DIY distillation column - detailed description and diagram. Distillation column with a reflux condenser from a thermos. Design of the distillation column selection unit.

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

But one purchase to receive good product not enough. 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 harmful substances:

Volatile acids.
Ethers.
Aldehydes.

For this reason, experienced moonshiners use the first milliliters rectified alcohol poured out or used 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. You can determine the level of alcohol vapor reduction by temperature alcohol column. Don't wait for it to get very hot. Then from 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:

Head.
Heart.
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 brewed alcohol into its component parts and obtain the output pure product without the odor inherent in fusel oils, acetone and methanol.

Thanks to the rectifier, a moonshiner can make tinctures and other tinctures with his own hands at home. alcoholic drinks, the quality 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 gas and electric stove. Some cube models use a heating element- Heater.

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 top part The most evaporated part of the fraction rises from 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 variation 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 choking home device during the production of rectified alcohol.

This happens due to non-compliance geometric parameters 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, except design flaws, can lead following reasons:

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.

Recently, quite a lot of people do not trust the quality of alcohol offered by stores, and the cost of such products is high. Therefore, you can often see a moonshine still in kitchens next to various household appliances. After all, homemade alcohol-containing drinks are environmentally friendly and less harmful to health in reasonable quantities. However, all distillers face a problem: purifying alcohol from harmful impurities and unpleasant odor. Experienced and economical owners use a distillation column for this. Well, in order to keep up with more advanced distillers, beginners need to learn what a distillation column is in a moonshine still.

The rectification column allows the production of alcohol-containing drinks, such as vodka, whiskey, highly purified liqueurs and high strength (up to 97%). The structure of a conventional distillation column is as follows:

Evaporation cube.
Column with special nozzle, in which heat and mass transfer processes take place (tsarga).
Dephlegmator.
Distillate collection unit.

Evaporation cube

The evaporation cube is a container in which the mash is heated. In the process, it evaporates and steam rises up the column. At the top of the rectifier, the liquid is divided into separate fractions.

The evaporation cube is heated on any type of plate. And some of its models require a heating device. A purchased cube must be equipped with a thermometer, which allows you to control the heating of the mash. The evaporation cube is absolutely sealed. During boiling, it is important that the liquid and steam remain inside. The cube cannot be filled with mash more than 2/3 of its volume, otherwise the liquid will splash out of the container.

Tsarga

The following processes occur in this part of the distillation column:

The mash in the cube evaporates under the influence of heat and rises up the column. There is a refrigerator installed there.
The reflux condenser ensures the condensation of alcohol vapor and the production of a distillate.
The distillate descends through the alcohol column. At this moment, it collides with steam - heat and mass transfer.
As a result of this process, the evaporated part of the fraction goes up the column. Here it condenses and then goes into the selection channel.

Do not forget that if you increase the height of the column, heat and mass transfer takes place more actively. This results in a more rectified alcohol output.

Rectifying nozzle

The rectification nozzle has two parts:

Alcohol selection unit. In an industrial distillation column, this part is equipped with a sight glass, which allows you to determine the rate of alcohol selection.
Dephlegmator. Sometimes this part is called the refrigerator. The reflux condenser is located at the top of the distillation column. It is needed to collect moonshine vapors and turn them into phlegm, which is released downwards. Here it is enriched with alcohol vapor. After the phlegm enters the selection unit, the evaporated part comes out.

The distillation column has a simple structure, so the principle of its operation can be easily explained. This mechanism acts as a filter in which fusel oils settle. In it there is a constant interaction of alcohol vapor and liquid, in other words, rectification. After the mash warms up to 70 degrees in the evaporation cube, the alcohol begins to evaporate. It rises through the pipe and ends up in the reflux condenser. In this part, re-condensation occurs with steam when cooled with water. The condensate (reflux) drains and meets the hot steam again. An exchange occurs between the two components - the process of saturation of phlegm with steam, and steam with liquid, which has low temperature boiling.

The final condensation of the steam occurs in the refrigerator. The output is purified alcohol, which flows into a receiving container. At the top of the distillation column there is an atmospheric valve. It is needed so that vapors that do not contain alcohol and are not subject to condensation leave the mechanism.

Continuous rectification occurs due to special contact elements - physical plates in purchased distillation columns and metal sponges or glass beads in hand-made samples. These parts are needed to increase the efficiency of interaction between steam and reflux.

Types of columns

There are the following types of distillation columns:

Disc type. Such units have plates inside that are installed at a certain distance. Heat and mass transfer is carried out on them. Distillation columns of this type are expensive and quite cumbersome. But they have the main advantage - factions are separated accurately.
Nozzle type. The mechanism has copper nozzle two types. The first is a scattering of small stainless steel elements filling the column. Their uneven placement complicates the passage of vapors and the outflow of phlegm. The second type is a Panchenkov nozzle, which performs effective heat and mass transfer.

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

There are convenient and high-quality moonshine stills with a distillation column on sale. But their cost is high. Therefore, men who know how to work with metals can make the unit themselves. To create a column, materials that do not enter into chemical reactions with alcohol and do not release various elements harmful to human health over time. To create the unit you will need:

A container of the required volume as a distillation cube. This can be any copper or enamel vessel. Suitable stainless steel. If there is a small yield of alcohol, then use a pressure cooker.
Column body in the form of a drawer or pipe. On store shelves you can quickly find a ready-made 15-centimeter drawer. Buy several pieces and connect them. Or you can easily make this part from a stainless pipe with a diameter of 0.5 centimeters and a wall thickness of 1.5–2 millimeters. A thread is made on both sides of it: the bottom is attached to the cube, and the top is connected to the reflux condenser. The drawer must be at least one meter in height, otherwise harmful fractions will not be removed, and fusel oils will end up in the distillate. The result will be a low quality product. If you make a pipe longer than 1.5 meters, the time for rectification will increase, but the efficiency will remain the same.
Dephlegmator for cooling and condensing steam. It can be jacketed or straight-through. Made from two pipes between which water moves. The Dimroth reflux condenser is considered more efficient. The body becomes a pipe, inside of which there is a thin tube in the form of a spiral. It circulates in it cold water. Shell and tube dephlegmator- from several pipes. In the largest one they attach the small ones. The steam condenses in them.
Nozzles for the drawer. They increase the surface area over which phlegm flows. This means that harmful impurities are deposited and do not end up in homemade alcohol. Nozzles in the form of ceramic balls or cut stainless steel kitchen sponges should completely fill the drawer. A Panchenkov nozzle is also used. She is the best option.
Unit for distillate selection.
Fridge. This part is manufactured in the same way as a jacket reflux condenser. But tubes with a smaller diameter are taken. The refrigerator has passages for water. It enters the lower hole, and from the upper hole the liquid is directed through tubes to the dephlegmator.
Small parts to connect the parts.
Thermometer.

The rectification method has both supporters and opponents. It boasts the following positive aspects:

The output is high-quality strong alcohol that does not contain impurities harmful to human health. It will be an excellent base for any alcoholic drink.
You can prepare moonshine with the desired organoleptic properties.
The device is quite easy to construct yourself.

Distillers note the following disadvantages:

The entire rectification process takes a long time. Only one liter of distillate is obtained per hour.
Manufacturing designs are expensive.

However, given the undoubted benefits of the column, it is still worth purchasing. And then there will be no complaints about the quality of moonshine.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the theoretical and some practical aspects of the operation of a home distillation column aimed at producing ethyl alcohol, as well as to dispel the most common myths on the Internet and clarify points that equipment sellers are “silent” about.

Rectification of alcohol– separation of a multicomponent alcohol-containing mixture into pure fractions (ethyl and methyl alcohols, water, fusel oils, aldehydes and others) having different boiling points, by repeated evaporation of the liquid and condensation of steam on contact devices (plates or nozzles) in special counter-flow tower devices.

WITH physical point From a perspective, rectification is possible because initially the concentration of the individual components of the mixture in the vapor and liquid phases is different, but the system tends to equilibrium - the same pressure, temperature and concentration of all substances in each phase. When in contact with a liquid, the steam is enriched with highly volatile (low-boiling) components, and the liquid, in turn, is enriched with non-volatile (high-boiling) components. Simultaneously with enrichment, heat exchange occurs.

Schematic diagram

The moment of contact (interaction of flows) of steam and liquid is called the process of heat and mass transfer.

Due to the different directions of movements (steam rises up and liquid flows down), after the system reaches equilibrium in the upper part of the distillation column, it is possible to separately select practically pure components that were part of the mixture. First, substances with a lower boiling point (aldehydes, ethers and alcohols) come out, then those with a high boiling point (fusel oils).

State of balance. Appears at the very boundary of phase separation. This can only be achieved if two conditions are simultaneously met:

Equal pressure of each individual component of the mixture.
The temperature and concentration of substances in both phases (vapor and liquid) are the same.

The more often the system comes into equilibrium, the more effective is the heat and mass transfer and separation of the mixture into individual components.

Difference between distillation and rectification

As you can see in the graph, from a 10% alcohol solution (mash) you can get 40% moonshine, and the second distillation of this mixture will yield a 60-degree distillate, and the third – 70%. The following intervals are possible: 10-40; 40-60; 60-70; 70-75 and so on up to a maximum of 96%.

Theoretically, to obtain pure alcohol, 9-10 consecutive distillations are required on a moonshine still. In practice, distilling alcohol-containing liquids with a concentration higher than 20-30% is explosive, and due to the large expenditure of energy and time, it is not economically profitable.

From this point of view, rectification of alcohol is a minimum of 9-10 simultaneous, stepwise distillations that occur on different contact elements of the column (nozzles or plates) along the entire height.

Difference	Distillation	Rectification
Organoleptics of the drink	Preserves the aroma and taste of the original raw materials.	The result is pure alcohol, odorless and tasteless (the problem has a solution).
Output strength	Depends on the number of distillations and the design of the apparatus (usually 40-65%).	Up to 96%.
Degree of fractionation	Low, substances even with different boiling points mix, this cannot be corrected.	High, pure substances can be isolated (only with different boiling points).
Ability to remove harmful substances	Low or medium. To improve quality, a minimum of two distillations are required, with at least one of them being divided into fractions.	High, at the right approach All harmful substances are cut off.
Alcohol losses	Tall. Even with the right approach, you can extract up to 80% of the total amount while maintaining acceptable quality.	Low. Theoretically, it is possible to extract all ethyl alcohol without loss of quality. In practice, at least 1-3% losses.
Complexity of technology for implementation at home	Low and medium. Even the most primitive apparatus with a coil is suitable. Equipment improvements are possible. The distillation technology is simple and straightforward. A moonshine still usually does not take up much space when in working order.	High. Special equipment is required, which cannot be manufactured without knowledge and experience. The process is more difficult to understand; preliminary at least theoretical preparation is required. The column takes up more space (especially in height).
Danger (compared to each other), both processes are fire and explosion hazards.	Thanks to the simplicity of the moonshine still, distillation is somewhat safer (subjective opinion of the author of the article).	Due to complex equipment, when working with which there is a risk of making more mistakes, rectification is more dangerous.

Operation of a distillation column

Distillation column– a device designed to separate multicomponent liquid mixture into separate fractions based on boiling point. It is a cylinder of constant or variable cross-section, inside of which there are contact elements - plates or nozzles.

Also, almost every column has auxiliary units for supplying the initial mixture (raw alcohol), monitoring the rectification process (thermometers, automation) and distillate selection - a module in which the vapor of a certain substance extracted from the system is condensed and then taken out.

One of the most common home designs

Raw alcohol– a product of distillation of mash using the classical distillation method, which can be “poured” into a distillation column. In fact, this is moonshine with a strength of 35-45 degrees.

Reflux– steam condensed in the dephlegmator, flowing down the walls of the column.

Reflux ratio– the ratio of the amount of phlegm to the mass of the distillate taken. There are three streams in an alcohol distillation column: steam, reflux and distillate (the final goal). At the beginning of the process, the distillate is not withdrawn so that enough reflux appears in the column for heat and mass transfer. Then part of the alcohol vapor is condensed and taken from the column, and the remaining alcohol vapor continues to create a reflux flow, ensuring normal operation.

For most installations to operate, the reflux ratio must be at least 3, that is, 25% of the distillate is taken, the rest is needed in the column for irrigating the contact elements. General rule: the slower the alcohol is sampled, the higher the quality.

Contact devices of the distillation column (plates and nozzles)

They are responsible for repeated and simultaneous separation of the mixture into liquid and vapor, followed by condensation of the vapor into liquid - achieving a state of equilibrium in the column. All other things being equal, the more contact devices there are in the design, the more effective rectification is in terms of purifying alcohol, since the surface of phase interaction increases, which intensifies the entire heat and mass transfer.

Theoretical plate– one cycle of leaving the equilibrium state and achieving it again. To obtain high-quality alcohol, a minimum of 25-30 theoretical plates is required.

Physical plate- a really working device. The vapor passes through the layer of liquid in the plate in the form of many bubbles, creating a large contact surface. In the classical design, the physical plate provides approximately half of the conditions to achieve one equilibrium state. Consequently, for normal operation of a distillation column, twice as many physical plates are required as the theoretical (calculated) minimum - 50-60 pieces.

Nozzles Often, plates are installed only on industrial installations. In laboratory and home distillation columns, nozzles are used as contact elements - specially twisted copper (or steel) wire or dishwashing mesh. In this case, the reflux flows in a thin stream over the entire surface of the nozzle, providing maximum contact area with steam.

Nozzles made from washcloths are the most practical

There are a lot of designs. The disadvantage of homemade wire attachments is possible damage to the material (blackening, rust); factory analogues are free of such problems.

Properties of the distillation column

Material and sizes. The column cylinder, nozzles, cube and distillers must be made of food-grade, stainless, safe when heated (expands evenly) alloy. IN homemade structures cans and pressure cookers are most often used as a cube.

The minimum length of the pipe of a home distillation column is 120-150 cm, diameter is 30-40 mm.

Heating system. During the rectification process, it is very important to control and quickly adjust the heating power. Therefore, the most successful solution is heating using heating elements built into bottom part Cuba. Heat input through gas stove not recommended because it does not allow quick changes temperature Range(high system inertia).

Process control. During rectification, it is important to follow the column manufacturer’s instructions, which must indicate operating features, heating power, reflux ratio and model performance.

The thermometer allows you to accurately control the process of fraction selection

It is very difficult to control the rectification process without two simple devices - a thermometer (helps determine the correct degree of heating) and an alcohol meter (measures the strength of the resulting alcohol).

Performance. It does not depend on the size of the column, since the higher the drawer (pipe), the more physical plates are inside, therefore, the better the cleaning. Productivity is affected by heating power, which determines the speed of steam and reflux flows. But if there is an excess of supplied power, the column choke (stops working).

The average productivity of home distillation columns is 1 liter per hour with a heating power of 1 kW.

Effect of pressure. The boiling point of liquids depends on pressure. For successful rectification of alcohol, the pressure at the top of the column must be close to atmospheric - 720-780 mmHg. Otherwise, as the pressure decreases, the vapor density will decrease and the evaporation rate will increase, which may cause the column to flood. When too high blood pressure the evaporation rate drops, making the device ineffective (there is no separation of the mixture into fractions). For supporting correct pressure Each alcohol rectification column is equipped with a communication tube with the atmosphere.

About the possibility of homemade assembly. Theoretically, a distillation column is not a very complex device. The designs are successfully implemented by craftsmen at home.

But in practice, without understanding the physical foundations of the rectification process, correct calculations equipment parameters, selection of materials and high-quality assembly of components, the use of a homemade distillation column turns into a dangerous task. Even one mistake can lead to fire, explosion or burns.

In terms of safety, factory-made columns that have passed tests (have supporting documentation) are more reliable, and also come with instructions (which must be detailed). The risk of a critical situation comes down to only two factors - proper assembly and operation according to the instructions, but this is a problem for almost everyone household appliances, and not just columns or moonshine stills.

Operating principle of a distillation column

The cube is filled to a maximum of 2/3 of its volume. Before turning on the installation, be sure to check the tightness of the connections and assembly, shut off the distillate selection unit and supply cooling water. Only after this can you start heating the cube.

The optimal strength of the alcohol-containing mixture fed into the column is 35-45%. That is, in any case, distillation of the mash is required before rectification. The resulting product (raw alcohol) is then processed in a column, obtaining almost pure alcohol.

This means that a home distillation column is not a complete replacement for a classic moonshine still (distiller) and can only be considered as an additional purification step that better replaces re-distillation (second distillation), but neutralizes the organoleptic properties of the drink.

To be fair, I note that the majority modern models Distillation columns are designed to operate in moonshine still mode. To switch to distillation, you just need to close the connection to the atmosphere and open the distillate selection unit.

If both fittings are closed at the same time, the heated column may explode due to excess pressure! Don't make such mistakes!

In continuous industrial installations, the mash is often distilled immediately, but this is possible due to its gigantic size and design features. For example, the standard is a pipe 80 meters high and 6 meters in diameter, in which many times more contact elements are installed than on distillation columns for the home.

Size matters. The capabilities of distilleries in terms of still cleaning are greater than with home rectification

After switching on, the liquid in the cube is brought to a boil by the heater. The resulting steam rises up the column, then enters the reflux condenser, where it condenses (reflux appears) and returns in liquid form along the pipe walls to the lower part of the column, on the way back coming into contact with rising steam on plates or nozzles. Under the action of the heater, the reflux becomes steam again, and the steam at the top is again condensed by the reflux condenser. The process becomes cyclical, with both streams continuously in contact with each other.

After stabilization (steam and reflux are sufficient for equilibrium), pure (separated) fractions with the lowest boiling point (methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, ethers, ethyl alcohol), at the bottom - from the highest (fusel oils). As selection proceeds, the lower fractions gradually rise up the column.

In most cases, a column in which the temperature does not change for 10 minutes is considered stable (selection can begin). total time warming up – 20-60 minutes). Until this moment, the device works “on itself,” creating flows of steam and reflux that tend to equilibrium. After stabilization, the selection of the head fraction begins, containing harmful substances: ethers, aldehydes and methyl alcohol.

A distillation column does not eliminate the need to separate the output into fractions. As in the case of a conventional moonshine still, you have to assemble the “head”, “body” and “tail”. The only difference is the purity of the output. During rectification, the fractions are not “lubricated” - substances with boiling points close to, but at least a tenth of a degree different in, do not intersect, therefore, when the “body” is selected, almost pure alcohol is obtained. During conventional distillation, it is physically impossible to separate the yield into fractions consisting of only one substance, no matter what design is used.

If the column is set to the optimal operating mode, then there are no difficulties in selecting the “body”, since the temperature is stable all the time.

During rectification, the lower fractions (“tails”) are selected based on temperature or smell, but unlike distillation, these substances do not contain alcohol.

Return of organoleptic properties to alcohol. Often, “tails” are required to return the “soul” to rectified alcohol – the aroma and taste of the original raw material, for example, an apple or grapes. After the process is completed, a certain amount of the collected tailings is added to pure alcohol. The concentration is calculated empirically by experimenting with a small amount of product.

The advantage of rectification is the ability to extract almost all the alcohol contained in the liquid without losing its quality. This means that the “heads” and “tails” obtained in a moonshine still can be processed in a distillation column and produce ethyl alcohol that is safe for health.

Flooding of the distillation column

Each design has a maximum speed of steam movement, after which the flow of reflux in the cube first slows down and then stops altogether. The liquid accumulates in the distillation part of the column and “flooding” occurs - the cessation of the heat and mass transfer process. There is a sharp pressure drop inside, and extraneous noise or gurgling appears.

Reasons for flooding of the distillation column:

exceeding the permissible heating power (most common);
clogging of the bottom of the device and overfilling of the cube;
very low Atmosphere pressure(typical for high mountains);
the network voltage is above 220V - as a result, the power of the heating elements increases;
design errors and malfunctions.

Many winemakers find it difficult to choose a device for themselves, because now production offers many of them. But all devices for producing alcohol are divided into two groups - distillers and rectification columns. Therefore, first of all, you need to decide on choosing from these options, and then take a closer look at a specific device according to the available funds. So, a distillation column or a moonshine still - which is better?

Characteristics of both devices

A distiller, or moonshine still, is used to obtain raw alcohol from mash by purifying it. The essence of his work is as follows:

First you prepare the mash according to the recipe.
When the mash is ready, it is sent to the distillation cube and heated to the boiling point of alcohol and above.
As a result of heating, the mash evaporates and condenses in the cooler. After this, liquid begins to drip at the outlet.
Depending on the temperature in the cube, the corresponding fractions will come out. First of all, volatile impurities are removed - acetone, methyl alcohol, aldehydes. This faction is called the head.
After the heads come out, the body, or raw alcohol, comes out, a pure alcohol-containing product of 40–70%.
The last to come out are the tails - an alcohol-containing mixture that contains a large amount of fusel oils.

Both heads and tails contain substances that are unsafe for the body, and the moonshiner’s job is to separate them. Therefore, the most professional moonshine stills are equipped with devices such as a reflux condenser, thermometer, alcohol meter, steamer and others. All of them help to more accurately control the process of obtaining a pure product. Most often, after the first distillation there is a second distillation. In some cases, it is not carried out, for example, if you want to get a product that is not too pure, but aromatic, when the mash is made from fruit.

Distillation column

In a moonshine still, such a thing as productivity is important, which depends not only on the rate of heating of the liquid, but also on the rate of its cooling, as well as additional devices for purifying the product.

The design of the moonshine still is quite simple. In the most primitive version, it is simply a container for heating and cooling steam. In addition, something like a moonshine still can be made at home without special costs. To obtain a more complex device that allows you to improve the characteristics of the drink, you need to work a little, but, as a rule, this is also quite possible.

Summarizing all this, it can be argued that the moonshine still has the following advantages:

Simplicity of design. The principle of its operation will be clear to everyone; the device can be easily made at home at low cost.
Low cost and hence availability.
Ease of operation.
A large number of drink recipes that can be found on the Internet.
The reliability of the design, again due primarily to its simplicity.

To compare both methods of producing homemade alcohol, the main disadvantages of using a moonshine still should be highlighted:

low productivity;
inability to obtain a drink with a high alcohol content of more than 70%;
low degree of purification compared to a distillation column;
danger of work if basic rules are not followed.

What is a distillation column? Rectification is built on a slightly different principle. It is a heat exchange process in the column that helps separate the rectified product. That is, when heated in a column, all components of the original substance “line up” depending on their boiling point:

ketones at 56 degrees;
methyl alcohol at 65 degrees;
ethyl alcohol with water at 78 degrees;
fusel oils and the main part of water at 100 degrees.

The essence of the process lies in how exactly the liquid comes into contact with the gaseous phase. At the top of the column there is a dephlegmator, which ensures that the liquid phase is obtained from the gas, that is, condensation, and directs the condensate back down. When liquid and vapor meet, they interact and exchange fractions with different boiling points. You can clearly see the process of alcohol rectification using a device that has a glass column.

The column is a high capacity. This fact ensures an optimal temperature difference in its various parts. At the top the temperature is 78 degrees, so only ethyl alcohol reaches it. Heavier fractions, such as water and fusel oils, flow down because they have much more high temperature boiling.

If you use such a device for distilling mash, the alcohol is much higher quality and pure than in moonshine, in fact, 100 degrees.

The industrially produced column for a moonshine still has a higher productivity, some of them produce more than 500 liters per hour.

The main advantages of rectification are that it allows you to obtain a higher quality product with a minimum amount of impurities, which are cut off during distillation and are called heads and tails. Therefore, a distillation column is ideal when you need to obtain a pure product from sugar that contains greatest number foreign odors and tastes. The disadvantage is low performance, and, in addition, it is inconvenient to use for producing vodka from fruits, when smells and tastes need to be preserved.

Moonshine still or distillation column?

In order to know exactly what you will need, you need to weigh many different factors, one of the main ones being price. The cost of a moonshine still is several times lower, and its capabilities are enough for large quantity tasks. At the same time, it is worth clarifying that the distillation column itself does not produce a pure product from the mash, since raw alcohol must be poured into it. Raw alcohol is an alcohol solution, a product of the first distillation of mash. Thus, it is not self-sufficient; it is also necessary to buy the moonshine still itself, which complicates the task.

It is impossible to obtain alcohol of this quality and degree of purification using a moonshine still. But the distillation column can operate in the mode of a conventional moonshine still. It turns out that it is better, but at the same time the cost is different.

It is believed that the degree of purification of rectified alcohol is 60 times higher than that of moonshine. Even if it is used in distillation mode, the product still turns out cleaner. But the price is not always justified, because we're talking about specifically about homemade alcohol. Many skilled moonshiners test recipes, making fruit-based moonshine and more. A moonshine still is quite enough for them, as it will give a greater richness of flavors.

To ensure that the product is of high quality, other techniques are used, such as a steamer, a reflux condenser, re-distillation, filtration, and more.

As a rule, experienced moonshiners are sufficiently familiar with all the capabilities of both devices and know exactly what they want. For beginners, it is sometimes difficult to understand the basic principles of distillation, especially when it comes to cutting off heads and tails. The fact is that with experience, people begin to do this simply by eye, but you need to come to this. And to do this correctly, you will need additional equipment. So the cost of a moonshine still for beginners will be quite high, and not all of them will be able to afford a distillation column.

Thus, having considered all the advantages and disadvantages of both devices, we can say that it is better to give preference to a distillation column if it is regularly used to produce alcohol from sugar-based mash. If you have a beautiful garden and like to pamper yourself with fruit-based vodka, then your choice should fall on a distiller, which will be more than enough for such a task. You can spend money and buy a device with a steam chamber.

It is also worth recalling that the purchase of both devices is completely legal for the production of homemade moonshine. But this only applies to its production not for the purpose of profit and, accordingly, sale.

The rectification column, which 20 years ago was only used in distilleries, is now used in everyday life to produce high-quality alcohol - rectified alcohol, which is an impossible task for a conventional moonshine still.

And in order to better understand what it is, what the structure and principle of operation of the distillation column is, as well as how to make the unit with your own hands, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the issue in more detail.

A distillation column is a complex device consisting of several units: a drawer, a selection unit and a thermometer, which are necessary for full rectification to take place. This process allows you to separate a multicomponent mixture consisting of substances with similar boiling/evaporation points.

The main difference between rectification and conventional distillation is that with it the evaporation and condensation of substances is not a single phenomenon, but a constant cyclic process. As a result - moonshine still - column type produces alcohol of the highest quality - rectified.

Design and principle of operation of a distillation column

Tsarga

It is located at the base of the column and is one of its main parts. Gas-liquid mass exchange takes place inside it - one of the main phenomena in the rectification process. This happens as follows:

The liquid, boiling in the distillation cube, evaporates and passes through the frame in gaseous form.
The steam, having reached the reflux condenser, cools and condenses on its walls.
The condensate flows first along the walls of the reflux condenser, and then along the walls of the drawer back into the cube.
At this moment, gas-liquid mass exchange occurs between the draining condensate and the rising steam. It involves the transfer of heat and a certain amount of evaporated substances from steam to condensate. Under this influence, part of the reflux is its low-boiling components: alcohol and a small proportion of water evaporate again, not reaching the distillation cube, and the more difficult-boiling ones: fusel oils and other impurities continue to flow into the distillation cube.

Thus, mainly alcohol accumulates in the upper part of the column, and impurities mainly circulate in the lower part of the unit. As a result, the output is a rectified product with a strength of about 95%.

A distillation column can have one drawer or several. Moreover, the higher the column, the larger area, where mass exchange takes place between reflux and steam, which in turn improves the quality of the resulting product.

Inside the drawer there are nozzles, on the surface of which the main mass transfer occurs. Stainless steel products are well suited for sugar and grain, and copper - for fruit mash.

In addition to nozzles, plates can be placed inside the drawer, which further increase the area where gas-liquid mass exchange takes place, which affects the quality of the resulting rectified product.

The walls of the drawer may have additional heating, which enhances the evaporation of phlegm that does not reach the nozzles and plates. This addition also improves the quality of the final product.

Dephlegmator

The upper part of the distillation column, responsible for collecting and cooling the rising vapors to reflux. From here the condensed liquid flows down into the drawer.

The reflux condenser can be designed in several ways circuit diagrams, the simplest is the film version, and one of the most popular is the Dimroth refrigerator,

Selection unit

Responsible for collecting part of the condensed phlegm and discharging it outside into a collection container. Depending on the settings of the selection unit, the amount of condensate collected also varies. The lower its selection, the higher the quality of the rectified product.

Thermometer

In a distillation column, unlike a standard moonshine still, it is mandatory integral part systems. The fact is that rectification is a very delicate process, highly dependent on maintaining the correct temperature.

Distillation cube with heating elements

Although a distillation column can be used with a conventional gas, electric or gas still, it is much better to equip it with a heating element unit.

This feature, like a thermometer, is associated with the need for precise and fine regulation of the temperature inside the system, and therefore with the regulation of the power of the device that heats the mash.

Gas valves require great skill, induction cookers have a fixed step from 100 to 300 W, but heating element regulators allow you to change the power by 3-5 W.

Which is better, a classic moonshine still or a distillation column?

To understand the advantages of rectification over distillation, it is worth making a clear comparison of these technologies.

Criterion	Distillation	Rectification
Taste and aroma qualities of the final product	The taste and smell correspond to the raw material of the mash.	Very pure alcohol, tasteless and odorless.
Drink strength	Depending on the design of the apparatus and the number of distillations, from 40 to 65%.	up to 97, on average 93-95%.
Degree of separation of substances with different boiling/evaporation temperatures	Low, even substances with a large difference in evaporation temperature remain together after condensation.	Very high, if necessary, you can not only separate the alcohol, but also separate fusel oils into components.
The degree of separation of harmful substances from alcohol	Low to medium. The quality of separation can only be improved by increasing the number of distillations.
Loss of alcohol	Large, in the best case it will be possible to collect up to 80% of the product contained in the mash.	Small, losses in practice range from 1 to 3%, although ideal conditions they may not exist.
The complexity of creating and using a technology-based unit	Low to medium, primitive models do not have strict sizing criteria, equipment improvement potential is limited. Handling technology is easy and simple.	High. To create, you will need specialized equipment and a strict list of materials. For effective use theoretical knowledge is needed.

In order to obtain a product of the same quality through distillation as through rectification, it is necessary to carry out about 10 consecutive distillations. It should be taken into account that distilling an alcohol-containing product stronger than 20-30% is explosive (moonshine is explosive by default, but in this case the risk increases significantly).

How to make a distillation column with your own hands according to a detailed diagram

The unit has a simple design.

Calculation and assembly of a distillation column with your own hands is carried out as follows:

Instead of an afterword

The alcohol obtained through rectification is much higher quality than the distillate from a classic moonshine still.

But along with the positives come flaws: the requirements for equipment are much higher, and its production is more expensive; in addition, operation also requires high skill.

Therefore, it is not so easy to clearly determine which is better, a good moonshine still or a distillation column, but, of course, there is an intermediate solution - mash column. It produces a distillate, but not a rectified product, of very high quality, and it is easier to use, it’s all a matter of priorities.