Do-it-yourself filler for a distillation column. Making a distillation column with your own hands - step-by-step instructions. Dependence of power on pipe diameter

Sooner or later, almost every lover of homemade alcohol thinks about purchasing or making a distillation column (RC) - a device for producing pure alcohol. You need to start with a comprehensive calculation of the basic parameters: power, height, drawer diameter, cube volume, etc. This information will be useful both for those who want to make all the elements with their own hands, and for those planning to buy a ready-made distillation column (it will help make a choice and check the seller). Without touching on the design features of individual units, we will consider the general principles of building a balanced system for rectification at home.

Column operation diagram

Characteristics of the pipe (tsar) and nozzle

Material. The pipe largely determines the parameters of the distillation column and the requirements for all components of the apparatus. The material for the manufacture of the drawer is chromium-nickel stainless steel - “food grade” stainless steel.

Due to its chemical neutrality, food-grade stainless steel does not affect the composition of the product, which is what is required. Raw sugar mash or distillation waste (“heads” and “tails”) are distilled into alcohol, so the main goal of rectification is to maximize the purification of the output from impurities, and not to change the organoleptic properties of the alcohol in one direction or another. It is inappropriate to use copper in classic distillation columns, since this material slightly changes the chemical composition of the drink and is suitable for the production of a distiller (a regular moonshine still) or a mash column (a special case of rectification).

Disassembled column pipe with a nozzle installed in one of the drawers

Thickness. The drawer is made of stainless pipe with a wall thickness of 1-1.5 mm. A thicker wall is not needed, as this will make the structure more expensive and heavier without providing any benefits.

Nozzle parameters. It is not correct to talk about the characteristics of a column without reference to the nozzle. When rectifying at home, nozzles with a contact surface area of ​​1.5 to 4 square meters are used. m/liter As the contact surface area increases, the separating ability also increases, but the productivity decreases. Reducing the area leads to a decrease in separating and strengthening ability.

The productivity of the column initially increases, but then to maintain the strength of the output, the operator is forced to reduce the extraction rate. This means that there is a certain optimal size of the nozzle, which depends on the diameter of the column and will allow you to achieve the best combination of parameters.

The dimensions of the spiral-prismatic packing (SPN) should be approximately 12-15 times smaller than the internal diameter of the column. For a pipe diameter of 50 mm - 3.5x3.5x0.25 mm, for 40 - 3x3x0.25 mm, and for 32 and 28 - 2x2x0.25 mm.

Depending on the tasks at hand, it is advisable to use different attachments. For example, when preparing fortified distillates, copper rings with a diameter and height of 10 mm are often used. It is clear that in this case the goal is not the separating and strengthening ability of the system, but a completely different criterion - the catalytic ability of copper to eliminate sulfur compounds from alcohol.

Options for spiral prismatic attachments

You shouldn’t limit your arsenal to one, even the best attachment, there simply aren’t any. There are those that are most suitable for solving each specific problem.

Even a small change in the diameter of the column seriously affects the parameters. To evaluate, it is enough to remember that the nominal power (W) and productivity (ml/hour) are numerically equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the column (sq. mm), and therefore are proportional to the square of the diameter. Pay attention to this when choosing a drawer, always consider the internal diameter and compare options using it.

Dependence of power on pipe diameter

Pipe height. To ensure good retention and separation capacity, regardless of the diameter, the height of the distillation column should be from 1 to 1.5 m. If it is less, there will not be enough space for the fusel oils accumulated during operation, as a result the fusel oil will begin to break through into the selection. Another drawback is that the heads will not be clearly divided into factions. If the pipe height is greater, this will not lead to a significant improvement in the separating and containing capacity of the system, but will increase the distillation time, as well as the number of “heads” and “headrests”. In other words, with an increase in the pipe height, the separating capacity of the distillation column increases for every additional centimeter decreases. The effect of increasing the pipe from 50 cm to 60 cm is an order of magnitude higher than from 140 cm to 150 cm.

Cube volume for distillation column

To increase the yield of high-quality alcohol, but to prevent overflow of the fusel column, the bulk (filling) of raw alcohol in the cube is limited to the range of 10-20 packing volumes. For columns with a height of 1.5 m and a diameter of 50 mm - 30-60 l, 40 mm - 17-34 l, 32 mm - 10-20 l, 28 mm - 7-14 l.

Taking into account that the cube is filled to 2/3 of the volume, a 40-80 liter container is suitable for a column with an internal diameter of the drawer of 50 mm, a 30-50 liter container for 40 mm, a 20-30 liter cube for 32 mm, and a pressure cooker for 28 mm.

When using a cube with a volume closer to the lower limit of the recommended range, you can safely remove one drawer and reduce the height to 1-1.2 meters. As a result, there will be relatively few barnacles to break through into selection, but the volume of “headrests” will noticeably decrease.

Column heating source and power

Slab type. The moonshine past haunts many beginners who believe that if they previously used a gas, induction or conventional electric stove to heat the moonshine still, then they can leave this source for the column.

The process of rectification is significantly different from distillation, everything is much more complicated and a fire will not work. It is necessary to ensure smooth adjustment and stability of the supplied heating power.

Electric stoves operating according to a thermostat in start-stop mode are not used, because as soon as a short-term power outage occurs, the steam will stop flowing into the column, and the phlegm will collapse into the cube. In this case, you will have to start rectification again - with the column working on itself and selecting the “heads”.

An induction cooker is an extremely crude device with a stepwise change in power of 100-200 W, and when rectifying, you need to change the power smoothly, literally by 5-10 W. And it is unlikely that it will be possible to stabilize heating regardless of input voltage fluctuations.

A gas stove with 40 percent raw alcohol poured into the cube and a 96-degree product at the outlet poses a mortal danger, not to mention fluctuations in the heating temperature.

The optimal solution is to embed a heating element of the required power into the cube of the column, and for adjustment use a relay with output voltage stabilization, for example, RM-2 16A. You can also take analogues. The main thing is to get a stabilized voltage at the output and the ability to smoothly change the heating temperature by 5-10 W.

Power supplied. To heat the cube in an acceptable time, you need to proceed from a power of 1 kW per 10 liters of raw alcohol. This means that for a 50 liter cube filled with 40 liters, a minimum of 4 kW is required, 40 liters - 3 kW, 30 liters - 2-2.5 kW, 20 liters - 1.5 kW.

With the same volume, cubes can be low and wide, narrow and high. When choosing a suitable container, you need to take into account that the cube is often used not only for rectification, but also for distillation, therefore, the most stringent conditions are used so that the supplied power does not lead to violent foaming with the emission of splashes from the cube into the steam line.

It has been experimentally established that with a heating element placement depth of about 40-50 cm, normal boiling occurs if per 1 sq. cm of bulk mirror accounts for no more than 4-5 W of power. As the depth decreases, the permissible power increases, and as the depth increases, it decreases.

There are other factors that influence the boiling behavior: density, viscosity and surface tension of the liquid. It happens that emissions occur at the end of distillation of the mash, when the density increases. Therefore, carrying out the rectification process at the border of the permitted range is always fraught with troubles.

Common cylindrical cubes have a diameter of 26, 32, 40 cm. Based on the permissible power per surface area of ​​the mirror of a 26 cm cube, it will work normally with a heating power of up to 2.5 kW, for 30 cm - 3.5 kW, 40 cm - 5 kW .

The third factor that determines the heating power is the use of one of the column sides without a nozzle as a dry steam tank to combat spray entrainment. To do this, it is necessary that the steam velocity in the pipe does not exceed 1 m/s; at 2-3 m/s the protective effect weakens, and at higher values ​​the steam will drive the reflux up the pipe and throw it into the selection.

Formula for calculating steam speed:

V = N * 750 / S (m/sec),

• N – power, kW;
• 750 – steam generation (cubic cm/sec kW);
• S – cross-sectional area of ​​the column (sq. mm).

A pipe with a diameter of 50 mm will cope with splash entrainment when heated to 4 kW, 40-42 mm - up to 3 kW, 38 - up to 2 kW, 32 - up to 1.5 kW.

Based on the above considerations, we select the volume, dimensions of the cube, heating and distillation power. All these parameters are consistent with the diameter and height of the column.

Calculation of parameters of the distillation column reflux condenser

The power of the reflux condenser is determined depending on the type of distillation column. If we are building a column with liquid or steam extraction below the dephlegmator, then the required power must be no less than the rated power of the column. Typically, in these cases, a Dimroth refrigerator is used as a capacitor with a utilization power of 4-5 Watts per 1 sq. cm surface.

If the column with steam extraction is higher than the dephlegmator, then the calculated power is 2/3 of the nominal one. In this case, you can use Dimrot or “shirt maker”. The utilization power of a shirtmaker is lower than that of a dimrot and is about 2 watts per square centimeter.

Example of a Dimroth refrigerator for a column

Then everything is simple: divide the rated power by the utilization power. For example, for a column with an internal diameter of 50 mm: 1950 / 5 = 390 sq. cm area of ​​Dimrot or 975 sq. see "shirt maker". This means that a Dimrot refrigerator can be made from a 6x1 mm tube with a length of 487 / (0.6 * 3.14) = 2.58 cm for the first option, taking into account a safety factor of 3 meters. For the second option, multiply by two thirds: 258 * 2 / 3 = 172 cm, taking into account a safety factor of 2 meters.

Shirt for column 52 x 1 – 975 / 5.2 / 3.14 = 59 cm * 2/3 = 39 cm. But this is for rooms with high ceilings.

"Shirtmaker"

Calculation of a once-through refrigerator

If the direct-flow unit is used as an aftercooler in a distillation column with liquid extraction, then the smallest and most compact option is chosen. A power of 30-40% of the rated power of the column is sufficient.

A direct-flow refrigerator without a spiral is made in the gap between the jacket and the inner pipe, then a selection is launched into the jacket, and cooling water is supplied through the central pipe. In this case, the shirt is welded onto the water supply pipe to the reflux condenser. This is a small “pencil” about 30 cm long.

But if the same direct-flow unit is used both for distillation and rectification, being a universal unit, they proceed not from the need of the dispenser, but from the maximum heating power during distillation.

To create a turbulent steam flow in the refrigerator, allowing for a heat transfer intensity of at least 10 Watts/sq. cm, it is necessary to ensure a steam speed of about 10-20 m/s.

The range of possible diameters is quite wide. The minimum diameter is determined from the conditions of not creating a large excess pressure in the cube (no more than 50 mm of water column), but the maximum by calculating the Reynolds number, based on the minimum speed and the maximum coefficient of kinematic viscosity of vapors.

Possible design of a once-through refrigerator

In order not to go into unnecessary details, we will give the most common definition: “In order for a turbulent regime of steam movement to be maintained in a pipe, it is sufficient that the internal diameter (in millimeters) is no more than 6 times the heating power (in kilowatts).”

To prevent airing of the water jacket, it is necessary to maintain the linear speed of water at least 11 cm/s, but an excessive increase in speed will require high pressure in the water supply. Therefore, the optimal range is considered to be from 12 to 20 cm/s.

To condense the steam and cool the condensate to an acceptable temperature, you need to supply water at 20 ° C in a volume of about 4.8 cubic cm / s (17 liters per hour) for each kilowatt of power supplied. In this case, the water will heat up by 50 degrees – up to 70°C. Naturally, in winter you will need less water, and when using autonomous cooling systems, about one and a half times more.

Based on the previous data, the cross-sectional area of ​​the annular gap and the inner diameter of the jacket can be calculated. The available range of pipes must also be taken into account. Calculations and practice have shown that a gap of 1-1.5 mm is quite sufficient to meet all the necessary conditions. This corresponds to pairs of pipes: 10x1 - 14x1, 12x1 - 16x1, 14x1 - 18x1, 16x1 - 20x1 and 20x1 - 25x1.5, which cover the entire range of capacities used at home.

There is another important detail of the direct flow unit - a spiral wound onto the steam pipe. Such a spiral is made from wire with a diameter that provides a gap of 0.2-0.3 mm to the inner surface of the shirt. It is wound in increments equal to 2-3 diameters of the steam pipe. The main purpose is to center the steam pipe, in which during operation the temperature is higher than in the jacket pipe. This means that due to thermal expansion, the steam pipe lengthens and bends, leaning against the jacket, causing dead zones that are not washed by cooling water, as a result of which the efficiency of the refrigerator drops sharply. Additional advantages of spiral winding are lengthening the path and creating turbulence in the cooling water flow.

A properly designed direct-flow unit can utilize up to 15 watts/sq. cm of heat exchange area, which has been experimentally confirmed. To determine the length of the cooled part of the direct flow unit, we will use a nominal power of 10 W / sq. cm (100 sq. cm/kW).

The required heat exchange area is equal to the heating power in kilowatts multiplied by 100:

S = P * 100 (sq. cm).

Steam pipe outer circumference:

Locr = 3.14 * D.

Cooling jacket height:

H = S / Lamb.

General calculation formula:

H = 3183 * P/D (power in kW, height and outer diameter of the steam pipe in millimeters).

Example of direct flow calculation

Heating power – 2 kW.

It is possible to use pipes 12x1 and 14x1.

Sectional areas - 78.5 and 113 square meters. mm.

Steam volume – 750 * 2 = 1500 cubic meters. cm/s.

Steam velocities in pipes: 19.1 and 13.2 m/s.

The 14x1 pipe looks preferable, as it allows you to have a power reserve while remaining within the recommended steam speed range.

The paired pipe for the shirt is 18x1, the annular gap will be 1 mm.

Water supply speed: 4.8 * 2= 9.6 cm3/s.

The area of ​​the annular gap is 3.14 / 4 * (16 * 16 – 14 * 14) = 47.1 sq. mm = 0.471 sq. cm.

Linear speed – 9.6 / 0.471 = 20 cm/s – the value remains within the recommended limits.

If the annular gap were 1.5 mm - 13 cm/s. If 2 mm, then the linear speed would drop to 9.6 cm/s and it would be necessary to supply water above the nominal volume, solely to prevent the refrigerator from airing - a pointless waste of money.

Shirt height - 3183 * 2 / 14 = 454 mm or 45 cm. No safety factor is needed, everything is taken into account.

Result: 14x1-18x1 with a height of the cooled part of 45 cm, nominal water consumption - 9.6 cubic meters. cm/s or 34.5 liters per hour.

With a rated heating power of 2 kW, the refrigerator will produce 4 liters of alcohol per hour with a good supply.

An effective and balanced direct-flow distillation unit must have a ratio of extraction rate to heating power and water consumption for cooling of 1 liter/hour - 0.5 kW - 10 liters/hour. If the power is higher, there will be large heat losses; if the power is low, the useful heating power will decrease. If the water flow rate is higher, the direct flow pump has an inefficient design.

The distillation column can be used as a mash column. Equipment for mash columns has its own characteristics, but the second distillation differs mainly in technology. For the first distillation there are more features and individual components may not be applicable, but this is a topic for another discussion.

Based on real household needs and the existing range of pipes, we will calculate typical options for a distillation column using the given methodology.

P.S. We would like to express our gratitude to the user of our forum for systematizing the material and assistance in preparing the article.

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.

Experienced moonshiners are familiar with many types of moonshine stills, but they place the distillation column above all of them. Yes, it is difficult to make it yourself and also difficult to use at home, but what prevents you from buying an industrially manufactured column? Fortunately, there are a lot of different models of distillation columns on the market.

But one purchase is not enough to get a good product. The moonshiner must know how the distillation column works and the principles of its operation. This article will help you find out about this.

Distillation refers to the process distilling the fermented mixture into volatile components, which then condense and turn into moonshine. This process is inherently primitive. Water boils at 100 ° C, and alcohol begins to evaporate at 78 ° C. It is enough to heat the mash, but not bring it to a boil, so that the alcohol begins to evaporate. After this, it condenses into moonshine. The resulting product can be distilled again to produce even stronger moonshine.

It is noteworthy that in primitive distillation devices the first 100 ml of moonshine have the greatest strength. However, in addition to the high alcohol content, this liquid contains a lot of harmful substances:

• Volatile acids.
• Ethers.
• Aldehydes.

For this reason, experienced moonshiners pour out the first milliliters of rectified alcohol or use them as a means for ignition. Drinking this solution is very dangerous for your health..

The first 100 g of distillate obtained at home is called the head.

When rectifying alcohol in a distillation cube, the concentration of alcohol vapor gradually decreases when heated. The level of alcohol vapor reduction can be determined by the temperature of the alcohol column. Don't wait for it to get very hot. Then from the alembic The water will begin to evaporate.

At the final stage of rectification, another part of the alcohol unsuitable for consumption appears. We are talking about tailings containing methanol and fusel oils. You can recognize a tail by its unpleasant smell. It appears when the strength of moonshine at the exit from the distillation column drops to 40%. It is not necessary to pour out the tails at all. They can be re-distilled.

Types of distillation

This process comes in two types:

• Simple.
• Factional.

In simple distillation, the heads and tails are not cut off. Remaining after rectification in a distillation still, the mash is usually called stillage, or less commonly the stillage. The resulting product is a distillate. In such a product, the percentage of alcohol usually does not exceed 30%. The amount of harmful impurities in such moonshine significantly exceeds the norm. Therefore it requires re-distillation.

Fractional distillation it is called so because the product coming out of the moonshine still is divided into 3 parts:

1. Head.
2. Heart.
3. Tail.

The first and third parts are cut off. The second part remains, suitable for consumption. Its strength can range from 50 to 70%. The quality of this product is relatively high.

Distillation and rectification are the same thing. But when using a full-fledged distillation column, the output is not distillate, but ethyl alcohol.

Distillation column for moonshine still allows you to separate the fermented alcohol into its component parts and obtain a pure product without the odor inherent in fusel oils, acetone and methanol.

Thanks to the rectifier, a moonshiner can make tinctures and other alcoholic drinks at home with his own hands, the quality of which is not inferior to those sold in stores.

Naturally, a distillation column can be used as a simple distiller to produce regular moonshine.

The main difference between distillation from rectification lies in the characteristics of the final product. The rectifier allows you to obtain pure alcohol, but it requires raw alcohol. The latter can only be obtained by distilling the mash in a moonshine still. That is, the rectifier and moonshine still must be used together.

It should also be understood that the moonshine still produces a product that has the taste and smell of the original raw material, while the distillation column produces alcohol with a neutral taste and smell.

Operating principle of a distillation column

Distillation column diagram can be found on the Internet. According to it, the rectifier consists of the following parts:

• An evaporation cube in which raw materials are stored and heated.
• A column within which heat and mass transfer processes occur due to a special nozzle.
• Dephlegmator.
• Distillate selection unit in a distillation column.

To understand the structure of a distillation column, you need to understand the operating principle of each of its elements.

This is a container for storing and heating mash or distillate. When heated, the still liquid evaporates and slowly rises up the column. In the upper part of the rectifier, the liquid is separated into separate fractions.

Often a cube is the base of a column. It can be heated on both a gas and electric stove. Some cube models use a heating element - heating element.

When making alcohol, the mash is initially distilled in a still. This way you can obtain raw alcohol necessary for subsequent rectification.

A cube made in an industrial environment must have a built-in thermometer that allows you to control the temperature of the mash. As a rule, the raw material in the cube is first heated to 70 ° C and only after that coolant is supplied to the column.

Tsarga

This is the central part of the column, in which temperature and mass transfer processes occur.

Her work looks like this:

• The mash in the cube begins to evaporate and rises up the column, in the upper part of which a refrigerator is installed.
• The reflux condenser provides condensation of alcohol vapors.
• The resulting distillate, after condensation, flows down the alcohol column.
• During descent, the distillate collides with steam. Heat and mass transfer occurs, as a result of which the most evaporated part of the fraction rises to the upper part of the column.
• It condenses and goes into the selection channel.

The strengthening column can consist of several frames. In addition, one must take into account the fact that as the height of the column increases, heat and mass transfer processes become more active. This allows you to get a more rectified alcohol at the output.

There is a variety of this device called "tornado". It differs from a conventional rectifier in that its walls are heated. This approach causes the phlegm to evaporate directly from the walls before contact with the refrigerator. This allows you to speed up the rectification process and obtain a purer product.

Rectifying nozzle

It consists of 2 parts:

Modern distillation columns are often equipped with automatic distillation control units. This device allows, according to a given program to separate the tail and food parts. As a result, the moonshiner may not sit near the moonshine all the time and do the selection with his own hands. The device, thanks to the BUR, will do everything itself.

Is it possible to make a full-fledged distillation column with your own hands?

You can make a moonshine still with a distillation column at home. But is it worth doing? The cost savings will be negligible. In addition, due to the fact that it is difficult to maintain all the necessary parameters at home, you may encounter the home apparatus choking during the production of rectified alcohol.

This happens due to non-compliance with the geometric parameters of the device, as a result of which the maximum speed of steam movement is exceeded. This leads to fluid accumulation in the central part of the column, as a result of which heat and mass transfer processes stop. The pressure inside the drawer increases. The moonshiner begins to hear gurgling inside the still.

To this problem In addition to design flaws, the following reasons can be given:

• Excessive heating of the moonshine still.
• Overflow of the distillation cube.
• Clogging of the lower part of the reinforcing column.
• Distillation under low atmospheric pressure.

To avoid these problems, it is better to buy a distillation apparatus than to make it yourself.

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!

Brass columns are very common among lovers of strong drink. If you decide to make such a design yourself, then you need to familiarize yourself with the technology for carrying out the work and find out what features the device should have.

Preparatory work

The best mash column must have a certain height. You can choose this parameter yourself, but ideally it should be 50 diameters. According to experts, this is not so important; the equipment owner himself must decide what strength the product will have, and also decide how good the separation will be. However, there is a certain objective criterion that determines the smallest height of the manufactured column. You must avoid the possibility of splashing. Based on this, mash columns are not made below 30 centimeters. Otherwise, carrying out the work will be inappropriate.

Work technology

When manufacturing the described structure, it must be equipped with a controlled reflux condenser. The design features of this element may vary depending on your preferences. The element can be created based on a shirt or dimrot. The main condition is the fact that the dephlegmator must have the ability to extinguish the power that is planned to be supplied. This element can be installed not in one quantity, but in quantity 2 or 3. In this case, the element will be primary or secondary. This structure allows for more stable operation of the column. You must understand that such additions are only possible on tall structures.

Work methodology

The mash columns must be able to adjust the cooling of the reflux condenser; this component must be quite thin. To do this, you should stock up on a tap that will allow you to use the liquid as accurately as possible. Experts recommend using the needle type, but you should avoid using a ball valve, as it is completely unsuitable. If we consider available household solutions, then the best option for carrying out this adjustment installation work will be a radiator tap, which is used when installing a heating system.

You can prepare the drawing of the mash column yourself. The column must be equipped with a place for installing a thermometer, which is mounted in front of the condenser entrance. This statement is true for structures that will operate according to a steam extraction scheme. If a liquid withdrawal dephlegmator is used on a film column, the location of the thermometer will be determined by the specific design of the system. The mash columns are equipped with a refrigerator-condenser, which will be responsible for condensing and cooling the supplied steam. If the design has liquid extraction, then a refrigerator will be required that will lower the temperature of the finished product.

It is important to take into account during manufacturing that the supply of liquid to the reflux condenser or to each of them, as well as to the refrigerator, must be done separately. The tubes that will be used for the outlet of the refrigerator and reflux condenser must be used exclusively on a silicone basis. This statement is true for hot water products. If we are talking about cold water, then you can use polyvinyl chloride-based tubes. The copper mash column must be manufactured taking into account the technical requirements described above, for which different design solutions are suitable. However, you can not limit yourself and come up with your own modification. The main condition for this is that in the end you will be able to get your drinks, which will have different qualities and organoleptic characteristics. However, in the end it will not be possible to obtain pure alcohol. The final product will not smell like moonshine, but it will not be pharmaceutical alcohol either. But for making vodka, this design is quite suitable; the master will be able to make the base for high-quality distillates.

Description of the manufacture of a column with a jacket reflux condenser

A continuous mash column can be made on the basis of a jacket reflux condenser. To carry out the work, you will need copper tubes, the length of which should be 500, 2000, 1000 and 300 millimeters. Each of them should have dimensions of 28 x 1.22 x 1.1 x 1.8 x 1 millimeters, respectively. Among other things, you will need a transitional double-socket coupling in the amount of 2 pieces, another transition coupling should have slightly different parameters, equal to 22 x 15 millimeters, 3 such elements will be needed. The master must prepare a single-socket corner, the dimensions of which are equal to 22 millimeters. It will be impossible to carry out the work without a tee, the dimensions of which are 15 millimeters. Be sure to make sure you have an adapter for a 1/2-inch external thread. You will need an adapter for 3/4" internal thread. The element will be required to attach to the cube, however, in each specific case there may be other sizes. If you make a continuous mash column using the elements described above, you will end up with a product with a maximum temperature of 92 degrees.

Features of manufacturing an air-cooled device

A piece of copper pipe will be used to make a coil. A roll of aluminum-based wire will be used without insulation. You can use a computer cooler, superglue and a 500-watt boiler during the work. The power may turn out to be less impressive.

First you need to take a copper tube, bending it to connect to the body of the device. That part of this workpiece that will go down must be included in the spiral. should be wound onto the tube from above, leaving some distance between the turns. In order to reduce thermal resistance, the turns should be as dense as possible. This will increase the heat exchange area and the efficiency of the coil.

When making a mash column with your own hands, at the next stage you need to use any cone-shaped object, the diameter of which should be compared with the dimensions of the selected fan. You need to wind a moonshine coil onto this item. In this example, we will consider a regular beer bottle, the capacity of which is 0.5 liters. The coil must be bent so that it evenly covers the cross section of the fan. You need to try the element on the selected case and make sure that everything is in order. This concludes the work with the coil for now.

Now it’s time to move on to the lid of the device. To do this, you can use a regular polyethylene-based lid. The brass coupling must be heated to half an inch before fusing into the polyethylene cap. The structure must cool down; you can cool it in water. After the coupling is removed, it should be cleaned of adhering polyethylene, and the resulting burrs should be carefully cut off. You need to wrap a fluoroplastic tape around the coupling, which is essential for making a moonshine still. This way you will be able to get something like a gasket. When you make a mash column with your own hands, the next step is to install the coupling in a hole made in advance in the lid. The fluoroplastic should be between the coupling and the cover. The nut should be tightened from the inside without applying excessive force.

At the next stage, you can work on the heating element of the entire device. For this you can use a regular boiler. Having retreated some distance from the end of the wire, so that it is enough to reach the device, you need to cut off a part, you will have to screw everything back afterwards. The ends of the cord from the boiler must be threaded so that when the lid is closed, the element is inside the body. After stripping the wires, they need to be connected back. It is important to take care of high-quality insulation.

The boiler should not touch the bottom; it is advisable that it be completely covered with liquid during operation. Into the same hole through which the boiler cord passes, you need to insert the long end of the coil for the apparatus. The remaining gaps between the tube and the cord must be filled with pieces of cotton wool, making it quite tight. It is important to achieve the best sealing possible.

The resulting structure made of cotton wool must be filled with superglue, which is made on a cyanoacrylic base. This will allow you to obtain the most airtight connection using composite materials. After the glue hardens, you will be able to get a tight, strong connection. All that remains is to make something like a casing for the fan so that the air washes over the fins of the heat exchanger, represented by a coil.

To make the casing, you can use Tetra-Pak packaging. If you are making a moonshine still, then you can use the technology presented in the article. You need to cut a rectangle from the packaging, the width of which will correspond to the dimensions of the fan. These elements will be used to cover the fan on 3 sides. The end of the coil needs to be brought to the fourth side in order to drain the moonshine. In the remaining side wall you need to make a hole for this part of the tube and glue it with the superglue used earlier. The walls can be glued together with tape. When it is necessary to ensure maximum safety, it should be covered with a transparent protective screen.

At this point we can assume that the mash column is ready. You can use a computer power supply as a power source for the fan. To turn it on without using the motherboard, you need to connect the black wire with the green one. Experts use more compact 12-volt sources, which you can find yourself.

Deviation from the above requirements

If you are making a mash column with your own hands, the drawings of which you must complete in advance, then it is important to think about deviations from the mentioned requirements. The main one is an uncontrolled reflux condenser. If we are talking about the Malyutka column, then uncontrollability is sacrificed for compactness. To do this, the condenser and reflux condenser are located in a single container with running water. If you decide to use this scheme, then you will not be able to regulate the process using a reflux condenser, therefore, separation will not be achieved. If you are making a mash column with your own hands, you can borrow the drawings of this design from the article. It should also be remembered that the reflux condenser has low utilization capacity. You may encounter the problem of low column height. Some craftsmen cannot refuse to place the structure on a gas stove under the hood. In this case, separation will be quite difficult to achieve, which is especially true for tall columns.

The Rectify beer column has proven itself among lovers of strong drink. However, if you decide to manufacture such a design yourself, then it is best to use stainless steel-based parts. The fittings must be welded to the pipe, while an internal thread is installed on them on both sides, to which the necks of the kegs are fixed. Using fluoroplastic, you can machine a sleeve-coupling, which will be equipped with a gasket for the clamp. All this will form a single whole. The mash column “Baby” must be equipped with insulating material, which is first cut along the length, then put on the pipe, on which it is glued. You should put a dephlegmator stick on the top cover and secure everything with a clamp clamp. The liquid will be fed into a tube through which the phlegm returns. You should put a piece on it that will prevent splashing to the level of the top plate.

Conclusion

If you cannot decide what you will make - a mash column or then you can make the first of them. It is easier to make and will also allow you to immediately start preparing a strong drink. As an alternative solution, you can try to purchase this device. Home craftsmen today sell them in completely different configurations and at different prices. From the available assortment you will choose something for yourself.