 1 m of column height.

The mesh, special spiral prismatic Panchenkov nozzles (RPN) or analogues will have to be purchased in specialized online stores. You can't do them yourself. You cannot use mesh for washing dishes, as some sites recommend - they use unknown alloys that can react with alcohol vapors or impurities.

Thermal insulation

The column must be protected from heat loss to a height of at least the lower cut of the reflux condenser. Any elastic heat insulator is suitable for insulation - polyurethane foam, Penoizol, basalt tubular foil insulation of the TECHNONICOL type. Warming is a very important stage. If heat loss is excluded, the height of the fractional layers can be reduced by several tens of percent. At the same time, the concentration of the substance, in our case alcohol, in them will increase while maintaining clear fraction boundaries.

A homemade distillation column, with its complexity and low distillation speed, will allow you to obtain alcohol of sufficient purity from proven raw materials. From a properly prepared mash, the product yield, in terms of 40 0 ​​strength, will be 25-30% higher than that of a conventional moonshine still, with incomparably better quality.

A do-it-yourself distillation column is made based on the diagram. The diagram is needed in order not to make mistakes. It does not contain large volumes when compared with other devices that reach 19 meters. A distillation column made at home, its design and the mechanism itself cannot be characterized as lightweight - it consists of many components. Initially, you should buy a metal tube - its ideal length is approximately 119-149 cm.

Instead of a reflux condenser, you can use a regular thermos. In addition, you will need:

• adapters that will combine the tube with the tanks;
• Insulation and stainless steel sheet for the production of main washers;
• A small reinforcing tube used to drain water;
• Cooling mechanism.

The equipment you will need is a hammer, a drill with a drill, pliers, a file, hard paper, a soldering iron with solder or flux, an adapter device for a faucet, a rubber tube of small parameters and a temperature indicator.
A homemade device is produced according to an established scheme. The tube must be of the required length, and its ends must be polished. To assemble the tube and distillate unit, a Euro adapter is used. The union of the pipe and the cube should be soldered, and part of the soldering will require stripping later.

Then you need to make metal nozzles that fill the pipe right to the very top. Now the main washer is inserted into the pipe, and a small extraction end is inserted into it. The section of connecting points is soldered. The next step will be thermal insulation of the pipe.

The thermos that will be used as a reflux condenser must be examined and the bottom removed. The inner tube must be removed from the outside and the vacuum cover of the thermos must be removed. A passage should be made in the test tube, in the central part of the very bottom of the part and the main place of its rear edge.
You need to install a pipe through the upper passage and seal it there. The base is then placed on the cone.

In addition, holes are made in the outer flask for tubes for water inlet and outlet. They are located at the top and bottom of the test tube. Zones must be secured. It is necessary to make a passage in the distillate selection unit for the purpose of inserting the temperature indicator bushing. The distillation column is created with special care so as not to harm your health.

In our generation, a small distillation column is quite relevant. This device is available to absolutely everyone, and the device requires a little space. A drawing for the industrial production of a distillation column is a little complicated for ordinary people. Nevertheless, making alcohol at home occurs quite often, and many people practice it.

The distillation column model requires a large number of plates in order to obtain the highest quality product. This greatly complicates the installation process. To make this kind of apparatus, such as a distillation column, with your own hands at home, you will need some parts. The cooling mechanism is made from a reddish-yellow tube. To do this, it is necessary to wrap it around the rectifier column.

Iron scourers are made from stainless steel. The validity period and their reserve for use in the distillation column are quite long. It is necessary to take 1 washcloth into the existing 9.8 cm pipes. It's a good idea to use a medical clamp from a dropper instead of a faucet. The distillation column circuit is usually completed with a tube in order to interact with the environment.

The essence of the column's work

If we briefly discuss the system of alcohol production and rectification, then this is, in fact, repeated distillation of mash, which occurs in special plates. Instead, as a rule, all kinds of components are used. For the purpose of producing alcohol at home, a distillation column with a diameter of 3 to 5 cm, iron wool can be used as a connecting component. It is through it that the distillation column for the moonshine still will be filled.

During the process of operation of the distillation column, the distillate smoothly descends to the bottom, and the evaporation rises to the top. A rectifier is needed in order to increase the degrees. Some modifications of this device involve the use of a boiler and a flowing cool stream to cool. All elements of the device can easily be combined with each other using an ordinary soldering tool. Minor differences in volumes in the production of a much-needed unit on the farm will not particularly affect the quality of the product.

However, in order to increase the amount of alcohol, it is necessary to significantly increase the volume of the distillation device; a 1.5 m column tube guarantees up to 28 liters of alcohol element, in about two days. Upon completion of the production of the device, it is necessary to lubricate all connections with a detergent. In a similar way, it is possible to inspect extra holes, if there are any, bubbles appear. When a steam-water cooler is connected to a tube through which water flows and whether there are holes is determined during operation, it is a column type system.

All of the above makes it possible to understand what kind of homemade device this is and why people need it at all. With a distillation column you have the opportunity to obtain pure alcohol. In addition, we can conclude that it is not at all difficult to create a device with your own hands - you just need to carefully read the instructions. It is also enough to have a strong desire and the necessary details to create it. Everyone decides for themselves what is better - buying alcohol or making it at home, because such moonshine will not contain any harmful additives, and its quality depends solely on the distillation design.

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! The 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.

Those who produce alcohol at home know about the distillation column and its importance in obtaining real alcohol and high-quality alcohol. Such a device allows you to obtain pure alcohol and you can even distill the mash so that the alcohol is 96%. Such structures are often and almost always used for industrial purposes; in everyday life, you can rarely see a column, but they are still used. If such a design is used, it will be possible to separate liquids that have different boiling degrees. Therefore, the article will describe how to make a distillation column at home.

Materials for creation

To make a device with your own hands, you will need to prepare quite a lot of material:

1. You will need an ordinary pipe made of stainless steel. The diameter of the pipe should be 3.5-5.5 cm, the length of the pipe can be from 1.2 m to 1.5 m. The thickness of the material should not be less than 1 mm.
2. You also need to use an old thermos, which will have a volume of 1 liter, but you can use a container with a volume of 750 ml. In the future, a reflux condenser will be made from a thermos.
3. To connect different parts and elements of the distillation column, you will need adapters that will connect the pipes with a thermos, also known as a reflux condenser, as well as with a distillation cube.
4. We are preparing to install insulation, thanks to which it will be possible to achieve the required level of thermal insulation of certain areas of the device.
5. You also need a sheet of stainless steel from which the support washers will be made.
6. Additionally, tubes with a diameter of 4 to 6 mm are used so that water can flow through them into the refrigerator.
7. To install the thermometer, a small piece of fluoroplastic is used, but if this is not available, then another material will do.
8. A thermometer with which you can control the temperature. You can use both the electronic version and the standard one.
9. Tap adapters.
10. Flexible hoses 10 cm long.
11. To carry out the work you will need a drill and different drill bits, as well as sandpaper. Additionally, a hammer, pliers, a file, a soldering iron, and a gas burner are used.

In general, there are few types of such a device, and it is customary to make a column from a thermos yourself. The view of the column is shown in the picture:

Distillation column from a thermos

To create such a structure, you will need to cut a piece of pipe of the length required; if you have a titanium pipe, then it is better to use it. Next, the cut material is chamfered and the edges are trimmed. After this, you will need to make an adapter that will serve to connect all the nodes, namely the distillate intake and the tube with the lid of the apparatus. It is important to note that such a connecting element will have to be tightly inserted into the pipe on one side, and a thread of a couple of millimeters must be cut on its other side.

Now you need to make support washers, thanks to which the nozzles will hold. The dimensions must be used so that the washers fit tightly into the pipe itself. As a rule, this size ranges from 3 to 4 mm in diameter. One side is mounted into the pipe, then an adapter is soldered at the point of connection with the distillation cube. You need to insert the adapter itself into the pipe, and heat the soldering point with a gas burner.

Next, you need to make a filler for the column itself. To do this, filler is poured into the tube, after which the tube is shaken so that the placed material is densely and evenly distributed inside. It is very important to fill the space to the top.

A support washer and nozzles are inserted into the prepared pipe, after which the tinned extraction end is mounted and soldered. Now we need to treat everything with a thermal insulator. You can move on to the thermos. It will need to be completely disassembled, the bottom of the vessel should be cleaned using regular sandpaper, and then tinned. You need to make a bracket from a piece of metal, as well as loops, using wire for them. The finished loops are inserted into the hole in the bracket and then twisted using pliers.

In a vice, you need to clamp one end of the wire, then secure it to the wall of the vessel. The thermos in this state needs to be shaken quickly and sharply so that the bottom flies off. The sharp edges of the bottom must be sharpened, and then remove the flask from the inside of the thermos.

You can start making a reflux condenser. To do this, it was necessary to remove the bottom of the thermos, as well as its vacuum lid. Inside the flask, in the center, you need to make a hole using a drill and a drill bit so that air can get in. The resulting hole should be cleaned and tinned, then insert the hose and seal it. You also need to make a hole in the center of the bottom of the vessel and put on the flask, then connect the tube and the bottom using a soldering iron.

The neck and part of the selection must be tinned. The fence assembly itself is mounted in the neck and sealed. In both parts of the outer flask, namely at the top and bottom, you need to make a hole through which the tubes for supplying water will pass. Cooling water will come and go through them. After making holes and inserting tubes, all connecting places are sealed with a soldering iron. You also need to make a hole in part of the fence to install a thermometer. The bushing itself also requires improvement. A hole is made in it with a diameter similar to the probe of a thermometer. It is recommended not to insert the probe deeply; about 5 mm will be enough. Everything is then successfully inserted into the fence piece.

All places where soldering was carried out must be washed with a solution of ordinary soda. Next, a reflux condenser is screwed to the column, which also needs to be washed with a solution. The diagram shows a distillation column using a thermos:

As a rule, a distillation column that is made on your own at home is more effective than purchased analogues. If you are afraid that it will not be possible to make a device or it is simply unrealistic, then you can choose ready-made models on the Internet and other specialized stores. With optimal size and cost. For a more visual overview of the column production stage, you can watch the video.