Film column moonshine still: principle of operation and device. Do-it-yourself beer columns: drawings, instructions Distiller with reinforcement film column xd 4

Brazhny 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 of work and find out what features the device should have.

Preparatory work

The best mash column should 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 owner of the equipment himself must decide how strong 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 exclude the possibility of splashing. Based on this, mash columns are not made below 30 centimeters. Otherwise, the work will be inappropriate.

Work technology

In the manufacture of the described design, it must be equipped with a controlled dephlegmator. The design features of this item may vary depending on your preferences. The element can be created on the basis of a shirt or dimroth. 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 the quantity of 2 or 3. In this case, the element will be primary or secondary. Such a structure allows for more stable operation of the column. You must understand that such additions are possible only on high structures.

Work methodology

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

You can prepare a drawing of the mash column yourself. The column must be provided with a place to install a thermometer, which is mounted in front of the condenser inlet. This statement is true for structures that will work according to the steam extraction scheme. If a liquid sampling reflux condenser is used on the film column, then the location of the thermometer will be determined by the specific design of the system. The beer columns are supplied with a condenser cooler, which will be responsible for condensing and cooling the supplied steam. If the design will have a liquid selection, then a refrigerator will be required, which will lower the temperature of the finished product.

It is important to take into account during manufacture that the liquid supply to the dephlegmator or to each of them, as well as to the refrigerator, must be carried out separately. The tubes that will be used to exit the refrigerator and dephlegmator must be used exclusively on the basis of silicone. This statement is true for hot water products. If we are talking about cold water, then you can use pipes based on polyvinyl chloride. The copper mash column should be manufactured taking into account the above technical requirements, which are suitable for different design solutions. However, you can not limit yourself and come up with your own modification. In this case, the main condition is what you will eventually be able to get into 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 the preparation of vodka, this design is quite suitable, the master will be able to start making the basis for high-quality distillates.

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

A continuous beer column can be made on the basis of a jacketed 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 two-pipe adapter in the amount of 2 pieces, another adapter should have slightly different parameters equal to 22 x 15 millimeters, 3 of these elements will be needed. The master must prepare a single-pipe corner, the dimensions of which are 22 millimeters. Work cannot be done without a tee, the dimensions of which are 15 millimeters. Be sure to take care of the presence of an adapter for a 1/2 inch external thread. You will need a 3/4" female adapter. The element will be required to attach to the cube, however other sizes may be available on a case-by-case basis. If you make a continuous beer column using the elements described above, you will be able to end up with a product with a maximum degree of 92.

Features of the manufacture of an air-cooled apparatus

A piece of copper pipe will go to make a coil. A coil of aluminum based wire will be used without insulation. You can use a computer cooler, superglue and a 500-watt boiler during the work. Power may 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, which will go down, must be included in the spiral. should be wound on the tube from above, while leaving some distance between the turns. In order to reduce thermal resistance, the turns must be as tight as possible. This will increase the heat exchange area and the efficiency of the coil.

When a do-it-yourself beer column is made, the next step is to use any cone-shaped object, the diameter of which should be compared with the dimensions of the selected fan. On this item you need to wind a coil for moonshine. In this example, we will consider a regular beer bottle, the capacity of which is 0.5 liters. The coil must be bent in such a way that it evenly overlaps the fan section. The element must be tried on to the selected case and make sure that everything is in order. This completes the coil work.

Now it's time to move on to the lid of the apparatus. To do this, you can use a conventional polyethylene-based lid. The brass sleeve should be heated to half an inch, and then it can be fused into the polyethylene cap. The structure must cool, you can cool it in water. After the coupling is taken out, it should be cleaned of adhering polyethylene, the resulting burrs should be carefully cut off. A fluoroplastic tape must be wound around the coupling, without which the manufacture of a moonshine still is indispensable. Thus, you will be able to get something like a gasket. When a beer column is made with your own hands, the next step is to install the coupling in the hole made in advance in the lid. The PTFE should be between the sleeve and the cover. From the inside, tighten the nut without applying excessive force.

At the next stage, you can deal with the heating element of the entire apparatus. To do this, you can use a conventional 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 after. The ends of the cord from the boiler must be threaded in such a way 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 desirable that it be completely covered with liquid during operation. In 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 tight enough. It is important to achieve the best sealing.

The resulting construction of cotton wool must be filled with superglue, which is made on a cyanoacrylic basis. This will allow you to get the most tight connection using composite materials. After the glue has hardened, you will be able to get a tight, strong connection. It remains to do something like a casing for a fan, so that the air washes the fins of the heat exchanger, represented by a coil.

Tetra-pak packaging can be used to make the casing. If you will be making a moonshine still, then you can use the technology presented in the article. From the package you need to cut a rectangle, the width of which will correspond to the dimensions of the fan. These elements will be used to glue the fan on 3 sides. On the fourth side, you need to bring the end of the coil to carry out the withdrawal of 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 adhesive tape. When it is made to ensure maximum safety, it should be covered with a transparent protective screen.

On this 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 close the black wire with the green one. Specialists use more compact 12 volt sources that you can find on your own.

Deviation from the above requirements

If you will be doing 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 dephlegmator. If we are talking about the "Baby" column, then uncontrollability is sacrificed for compactness. To do this, the condenser and dephlegmator are located in a single container with running water. If you decide to use this scheme, then it will not be possible to regulate the process by means of a reflux condenser, therefore, separation cannot be achieved. If you do the mash column with your own hands, you can borrow the drawings of this design from the article. It should also be remembered that the dephlegmator has a low utilization capacity. You may run into the problem of a small column height. Some masters 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 high columns.

The beer column "Rectifay" has established 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. Futorki must be welded to the pipe, while on both sides of them there is an internal thread, to which the necks of the kegs are fixed. Using fluoroplastic, it is possible to machine a sleeve-sleeve, which will be supplied with a gasket for the clamp. All this will form a single whole. The “Baby” column must necessarily be supplied with insulating material, which is first cut along the length, then put on the pipe, on which it is glued. Put a dephlegmator stick on the top cover and fasten everything with a clamp clamp. The liquid will be fed into the tube through which the phlegm returns. A piece should be put on it to prevent splashing to the level of the upper plate.

Conclusion

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

This is a column-type moonshine still (distiller), which is used to obtain “under-rectified (strong, but not up to 96.6% alcohol strength). Sometimes it is confused with or column. It differs from rectification by the absence of a long tsarga, which together with allows you to get the purest product.

This is a great option for those moonshiners who not ready to spend big money to the rectifier, but want to drink moonshine of decent quality. Film designs are worthy of the price and are very common in specialized stores. We offer to study its device and get acquainted with the principles of operation.

The film, mash and reinforcing column are the same in design (although they have different capabilities). It consists of a drawer and a refrigerator.

A film column can be transformed into a distillation column only if the connections are made on the clamps. It needs to be increased in size by adding panchenkov's drawers and nozzles. But initially its power is not enough to produce the purest alcohol of maximum strength at the output.

This is a good moonshine still, which allows you to get strong moonshine of very good quality (higher than that of a classic distiller).

Due to incomplete purification, the product is obtained slightly fragrant and with a specific taste. It fully opens when diluted with water to a classic 40% strength.

It's at the same time good and bad: you can make chacha or with an interesting taste, but harmful impurities will remain with it. Therefore, if you like delicious strong drinks, then the film version is very worthy for you. If you prefer ordinary vodka (roughly speaking), then give preference to a distillation column.

How to work on it

To get a more or less normal product, you will need to make double distillation and during the second time select heads very accurately. This is the whole secret of the success of working on such equipment.

Step by step it looks like this:

The shell-and-tube dephlegmator is the best. But usually they put a shirt in such equipment.

1. We distill the mash for the first time without using a dephlegmator at maximum power.
2. My distiller. Many do not clean anything, but we prefer to spend an extra 15 minutes and do it.
3. We begin to heat our raw alcohol. We immediately turn on the reflux condenser and wait for the temperature in the cube to be 80-85 degrees. After that, we reduce the heat and wait another 15 minutes until the fractions stabilize as much as possible in the tsar.
4. We gradually reduce the water supply to the reflux condenser, and wait for drip selection from our product. Focus on the smell of acetone. As soon as the moonshine becomes adequate in smell, change the receiving container and continue to select the body.
5. Somewhere, starting with a rise in temperature to 92 degrees, they will begin to drip. They can be collected in a separate container, or you can just finish the distillation.
6. We dilute the product to a strength of 40% and let it brew for several days.

Many turn on the reflux condenser after the distillate starts to drip (for economy purposes).

We prefer immediately give a little pressure, so as not to miss an extra product and check the operation of the cooler. If something suddenly leaks, it is better to foresee it immediately, and not in the selection process.

What can be done to increase the strength and purity of moonshine

There are a number of subtleties that are important to understand and, if necessary, use.

Nozzle Panchenkova in any case will not hurt.

1. If the device is made on clamp connections, then add one or two more drawers, stuff Panchenkov's nozzles into them and increase the strength of the moonshine to 96.6% strength. It is possible to convert your distiller to a distillation column, but the diameter of the main pipe must be at least 1.5 inches (38 mm), otherwise there is not much point in increasing the height.
2. The slower the selection, the more accurately you select fractions. At high speed, the body of the product will fall along with the heads, and the tails along with the body. To clearly select what you need, increase the water supply to the reflux condenser and select everything slowly.
3. Check the dephlegmator beforehand so you don't screw up during the distillation. If something suddenly leaks or the hose comes off the fitting, then a slight panic can lead to sad consequences. Allocate 50 rubles from the budget for water and apply pressure in advance, this will save you from many psychological problems.

General advice: do not hurry.

If the first distillation still requires an accelerated pace, so that less harmful impurities are released during cooking, then during the second it makes no sense.

On sale today there are dozens of varieties of moonshine stills, among which there are many successful models, with which you can get not only traditional moonshine, but also fairly pure alcohol. There are also devices with steam generators designed to distill dense wort, with their help you can get homemade whiskey, calvados or plum brandy.

Factory mash column

Among the less-more traditional devices, the beer columns are somewhat lost. They are known to relatively few people who are engaged in moonshining as a hobby, or who professionally process the products of their garden into alcohol. This type of activity is common in regions attractive to tourists, where the climate allows for the cultivation of various fruits on an industrial scale.

What is a beer column

It should be clarified that the beer column, which is used in home moonshine stills, belongs to the class of film, somewhat limited in scope and performance. But this is the most structurally simple version of a heat and mass transfer device, which, moreover, works surprisingly well.

Why "surprisingly"? Many home craftsmen and manufacturers of industrial moonshine stills for domestic use follow the path of least resistance. They take a schematic diagram of an industrial installation, which is used in distilleries and vodka factories, and by reducing the size they create their own designs. The principle of operation, it seems, is the same, but many processes begin to occur in a completely different way.

The reason for this is the heat capacity of the installation material, the same dimensions - complete heat and mass transfer occurs slowly, requires large contact areas, temperature stability and compliance with many more physico-chemical parameters. The scheme seems to be working, but not quite.

This design principle is reminiscent of aircraft manufacturers who reduced the Boeing to the size of a corn plant and wonder why it does not fly, and if it does fly, then much worse.

A do-it-yourself beer column, of course, works, but one should not expect phenomenal results from it. High-quality alcohol can be obtained after the second distillation, as in a good distiller with a dry steamer and bubbler after the third distillation and filtering with activated carbon. The economic effect is obvious, but beer columns require constant monitoring and compliance with the temperature regime.

At its core, the beer column is a conventional reflux condenser, in which alcohol vapors are separated from high-boiling impurities (fuel fumes) with great efficiency. There is no significant increase in the yield of alcohol, it is possible to achieve an increase of 5-10%, but whether this is due to the use of a beer column, or due to careful observance of the temperature regime. According to the effect of the action, the beer column is equal to the tandem sukhoparnik-bubbler.

Column design

Technically, the beer column is a piece of copper or stainless steel pipe with a diameter of 25-50 mm and a height equal to thirty times the diameter. Columns with a smaller ratio perform more decorative functions.

In the upper part of the column, approximately at a segment of 25% of the entire length, a primary refrigerator is mounted. It must cool the mash vapors to the point of condensation of heavy impurities and return the condensate back to the tank. The refrigerator can be made in the form of a built-in coil, an external coil in the form of a copper tube wound on a column, a water jacket.

In a do-it-yourself beer column, it is best to use the first two options. It is quite difficult to make a water jacket on your own, it is available only with industrial equipment and certain engineering knowledge and locksmith skills. The refrigerator scheme is selected based on specific conditions.

A little above the coil, a place is provided for installing a thermometer. In the apparatus with a beer column, there must be two thermometers - on the tank and on the top of the column. Moreover, they should work with the same accuracy, both electronic and bimetallic.

The presence on the market of numerous thermometers from the Celestial Empire does not guarantee that you will be able to buy two that show the same temperature in the same conditions. They'll have to be graded. This is done very simply and accessible to any student - 1 liter of water is poured into a bowl or pan and 1 kg of crushed ice is poured (it will have to be prepared in advance in the freezer of the refrigerator).

After 15-20 minutes, when the ice begins to slowly melt and about half of the previous amount remains, we immerse the thermometer sensors in this mixture. After two minutes, both thermometers should show 0 C. If the readings are different, then you at least know how much they diverge.

But the scaling doesn't end there. Boil water on the stove and immerse the thermometers in boiling water. The one that shows 100 C is working correctly. It should be used as the base one, and the error should be taken into account on the second one.

The upper part of the column is connected by a steam pipeline from a tube with a diameter of 8-10 mm to a refrigerator of a classical design, which is used in conventional distillers. In the beer column, alcohol vapors are purified, and their condensation occurs in the refrigerator.

Both coolers, on the column and on the condenser, operate independently of each other. In this case, the cooler on the column must be adjustable. It is convenient to do this by mounting a conventional faucet-regulator from a heating battery on its inlet (lower) pipe. Why it is needed will be discussed below.

Manufacturing materials

The tank of the apparatus with a mash column with your own hands is best made of stainless steel. A threaded or flanged fitting should be made in the cover for connection to the column. It is very convenient to use Klamp clamps. The connection is strong, the device is mounted and dismantled quickly and does not require the use of tools.

The column itself is made of copper or food grade stainless steel. You can also use brass if you can find a suitable pipe. It is not recommended to insulate the mash column.

The refrigerator and steam lines are also made of copper or stainless steel. Of these materials, it is easy to manufacture coils and all types of connections. You can buy a copper tube of any diameter (or stainless steel) on the Internet or in a hardware store.

How does a film-type mash column work?

The principle of operation of the beer column is very similar to the operation of a rectifier, but in a somewhat simplified form. Vapors containing alcohol and associated liquids (aldehydes, ethers, fusel oil and other impurities) rise up the slowly warming column pipe and condense on the walls, flowing back into the tank. As it warms up, the height of the level of complete condensation becomes more and more until it reaches the refrigerator of the reflux condenser. This happens at a temperature on the upper refrigerator of about 50-56 C.

Condensate, phlegm, together with alcohol, flows down, and light-boiling vapors (heads) enter the refrigerator-condenser and are collected in a separate bowl. Before the start of the main distillation, from 10 liters of mash, you need to collect up to 0.5 liters of heads, an extremely poisonous liquid that is unsuitable either for re-distillation or for consumption.

Continuing to heat the cube, we bring the temperature on the upper refrigerator to 76 C. It should be this way for almost the entire session, only at the end of distillation it can be raised by 2-4 degrees and the resulting liquid can be collected in a separate container. She's going to retake. The required temperature is maintained by means of a tap at the inlet of the refrigerator and a stove regulator or heating element.

In the column itself, the process of interaction between the liquid flowing down the walls of the pipe and the hot vapors rising from the evaporator takes place. The phlegm warms up, and the remaining alcohol evaporates from it, rising to the steam line of the refrigerator. The fusel remains in a liquid state and flows back into the tank.

All the interaction of hot vapor and phlegm occurs on the walls of the column, where the liquid forms a thin film moving down. Therefore, columns of this type are called film.

When distilling, do not allow the mash to boil. The temperature in the cube should not exceed 85-90 C.

A copper beer column is better than stainless steel due to the high thermal conductivity of copper. It better removes heat from the phlegm film and its condensation begins earlier, which allows you to reduce the height of the column without reducing performance. Copper tube and fittings provide reliable sealing with high strength and reliability of the entire structure.

Other types of brew columns

Often one comes across descriptions of columns with filler, prismatic nozzles and other devices that allegedly increase the efficiency of the column. This is not entirely true. Nozzles and filler are an attribute of a distillation column; they are not entirely appropriate in a beer column.

The mash column of continuous action differs in design. In it, the mash is fed from above in a continuous stream and along the way interacts with water vapor rising from the bottom from the steam generator. The flowing mash along the way is divided into many streams by special plate devices and heated to the temperature of alcohol evaporation. The remaining liquids flow freely into the intake container.

Sivukha and other harmful liquids simply do not have time to evaporate. This principle of operation is very effective in the industrial production of alcohol, but it is difficult to implement in domestic conditions.

So what is the best moonshine and how to do it. Each time, before you build something, you need to decide on the goal that should be achieved with the help of this or that apparatus. So what can we want? For myself, I have already formulated these goals, but life goes on and priorities change, so we will consider all possible options.

Option one. You need a simple home machine with high performance to get a traditional product. This will be a straight line.

Option two. We need an apparatus for quickly obtaining SS (raw alcohol) for subsequent actions already with it. For example - fractional distillation or rectification. This will be a straight line.

Option three. We need an apparatus for obtaining high-quality distillate in one shoulder strap. This will be a film column.

Option four. We need a universal apparatus that can be used both as a straight-through to quickly obtain SS and to obtain high-quality distillates. This will be a film column.

Option five. You need a device for obtaining rectified alcohol. It will be either a straight-through combine + reccolumn, or a distillation column of a block design, which can be reconfigured depending on the tasks to be solved.

Correct straight line.

A long analysis of the available design solutions, the study of owners' feedback on the actual parameters of their products and the desire for technological simplicity led me to two variations of one design. The material for the manufacture of both structures are copper pipes connecting copper fittings used for the construction of food water pipelines. The main reason for using copper as a material is the ease of processing and fabrication. To mount a product of any complexity, you need affordable and simple tools - a pipe cutter, a drill, sandpaper, flux, solder and a torch / soldering iron.

The first variation is more compact due to the inclined arrangement of the refrigerator. The ascending part and the outer jacket of the refrigerator are made of a pipe with a diameter of 22 mm, followed by a transition to a pipe of 15 mm with a standard fitting (two-socket adapter 22-15). The height of the ascending part (400 mm) ensures the elimination of spray and a slight reinforcement. The use of a dryer with such a design is unnecessary. The length of the refrigerator is 800 mm with a diameter of the steam pipe in the descending part of 15 mm, which ensures reliable utilization of up to 5 kW of power supplied to the cube and an output in the region of 5-6 l / h. Docking of the outer jacket with a diameter of 22 mm and the steam pipeline is made with the same fittings. The turn of the steam pipeline with a diameter of 15 mm is made by two 15 mm single-socket bends by 90 degrees (two such bends are cheaper than one by 180 degrees), the steam line with a diameter of 22 mm is made by a double-socket bend 22 by 45 degrees. Mating to the cube is also done with a standard 22" by 3/4" adapter. It turns out a very productive and fairly budget solution.

In practice, it might look something like this. A thermometer in this design, in general, is not needed on a straight-through. It is better and more convenient to place it on the lid of the cube. I generally do not recommend using pointer, bimetallic thermometers, they show more and more the direction of the wind in Nicaragua and other Honduras, and not at all the temperature. The use of a pressure cooker as a cube at such a power is also completely unjustified. By the way, according to this layout scheme (with some additions), the apparatus described in.

The second variation almost repeats the first, but is completely vertical. Its height is determined by the same dimensions of the refrigerator (at least 800 mm). The ascending part is much higher, there is no bend, there are one less fittings. Due to the greater height of the ascending part, the fortification is greater.

Of course, there are a huge number of other solutions. You can limit yourself to one refrigerator by connecting the cube with a flexible connection, for example, with a silicone hose through a steamer. You can use refrigerators in the form of coils (difficult to clean and possible clogging with subsequent pyrotechnic entertainment).

This design attracts precisely with its high manufacturability and ease of manufacture at high power rates. Fractional driving is carried out by adjusting the power supplied to the cube. We must not forget about the inertia of thermal processes - it will be impossible to achieve accurate and prompt adjustment only by reducing / increasing the heating power (especially on gas). Once again, I would like to emphasize that straight-through machines are the most productive in terms of the volumetric yield of the product per unit time and at the same time the most "dirty" in terms of the quality of separation into constituent fractions. Therefore, we will not get stuck on them further and turn to the next type of equipment - a film column.

Film or mash column.

Let's understand the terminology. Why column? And precisely film? As I already wrote in during the operation of the columns, a part of the condensed product is returned back to the cube. In film columns, phlegm (this very condensed product) flows into a cube along the wall, forming a film on the wall. When the phlegm film and ascending vapors come into contact, part of the phlegm heats up again and evaporates. Due to this process, the product is strengthened and divided into fractions. Fractions boiling at lower temperatures do not roll into a cube, but "keep" in the column, gradually passing to the selection. This achieves a more thorough fractional selection (you can read more about the essence of the process in). This effect is achieved with the help of an additional refrigerator-reflux condenser (there is a special one), standing on the ascending part of the column and providing phlegm return. The length/height of the ascending part should be large enough so that the separation and strengthening effect is noticeable. This is how the film column is obtained. It is clear that since not all of the reflux falls into the selection, but only part of it, the performance of the film column is lower than that of the direct flow. But, if you turn off the reflux condenser, ceasing to supply water to it, the film column turns into an ordinary straight-through. In general, a BC (a mash column, as they are often called) is a universal thing, and if the height of the room where you plan to work allows you to install a BC, it is better to do it right away, without exchanging for the manufacture of a straight-through. The same pipes and almost the same fittings are used as for straight-throughs. It is also easy to do, the same performance in the mode of use "a la straight-through distiller" (with the dephlegmator turned off). But a completely different result when used as the actual BC. When used in column mode, the performance is determined by the diameter of the column, but you don’t need to especially accelerate the size of the pipe, since there is a relationship between the diameter and height - you can rest against the ceiling of the second floor :).

I can give a detailed description if someone is interested - write, ask, comment, criticize.

Distillation column.

I don’t like alcohol, I don’t like vodka either - therefore I don’t have my own column, but I don’t dispute the need. By the way, unlike distillers and films, distillation columns should be built from stainless steel. Copper makes a certain contribution to the formation of a bouquet of distillates, but this is not desirable for the production of alcohol. Such a material, of course, greatly complicates the possibility of self-production, since not everyone has argon welding. And not everyone knows how to use it. And the use of soldering on recolumns is undesirable - in emergency situations, pressure can increase and soldering is much less reliable, unlike welding. In case of inaccuracies in the design, manufacture and operation of these products, the phenomenon of “choke” of the column often occurs. What it is? Unlike film columns, rectification is done on packed columns, i.e. the internal volume of the ascending part is filled with a special filler - "nozzle". This is done to increase the phlegm reevaporation surface. If the flowing phlegm does not have time to go into the cube and overflows the column, then choke occurs. This can lead to an accidental release of both alcohol vapors and alcohol itself, which is very unsafe.

The illustration shows only an approximate diagram of a distillation column. There are proven and reliable options for commercial home columns of different capacities, various solutions for automatic control and security. It will cost comparable in price and, most likely, better in quality.

Various private questions related to the device, details and principles of operation of units and devices are discussed in and also in, devoted to answers to frequently asked questions.

One of the flagships of home distillation is the HD4 2500pc set. A series of HD4 moonshine stills is an excellent equipment for obtaining high-quality rectified alcohol - pure alcohol, as well as for distilling moonshine. It is in demand to work with small volumes typical for home use, and also requires little space. XD4 2500pk is a classic example of a film (or mash, as it is often called) column, due to which the first distillation of mash takes place with a significant increase in the strength of raw alcohol.

Operating methods

This universal moonshine is usually used for the following situations:

• In order to overtake the mash for moonshine (raw alcohol). Various types of mash are used, such as classic sugar, popular berry or fruit, etc.
• When working, the moonshine still is capable of producing a distillate that has the required taste properties. During the process, you can set the semi-automatic mode or manual.
• It will be possible to effectively distill raw alcohol through a shulman moonshine still into rectified alcohol (drinking).
• Using fractional distillation in the xd4 distillation and rectification kit, the output will be absinthe class drinks, gin, etc.

Positive qualities

The moonshine still xd 4 has mostly only positive reviews, which indicates a high degree of reliability and excellent performance properties. At the same time, the xd4 distillation kit belongs to the middle price category and wins in the price / quality ratio.

• The resulting product has all the advantages of high-quality pure alcohol or raw. It is almost completely devoid of such "diseases" of cheap equipment as extraneous odors, the taste of raw materials or fusel oils. The final alcohol strength is obtained at the level of 96.0-96.3%.
• Working on a moonshine xd is available even for distillers who have little experience with such devices. All procedures and settings are intuitive.
• This moonshine is universal, which expands the owner's ability to use it. With it, it is easy to get raw alcohol, distillate for making vodka, various rectified products.
• The modern xd 4 moonshine still has positive reviews due to the fact that it takes less time to get the result than when using the classic model with a gas or electric oven. "Home" volume can be obtained within one day, which is usually impossible for "can" portions. The average output is about 3 liters with self-maintenance of the installation.
• Affordable cost allows you to buy xd 4 moonshine for 10 thousand rubles. In this case, the owner receives a complete set of universal purpose. The amount is affordable for almost any family who is fond of making alcoholic beverages at home.
• All structural elements have a high degree of durability and reliability. These properties provide a high operational resource to a set.
• An important factor when working with high temperature and pressure is increased safety. Subject to all fire and electrical safety measures, manufacturers guarantee long-term and trouble-free operation of the device.
• The elements included in the kit can be easily detached from each other and can be used as universal parts for their intended purpose. For example, a pressure cooker is quite suitable for cooking something edible at home.

All products that xd 4 moonshine produces can be consumed both immediately after they are received (moonshine, grappa, rum, chacha, etc.), and after the time has elapsed and they have been kept in prepared barrels (whisky, calvados, etc.). d.).

Equipment set

The main part of the set is a cube, the role of which is performed by a pressure cooker. Depending on the variety of the xd 4 2500pc model (reviews can be left below), a volume of 8 and 12 liters is used. Such a pan provides pressure build-up inside, which has a positive effect on productivity and work speed.

High tightness is a prerequisite for reliable distillation. Alcohol vapors do not go into the atmosphere, but thanks to the pressure cooker they go to the desired nozzle. The silicone gasket helps to increase the tightness.

The lid is equipped with two valves to ensure stable pressure. One valve is working, and the second is used as an emergency valve to prevent the formation of excess pressure inside the tank.

Instead of an emergency valve, it is customary to mount a pressure gauge or thermometer to control the processes inside the mash tank.

The column joins through the built-in adapter. A classic distiller can be installed in the same place. If regular use of a pressure cooker is planned, then the welded-in adapter is easily silenced with a pre-prepared metal plug.

VIDEO: Pros and cons of a copper column

The cube is heated in any convenient way:

• gas home oven;
• electric stove;
• induction hob.

For large 20-liter models, electric heating elements are prudently welded into the cavity. If periodic regular use of a pressure cooker is provided, then the heating elements are simply not included in the mains. With this design, heat loss is significantly reduced, which increases the efficiency of the device.

There are conditional design flaws with built-in heaters:

• there is an irreducible balance in the cube, about 2-3 liters;
• excessively thick mash, when using built-in heaters, may burn a little on them, which will affect the final taste as a result;
• there is some difficulty in normal use;
• the use of heating elements increases the price tag of the product, although the final electricity consumption will be slightly less than on the stove.

VIDEO: Copper reinforcing column

Advantages of built-in heaters

• effective efficiency is more than 90% in terms of power parameters;
• the heating time of the mash is reduced, unlike other structures;
• product and film column xd 4 2500pc have a compact appearance;
• The design parameters made it possible to exclude an extra power regulator from the design, which reduces the cost of the apparatus.

What is a film (wash) column

So why is the column in this design given special attention? The operation of the column is based on the principle of recurrence, when part of the alcohol-containing liquid (reflux) flows down the walls back into the cube to react with the rising concentrate. When it drains, a film is formed on the column wall, which periodically reacts with rising alcohol-containing vapors, strengthening the product and facilitating its separation into fractions.

The film retains fractions that usually flow back into the cube, increases the concentration percentage of the finished product.

This effect is possible due to an additional refrigerator-reflux condenser (there is a special article about), which is installed on the base of the column and contributes to the return of reflux. Depending on the size of the ascending part, the strength of the finished raw alcohol will increase proportionally - the higher it is, the greater the concentration of the product. This is precisely the principle of the beer or film column, when a reflux film is formed, which additionally reacts with condensate. At the same time, please note that the productivity of the beer column is always lower than that of the direct flow - up to 2 liters per hour.

If you turn off the refrigerator on an ascending basis, it will be a regular column, which at the exit gives a maximum strength of 60 degrees.

You can see the work in more detail in the video from Igor Shulman.