What is a distillation column? Manufacturing and use of a distillation column

The operation of a distillation column is based on repeated evaporation of alcohol to purify it. Processing this substance is an important task of modern industry. Alcohol has a wide range of uses, so its quality must meet technical and nutritional requirements.

1

The rectification process is the separation of mixtures containing alcohol into pure elements. For this purpose, boiling of substances is used, each of which has its own evaporation temperature. During this process, steam is generated and each fraction is separated from its original mixture. As a rule, during rectification aldehydes, water, ethyl and methyl alcohols, fusel oils and others are released. Such a device is most effective against secondary impurities.

Separation of mixtures containing alcohol into pure elements in a distillation column

Rectification is possible due to the different content ratio of individual components in the liquid base and in the state of vapor evaporation. As the system strives for equilibrium, it tries to equalize the temperature, pressure and concentration of the substance in each of the phases. When steam comes into contact with a liquid, it becomes enriched in low-boiling "volatile" components, and the liquid absorbs high-boiling substances. This process is accompanied by heat exchange.

Distillation column parameters:

• Dimensions and material. The design includes nozzles, cylinders, distillers and a cube. The column uses a stainless food alloy, which does not release harmful substances into the liquid.
• Heating system. For a quality column, the heating power must be precisely controlled. The most optimal way today is to use heating elements that are installed in the lower part of the column. It is not recommended to use a standard gas supply, since its features do not allow for smooth adjustment of the heating power.
• Performance. This parameter includes the heating power, which is responsible for the intensity of steam movement inside the structure.
• Precise control. Each process has its own operating characteristics and operating limits that must be followed.
• Internal pressure affects boiling point. For better rectification of alcohol, you need to keep the pressure in the range of 720-780 mm. rt. Art. If this is not controlled, the pressure will decrease, and this will reduce the density of the steam, which will lead to “flooding” of the column. The situation is similar with high pressure, which is unacceptable for efficient operation of the equipment.

The distillation column includes nozzles, cylinders, distillers and a cube. Stainless food alloy is used for the column

Companies are increasingly installing a distillation column, the operating principle of which is based on the drainage of liquid and the rise of steam, which is necessary to achieve equilibrium, allowing the isolation of pure components of substances (liquids with a low boiling point enter first, then those with a high boiling point). The key to this process is a state of balance.

2 Modern column design - how to understand it?

It has the form of a cylinder of variable or constant cross-section with nozzles and plates located inside. Each drawing takes these elements into account when constructing the column. Each column has auxiliary units for the supply of raw alcohol, as well as control and selection of the final product.

Basic indicators:

• raw alcohol is the result of distillation of mash after distillation (moonshine at 35 degrees);
• phlegm - formed steam flowing down the column;
• reflux ratio - the ratio of steam to distiller.

The distillation column is used in industrial and laboratory processes. It has effectively proven itself in the petrochemical, gas, oil refining, brewing, chemical and other industries. The operating principle of the design is based on the appearance of two counter flows in the form of steam and flowing liquid. Contact occurs between them in special plates, and the temperature of the vapor will be higher than that of the liquid.

The operation scheme of the distillation unit is based on continuous and periodic operation. In the first case, raw materials enter and exit the plant in a cyclical process. In periodic work, substances are supplied in doses and undergo rectification until the desired result is achieved.

Classification of the internal volume of the column: evaporation, strengthening and exhaustive. The supplied liquid evaporates and is transferred to the middle volume of the column. This mixture is heated and partially evaporates on a heated plate. During this process, light particles mix with phlegm, causing them to become heavier and flow down. At the top of the column there is a reinforcing part, in the body of which the steam is enriched with light fractions. In the lower part there is an exhaustive stage, where reflux flows and light fractions are removed.

3 Operation of a distillation unit - how to achieve better results?

Since the alcohol processing system operates on the principles of condensation of incoming substances, compliance with rectification technology is required. This is necessary to balance the vapors and mixtures to ensure their effective cleaning. In the case of a periodic heating system (used for low workloads), a heating element is located at the bottom of the fraction, which starts the process. Rectification can be carried out not only with condensate - vacuum, atmospheric pressure or low temperature can be used for this.

A distillation column is an effective means of purifying alcohol. On its basis, home devices are designed that allow the purification of alcohol-containing mixtures. During this process, the organoleptic qualities may deteriorate, but in this case, the lower fractions can be returned to the alcohol. A responsible approach to the process and compliance with standards will allow you to obtain high-quality purified alcohol. Good luck in this matter!

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2.2. Design and operation of distillation columns,

Rectification of simple and complex mixtures is carried out in batch or continuous columns.

Batch columns are used in low-capacity installations when it is necessary to select a large number of fractions and have high separation clarity. The classic diagram of such an installation is shown in Fig. 4. The raw material enters the distillation cube 1 to a height of about 2/3 of its diameter, where it is heated with deep steam. During the first period of operation of the distillation unit, the most volatile component of the mixture is selected, for example, benzene head, then, by increasing the distillation temperature, components with a higher boiling point (benzene, toluene, etc.) are selected. The highest boiling components of the mixture remain in the cube, forming a bottom residue. At the end of the rectification process, this residue is cooled and pumped out. The cube is again filled with raw materials and rectification is resumed. The frequency of the process results in higher heat consumption and lower productivity of the installation. Further in the figure: 2 - distillation column, 3 - condenser-refrigerator, 4 - battery, 5 - refrigerator, 6 - pumps.

The continuous installation does not have many of these disadvantages. A schematic diagram of such an installation is shown in Fig. 5. The raw material through heat exchanger 1 enters heater 2 and then to different levels of distillation column 3. The lower fractions are heated in boiler 4 and discharged back into the distillation column. In this case, the heaviest part is removed from the boiler to the bottom of the column and, together with the liquid sediment, for further processing of heavy fractions. And the light fractions go from above to the condenser-refrigerator 5, and then from the battery 6, partly back to the column for irrigation, and partly to further processing of the light fractions.

Depending on the number of products obtained, simple and complex distillation columns are distinguished. In the first, rectification produces two products, for example gasoline and semi-fuel oil. The second ones are designed to produce three or more products. They are simple columns connected in series, each of which separates the mixture entering it into two components.

Each simple column has stripping and concentration sections. The stripping or stripping section is located below the raw material input. The plate on which the raw material is supplied for separation is called the feed plate. The target product of the stripping section is the liquid residue. The concentration, or strengthening, section is located above the food plate. The target product of this section is rectified vapor. For normal operation of the distillation column, it is necessary to supply irrigation to the top of the concentration section of the column and introduce heat (through a boiler) or hot water vapor into the stripping section.

Depending on the internal device that ensures contact between rising vapors and descending liquid (reflux), distillation columns are divided into packed, plate, rotary, etc. Depending on the pressure, they are divided into high-pressure, atmospheric and vacuum distillation columns. The former are used in the processes of stabilization of oil and gasoline, gas fractionation in cracking and hydrogenation plants. Atmospheric and vacuum distillation columns are mainly used in the distillation of oils, residual petroleum products and distillers.

For uniform distribution of vapors and liquids in packed columns - 1 (Fig. 6.), balls, prisms, pyramids, cylinders made of various materials (usually pressed coal dust) with an outer diameter from 6 to 70 mm and a ratio of surface area to volume from 500. The nozzle is placed in bulk on special plates - 4 with holes for the passage of vapors and drainage of reflux - 3. The purpose of using the nozzle is to increase the contact area of ​​reflux and vapors for mutual enrichment. For proper operation of a packed column, it is very important that the flowing reflux and vapors be uniformly distributed over the entire cross-section of the column. This is favored by the homogeneity of the packing body, the maximum possible speed of the ascending vapor flow, evenly distributed packing layers and the strict verticality of the column. In practice, the uniform distribution of vapor and reflux initially achieved is violated, since the vapor tends to push the liquid toward the walls of the column and move through the center of the nozzle. In this regard, the nozzle is divided into several layers, and the plates on which the nozzle is placed have a special design that allows the flows to be evenly redistributed after each layer of the nozzle. The efficiency of using packed columns is very high, but there are also inconveniences: the packing periodically has to be removed from the column in order to clean it from resinous particles that cover the packing over time and impair its wettability, in addition, the use of packed columns puts forward a very strict requirement to maintain a certain steam pressure and the amount of incoming reflux . If the steam pressure in the column drops, the reflux flow accelerates and the area of ​​contact between the steam and the liquid sharply decreases. If the steam pressure is exceeded, the flow of reflux slows down, which leads to its accumulation in the upper layers of the packing and trapping of vapor in the lower part of the column (“flooding” of the column). This leads to an even greater increase in steam pressure at the bottom of the column, and, at a critical moment, steam breakthrough through the reflux to the top of the column. The consequence of “flooding” of the column is also a sharp decrease in the area of ​​​​contact between steam and liquid.

In tray columns 1 (Fig. 7), to increase the area of ​​contact between steam and reflux flows, a large number of specially designed trays are used instead of packing. Reflux flows from plate to plate through drain pipes 3, and partitions 4 maintain a constant level of the liquid layer on the plate. This level allows you to constantly keep the edges of the caps 2 immersed in reflux. The partitions allow only excess incoming reflux to flow onto the next plate. The principle of operation of a tray column is the mutual enrichment of vapor and reflux due to the passage of vapor under pressure from the bottom up through a layer of reflux on each tray. Due to the fact that steam passes through reflux in the form of tiny bubbles, the contact area between steam and liquid is very high.

The designs of the plates are varied. Mesh, lattice, cascade, valve, injection and combination trays are used. The design of the trays is selected based on specific technological requirements (the degree of clarity of fraction separation, the requirement for work intensity, the need to change the internal structure of the column, the frequency of preventive and repair work, etc.)

In some oil refining processes (for example, refining with associated separation of water (vapor), refining with preliminary separation of the heaviest fractions of oil) rotary columns 1 (Fig. 8) with high productivity are used. The plates of such a column are conical shields with an inclination angle of 40°, with alternating plates attached to the walls of the column - 2 and plates attached to the central rotating shaft - 3. Thus, rotating plates alternate with stationary ones. The rotation of the plates occurs from the drive - 4 at a speed of 240 rpm. Phlegm descends from above 5 along a stationary plate and at the center flows onto the underlying rotating plate. Under the influence of centrifugal force, reflux moves along the rotating plate up to its periphery and, in the form of a continuous annular film, passes to the walls of the column body and further to the underlying plate. Then the process is repeated. Vapors move through the phlegm in a countercurrent manner. In addition, a large amount of phlegm is constantly in suspension, which leads to high evaporation of the phlegm itself. The distance between the plates is only 8 - 10 mm, which allows you to build a very compact column with high (over 85%) efficiency. Heated raw materials are introduced into the column, the required temperature of which is maintained by heater - 6. This design is very convenient to use, practically does not require repairs or maintenance work, is durable and not so sensitive to changes in temperature and pressure of the initial components.

Calculation of the amount of costs required to implement this project into production. Assess the change in the cost of products obtained in the workshop for primary oil refining and bitumen production. There are two furnaces installed in the workshop: for heating oil P-1 and for heating fuel oil and steam P-3; after reconstruction, a furnace should be installed that will completely replace both furnaces P-1 and P-3. Furnace performance...

Gasoline can be used as a raw material (to produce liquefied gas); kerosene-solar fractions and vacuum distillates (for the production of gasoline, jet and diesel fuels); residual products of oil refining (for the production of gasoline and jet and diesel fuel); slack and paraffins (for producing high-index oils); high-sulfur oils, sulfur and high-sulfur fuel oils (for...

Processes of separating oil into fractions, when its potential capabilities in terms of the range, quantity and quality of products and intermediates obtained are used - oil distillation; Secondary processes include processes of destructive oil refining and petroleum products purification, intended to change its chemical composition through thermal and catalytic action. Using these methods...

The structure of a distillation column is quite complex, and it is unlikely to be possible to simulate it at home. But on specialized Internet sites you can buy a working installation at a very reasonable price, which will only require minor re-equipment of your moonshine still.

The conversion will only affect the evaporator tank - it is necessary to install a flange of a suitable diameter so that the column can be secured strictly vertically. If there was no thermometer on the tank, you will have to install one. Without measuring the temperature on the evaporator, it is extremely difficult to control the operation of the column, and, in principle, impossible at all.

How does a column work?

The column is a heat and mass exchanger in which complex physical and chemical processes occur. They are based on the difference in boiling temperatures of various liquids and the latent heat capacity of phase transitions. This sounds very mysterious, but in practice it looks somewhat simpler.

The theory is very simple - steam containing alcohol and various impurities, which boil at different temperatures differing by several degrees, rises up and condenses at the top of the column. The resulting liquid flows down and meets a new portion of hot steam along the way. Those liquids whose boiling point is higher evaporate again. And those that lack thermal energy remain in a liquid state.

The distillation column is constantly in a state of dynamic equilibrium of vapor and liquid; in many cases it is difficult to separate the liquid and gaseous phases - everything seethes and boils. But according to density, depending on the altitude, all substances are divided very clearly - light at the top, then heavier, and at the very bottom - fusel oils, other impurities with a high boiling point, water. Separation into fractions is carried out very quickly, and this state is maintained almost indefinitely, subject to the temperature conditions in the column.

At a height corresponding to the maximum content of alcohol vapor, an intake pipe is installed, through which steam is released and enters the condenser (refrigerator), from where the alcohol flows into a collecting container. The distillation column for a moonshine still operates very slowly - selection, as a rule, is done drip-by-drop, but at the same time a high level of purification is ensured.

The column operates at atmospheric pressure, or slightly above it. To do this, an atmospheric valve or simply an open tube is installed at the top point - the vapors that have not had time to condense leave the column. As a rule, there is practically no alcohol in them.

States of vapor-liquid components at different heights of the column

The graph shows the fixed states of the vapor-liquid components at different heights of the column, which can be controlled by the temperature at a given point. The horizontal part of the graph corresponds to the maximum concentration of the substance. The division has no clear boundaries - the vertical line corresponds to a mixture of the lower and upper fractions. As you can see, the volume of the boundary zones is much smaller than the fractional zones, which gives a certain backlash in the temperature regime.

Distillation column design

The base for the column is a vertical pipe made of stainless steel or copper. Other metals, especially aluminum, are not suitable for this purpose. The pipe is insulated from the outside with a material of low thermal conductivity - energy leakage can upset the established balance and reduce the efficiency of heat exchange processes.

A reflux condenser pre-cooler is mounted at the top of the column. Typically, it is an internal or external coil that cools approximately 1/8-1/10 of the column height. You can also find distillation columns with a water jacket or complex spherical refrigerators on the Internet. Apart from price, they don't affect anything else. The classic coil does its job perfectly.

Column "Baby"

The ratio of the amount of condensate collected to the total amount of reflux returning to the tank is called the reflux ratio. This is a characteristic of an individual column model and describes its operating capabilities.

The lower the reflux ratio, the more productive the column. When Ф=1, the column works like a regular moonshine still.

Industrial installations have a high fractional separation ability, so their number is 1.1-1.4. For a household moonshine column, the optimal value is Ф = 3-5.

Types of columns

The distillation column for a moonshine still is equipped with fillers that significantly increase the contact area to increase the points of contact between vapor and liquid, where heat exchange and diffusion processes occur. Based on the type of internal structure, columns are divided into plate and packed. Classification by performance or height does not show real capabilities.

To increase the contact area, a fine stainless steel mesh twisted into a spiral, loose small balls, Raschig rings, and small wire spirals are placed inside the column. They are packed tightly or backfilled to a height of up to ¾ of the length of the column, without reaching the alcohol intake point.

The thermometer must be located in an area free from nozzles and show the real temperature of the environment. An electronic thermometer is selected as having the least inertia. In some column models, tenths of a degree play a role. To obtain pure alcohol in the selection area, the temperature must be maintained within 72.5-77 C.

A tray distillation column is much more difficult to manufacture - the design is of cap or sieve trays, which are horizontal partitions inside, through which the liquid flows with some delay. A bubbling zone is created on each of the plates, increasing the degree of extraction of alcohol vapor from the reflux. Sometimes distillation columns are called strengthening columns - they achieve almost one hundred percent alcohol yield with a minimum of foreign additives.

The column operates at atmospheric pressure; to communicate with the external environment, the column is equipped with a special valve or an open tube in the upper part of the structure. This fact determines one of the features of the distillation column for a moonshine still - it works differently at different atmospheric pressures. The temperature regime varies within a few degrees (the difference on the thermometer of the tank and the column). The relationship is established experimentally. For this reason, with a heating element column.

By purchasing a working distillation column, or building it yourself, you can obtain highly purified alcohol without much difficulty. The column is especially effective when distilling moonshine obtained from a conventional distiller.

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 much expense. 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 a much higher boiling point.

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 rectification column is ideal when you need to obtain a pure sugar product that contains the largest amount of extraneous odors and tastes. The disadvantage is low productivity, 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 sufficient for a large number of 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 are talking 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 quite 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.

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 odors. 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:

1. Evaporation cube.
2. A column with a special nozzle in which heat and mass transfer processes take place (tsarga).
3. Dephlegmator.
4. 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:

1. The mash in the cube evaporates under the influence of heat and rises up the column. There is a refrigerator installed there.
2. The reflux condenser ensures the condensation of alcohol vapor and the production of a distillate.
3. The distillate descends through the alcohol column. At this moment, it collides with steam - heat and mass transfer.
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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 saturating the phlegm with steam, and the steam with a liquid that has a low boiling point.

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:

1. 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.
2. Nozzle type. The mechanism has two types of copper attachment. 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 the column, materials are used 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:

1. A container of the required volume as a distillation cube. This can be any copper or enamel vessel. Stainless steel will also work. If there is a small yield of alcohol, then use a pressure cooker.
2. 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.
3. 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. Cold water circulates in it. Shell and tube reflux condenser - made of several pipes. In the largest one they attach the small ones. The steam condenses in them.
4. 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.
5. Unit for distillate selection.
6. 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.
7. Small parts to connect the parts.
8. Thermometer.

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

1. 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.
2. You can prepare moonshine with the desired organoleptic properties.
3. The device is quite easy to construct yourself.

Distillers note the following disadvantages:

1. The entire rectification process takes a long time. Only one liter of distillate is obtained per hour.
2. 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.