Distillation and rectification are widely used in industry. Ethyl alcohol is purified by these methods, kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel and other components are isolated from oil, aromatic substances are obtained in perfumery and much more.
Both technologies are based on the same principle of liquid distillation. However, there are differences, and quite serious ones.
Definition, device diagram and principle of operation
Distillation
Distillation is a process during which the liquid in the cube (container) is heated and evaporated, after which it cools and condenses. As a result, the steam can be converted into a liquid or a solid body (the second option is not considered in this article). The output product is called distillate. Or VAT residue (the so-called liquid that has not evaporated), depending on the purpose for which the original mixture was distilled.
The device of the simplest apparatus for obtaining distilled water. The liquid is in a cube 1 with a lid 2 and a thermometer 3. After the container is heated, the water turns into steam, which rises up and enters the tube 4 with the valve 5. And from there - into the tube 6 located in the refrigerator 7. For the steam to condense and again turned into a liquid state, it must be cooled. To do this, the tube 6 is washed with running ice water. To improve cooling efficiency, it is coiled to keep the steam under low temperature for longer. After leaving the refrigerator, the liquid enters the vessel for collecting distillate.
When distilling a mixture consisting of two components (one of them is the base solvent liquid, and the second is dissolved in it), a low-boiling vapor is converted into steam, that is, one with a lower boiling point. And high-boiling (with a higher boiling point) remains in a liquid state. A thermometer is needed to regulate the degree of heating so that this parameter is between the indicated temperatures.
A distinctive feature of distillation is the fact that the volatile components evaporate once. With such a simple method, it is impossible to achieve a high degree of separation of the components of the mixture. In addition, only one ingredient stands out.
Rectification
Rectification is a process at the initial stage of which the liquid, as in distillation, also heats up and evaporates. But then the steam enters the distillation column. In it, due to the countercurrent between the liquid and gaseous phases of the mixture, there is a thermal and mass exchange between the vapor and the condensed drops. The initial mixture is divided (moreover, with a high degree of purification) into components with different boiling points due to the fact that the liquid, in fact, repeatedly evaporates and condenses.
Scheme of the simplest rectifier, which can be made even at home. It consists of a cube heated over a fire or a water bath. Above it is a distillation column (in household appliances - a tsarga, which is a rigid pipe) with nozzles filling it (in the figure they are called “washcloths”, because for home appliances they are often made from cheap metal kitchen washcloths). Above it is a dephlegmator. On the side, opposite the distillate extraction unit, there is a special outlet tube (colored red in the diagram). It is connected to the refrigerator and then to the receiving tank. In laboratory and domestic rectifiers, nozzles are used as "washcloths" with which the column is filled. The most popular are: spiral prismatic (Selivanenko) and regular wire (Panchenkov). The first gives the best degree of purification, the second, with sufficiently efficient operation, is the simplest in design. They are usually made of stainless steel or copper. In industrial installations, special plates are used instead of nozzles.
The device works as follows. The initial mixture is heated in the distillation cube and begins to evaporate. The steam passes through the distillation column. At the distillate extraction unit, part of the steam is removed through the red tube, enters the refrigerator, condenses and flows into the receiving tank. The other part rises into the reflux condenser. The latter is, in fact, another refrigerator with running water in a shirt. In it, this second part of the vapor also condenses, after which, in the form of drops, which are called reflux or irrigation, it flows into the distillation column and moves inside it from top to bottom. The flow rate of water for cooling the reflux condenser can be adjusted, thereby changing the amount of reflux flowing back into the column.
In the distillation column, a counterflow of two phases is carried out - steam rises, phlegm falls down. Between them there is a mass and heat exchange, as a result of which the vapor is enriched with low-boiling (highly volatile) components of the mixture, and the drops of the flowing liquid are enriched with high-boiling (low-volatile) ingredients. Due to this, with a sufficient height of the column, the target fraction of a high degree of purity is removed from its upper part (distillate selection unit). The packings in the column serve to intensify the mass and heat exchange, since the vapor condensation takes place precisely on their developed surface. In industrial settings, this takes place on plates.
Each plate located in the column is called physical (FT). It is needed so that a state of equilibrium is reached as quickly as possible between the liquid and vapor phases. Vapor bubbles pass through the reflux layer located on the FT. As a result, mass and heat exchange between the phases is accelerated. But, after the passage of steam through one FT, there will still be no equilibrium, because the efficiency of this element ranges from 50% to 60%. Thus, in order to obtain an equilibrium state of the phases that would correspond to one theoretical plate (TP), two PTs must be installed. This means that if, according to the calculation, a column of 40FT is required, then in reality it is necessary to put 80FT in it.
Installations for rectification are continuous and periodic.
In the first, the liquid mixture is constantly fed into the column, and the separated ingredients are also constantly removed from it. Secondly, a certain amount of the mixture is immediately loaded into the cube, after which the apparatus operates until it is completely processed.
In household appliances, a drawer is used as a distillation column. This is a pipe with a diameter of 30mm to 50mm, filled throughout the volume with nozzles. So that the latter do not get enough sleep, they put wads permeable to steam and drops along the edges. The state of phase equilibrium is achieved when the steam passes through a certain layer of the drawer, equivalent to one HP. Its height is calculated in millimeters and is called the height of the transfer unit.
The main features of rectification are: the isolation of the desired ingredient in its pure form and the possibility of dividing the initial mixture into several components at once. The higher the column, the slower the process, but the cleaner the final product.
Processes in winemaking
In the alcoholic beverage industry, the difference between distilled and rectified spirits is explained as follows. Distillate is a raw material in which the organoleptic (taste and smell) of the original product remains. That is, if a grain drink is made, then grains, if an apple drink is made - apples, and so on. At the same time, there are still many impurities in distilled ethyl alcohol. Some of them form taste and smell. Others are disposed of with the help of various recipes. Rectified is a refined alcohol. The organoleptics of the original product is completely absent. It tastes and smells only of alcohol, and nothing else. At the next stages of the technological process, with the help of flavoring additives and flavorings, a given organoleptic is introduced into it, after which a wide range of liqueurs, tinctures and other things are obtained.
Based on this, one cannot say that one way is better, and the other is worse. Each has its own purpose. If, for example, brandy is made with the taste and aroma of grapes, then distillation is needed. After rectification, these features will disappear. To obtain a pleasant aroma, distilled alcohol is aged in oak barrels. And for rectified 96% alcohol, this is useless, it is only suitable for dilution, for example, in the manufacture of vodka. To this we can add that the equipment for distillation of alcohol is more expensive than for distillation. In addition, distilled mash is required for rectification.
Theoretical foundations of distillation
In a mixture consisting of two ingredients (one of which is a liquid as the basis of the solution), the concentration of the solute in the liquid C1 differs from the concentration of C2 in the vapor of this liquid. Split (distribution) ratio
is a characteristic of the process. In some cases, it is more convenient to work with the reciprocal: A \u003d 1 / B, which is also called. This parameter depends on the distillation conditions and the nature of the substances that make up the mixture.
Depending on the conditions, the coefficient B can be:
Ideal. It is affected only by the partial pressures of the ingredients of the mixture (the partial pressure is the pressure of a single gas included in a mixture of several gases; that is, this is the pressure of one gas that it would have if it occupied the entire volume that the mixture of gases occupies).
Equilibrium. In this case, the number of gas molecules H escaping from the liquid is equal to the number of its molecules H1 that return to the liquid in the same time.
Effective.
In practice, distillation is affected by the mixing of the solution and the presence of impurities in it. The presence of the latter may turn out to be so significant that, in terms of the separation of the main substance and impurities, the effective coefficient may differ greatly from the ideal one.
Equally important process parameters are the evaporation temperature and the degree of deviation of the system from phase equilibrium between liquid and vapor. During distillation:
Where HC is the number of molecules passing into the condensate. Quantitatively, the deviation is determined by the ratio: HC / N. In this case, there are two limiting states of the system. If HC = 0, then equilibrium takes place, how many particles left the liquid per unit time, the same number returned to it. If HC \u003d H, then this is molecular distillation, that is, all the particles that have evaporated from the liquid have passed into the condensate. This usually happens if the process is carried out in a vacuum, the vapor pressure is low, and the distance from the water surface to the dew point is minimal. In this case, the vapor particles do not collide, either with air molecules or with each other.
Types of distillation
The process described at the beginning of the article, in which the liquid is heated and partially evaporated, and its vapors are continuously discharged into the refrigerator and condensed there, is called simple distillation. When working with a multi-component liquid mixture, fractional distillation or fractional distillation is used. In this case, the ingredients of the mixture are collected in the condensate in parts, depending on their volatility, starting with the lowest boiling point.
Rectification is considered by many experts to be a kind of distillation. It occurs due to the fact that any closed system consisting of gas and liquid tends to a state of equilibrium. And during rectification, the working (actual) concentration of the ingredients of the vapor phase differs from that which should be in order for this liquid to be in equilibrium.
Distillation and rectification are two methods of separating the components of a liquid mixture, based on the same physical process. But different technologies for their implementation allow you to get completely different results.
Different alcoholic beverages are obtained in different ways. In addition to raw differences, alcohol can refer to distillate or rectified. The differences between these two groups of drinks at first glance may seem insignificant, but in reality this difference is significant. Both distillate and rectified can be obtained at home if (we recommend choosing a device with a distillation column of the brand or with a dry steamer of the brand), which allows for the rectification mode. To do this, its design must necessarily include a column with a prismatic or regular wire packing, on which the rectification process will take place. Of course, you can, but in the case of a distillation column, you will have to work much more than with a simple household distiller.
You need to understand that both rectified and distillate are solutions of ethyl alcohol. What is the fundamental difference between these two liquids?
Distillate or rectified: which is cleaner?
The distillate is obtained by fractional (fractional) distillation of mash. Most often, mash is first distilled without separation of fractions into raw alcohol, and then it is distilled fractionally with the separation of “heads”, “body” and “tails”. So the “body” is the distillate. This is a solution of ethyl alcohol with a strength of not more than 85-90 degrees, containing various impurities. It is important. It is the impurities (esters, other alcohols, etc.) that create the characteristic taste and aroma of the distillate: this is the taste and aroma of the raw material from which the mash was made. This is the essence of refined and elite distillates - whiskey, brandy, calvados, rum and others. Grape, grain, fruit raw materials give their characteristic unique notes.
Rectified is a completely purified alcohol. Its solution contains only ethanol and water. When forcing on a distillation column, its fortress reaches 95-96 degrees (the maximum possible fortress under normal conditions). The rectificate is devoid of any flavoring notes of the raw materials from which ethanol was obtained during fermentation. Without a doubt, rectified is absolutely pure, compared to distillate. But how important is it?
Rectified or distillate: which is more harmful to health?
There is an opinion that a certain presence of impurities makes the distillate safer to drink. The fact is that when using a distillate, certain substances from the group of “fusel oils” (in small quantities) seem to “prepare” the liver for the processing of alcohol. Based on this assumption, it turns out that with the same use, a properly purified distillate will cause a much less pronounced hangover syndrome than with the same dose of rectificate diluted to the same strength. Well, the load on the liver will be a little less. Some scientific works of the times of the USSR confirm a more toxic effect on the body of rectified water compared to distillate. Rectified, due to its purity, will also have a “harder” taste, since impurities in the distillate (depending on the raw material) will soften it.
However, no well-known scientific studies in this area have been made public, so there is no reason to say 100% that distillate is less harmful than rectified. Yes, and the individual tolerance of alcohol by each individual varies widely. For the same reason, it will not be entirely correct to judge which is better - distillate or rectified. As you know, the taste and color of all felt-tip pens are different.
Well, so that there is no misunderstanding, we will answer the most common questions:
- Moonshine - distillate or rectified?
Moonshine is a distillate. Get it by distillation - distillation (raw alcohol). Its fortress, as a rule, does not exceed 85-90 degrees. - Vodka — distillate or rectified?
But vodka is rectified. The most purified alcohol, diluted with water to a strength of 40 degrees. It is only later that vodka is insisted on birch brunka, pepper and other pleasant things. But still, the alcohol in it remains rectified. Of course, all this takes place when it comes to industrial vodka. Homemade "vodkas" obtained by diluting sugar, grain or grape distillate with distillates will remain. - Alcohol - rectified or distillate?
The name "alcohol" speaks for itself. This is rectified, since the distillate has certain impurities and its purification is not one hundred percent. Medical alcohol is always rectified. And even industrial alcohols are obtained in industry by rectification.
In any case, it is up to you to decide what is more to your taste - distillate or rectified. Depending on your preferences, you will have a task: to stop at a classic distiller or purchase a full-fledged distillation column. It should be noted that household columns can also work in distillation mode, therefore they are more versatile, although slightly more expensive than classic moonshine stills.
The Great Alcoholic Revolution is taking place in Russia. And this is not a metaphor. Starting July 1, GOSTs (National Standards of the Russian Federation) for grain distillates are being introduced. In other words, in our country, for the first time in more than a hundred years, it will be allowed to produce not only the rectificate, which we have mistakenly called vodka all this time, but we are waiting for the return of that very bread wine that everyone has heard about, but almost no one knows what it is.
From what and how
Pushkin, Shmelev, Saltykov-Shchedrin - yes, in fact, almost all the classics in their works continually mention anise, ginger, orange, polugar, bread wine and many more things that we have at best an approximate idea. In his book “The History of Russian Vodka from Polugar to the Present Day”, the initiator of the introduction of new GOSTs, researcher and producer of Polugar, Boris Rodionov, indicates that there are two ways to produce strong drinks: distillation and rectification. The vast majority of hard liquor in the world - cognac, single malt whiskey, grappa, tequila, calvados, slivovitz and others - are distillates. During distillation, the mash from the original product (grapes, malt, apples, fruits, whatever) is heated to a state of steam, and then cooled, as a result of which it is separated into alcohol and water - simply because alcohol is much lighter than water. What is obtained is called raw alcohol and has a strength of about 25 degrees. During the second distillation, alcohol reaches a strength of 60-70 degrees. Moreover, from distillation to distillation, the drink becomes cleaner: during each, “heads” and “tails” are cut off, that is, what flows at the beginning, and what is at the end is the most tasteless and harmful there.
It is impossible to find out who and when invented distillation due to the obviousness of the method. The distillation process involves an alembic (originally just a ceramic pot), a coil and a cooler. Exactly according to this principle, all modern distillation plants are arranged - and even banal moonshine stills. And this is how bread wine has always been produced in Russia and in Russia.
In the vast majority of cases, rye, or rather, rye malt, was used as a raw material. In rye, as in any grain, there is not much sugar, and it plays a fundamental role in the fermentation process. Therefore, malt was made from grain (in other words, germinated), then the amount of sugar increased sharply. From malt, adding yeast, - mash. And from mash - what is described above. Using this technology, only single malt whiskey is produced from barley.
To each his own
Bread wine is a basic, mass product. Now in our market, for example, drinks of the Derevensky Moonshine brand, produced in Lithuania, correspond to it, precisely because there was no corresponding GOST in Russia, that is, there was a direct ban on production for commercial purposes. And to satisfy the tastes of the demanding public, additional links were added to the technological chain.
First of all, the purification of bread wine. At least four methods are known: charcoal (the most common), freezing (when everything unnecessary freezes, but alcohol does not), milk and egg white. The last two, the most costly, are based on the same principle: animal protein reacts with fusel oil, esters and aldehydes contained in bread wine, and, having bound them, precipitates. Oak barrels play a similar role in the production of whiskey: they not only saturate the drink with tannins and other aromatic substances, but also neutralize excess impurities. A separate question is why initially identical drinks - bread wine and whiskey - went in such different ways? Researchers cannot unambiguously answer it. Perhaps the whole point is the banal lack of so many sherry casks in our country - namely, in them, as you know, the right whiskey is traditionally aged for at least three years. Despite the fact that until the twentieth century there was no other way of storage, except for the barrel.
Purified bread wine was sold, of course, much more expensive. And even more expensive drinks were sold, which were made on its basis, insisting it on various herbs, fruits, anything, and distilling it again. It was this class of drinks that was called vodka. Class - because, in addition to vodkas, there were tinctures (bread wine infused with something without adding sugar), liqueurs (tinctures with added sugar), ratafia (liqueurs with fruit juice), liqueurs (concentrated fruit vodkas with a very high sugar content), etc. The range of vodkas was incredibly wide, varying from province to province and even from county to county.
The production of bread wine was called distillation (smoking - in the sense of getting steam), and the production of vodka was a separate, as a rule, independent production from distillation, with a slightly different technology and under a different license. It was called liquor. Moreover, vodkas were quite clearly divided into medicinal and those for pleasure. The first, with the addition of medicinal herbs and roots, were also sold in pharmacies. From this fact, some researchers deduce a hypothesis about the origin of the word "vodka" itself. It is logical that pharmacists gave her the Latin name aqua vita (water of life). From this “vita”, as we like, it could easily turn out to be a “turn”, from “turn” - “votka” (this is how it appeared in the documents for a long time), but from “votka” - it is known that. However, this is only a hypothesis. Where the word "vodka" actually came from, no one knows.
Why 40
Of course, the state has always tried - and, as a rule, it has succeeded - to control either the production of bread wine, or its sale, or both at the same time.
And in order to control the process, it is necessary to standardize it. This was done under Peter I. Usually bread wine had a strength of 38-39 degrees. In order to recognize a quality product and stop attempts to dilute it, in the absence of alcohol meters - they had not yet been invented - they came up with this method: bread wine was heated, set on fire, and if exactly half burned out, such a drink was considered standard and was called polugar. There were still underburnt and fumes - they were recycled.
The name "Polugar" was taken for its products by Boris Rodionov, an enthusiast for the revival of the national Russian drink. For the same reason, the lack of GOST, he founded production in Poland. Ironically, Rodionov produces not so much pure polugar as exactly what vodka is - in the sense of the word that is described above.
It was for the convenience of tax accounting, and not at all because of any special taste sensations, that the vodka standard of 40 degrees was adopted. It is even known who and when proposed this - Finance Minister Mikhail Khristoforovich Reitern in 1866. The reason is simple: it was much easier for officials to multiply and divide by 40 than by 38.5. That is, the figure was simply rounded off - and there is no other underlying reason for this. And even more so, Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev has absolutely nothing to do with 40 degrees: he hardly ever tried vodka in the current sense of the word - the great chemist was a well-to-do person and could afford more decent drinks.
Although during his lifetime, the vodka that we drink now already existed. It appeared at the end of the 19th century, when a new distillation method arose - a distillation column. The difference between distillation and rectification, in a nutshell, is that rectification makes the alcohol production process almost continuous. And most importantly - from the very first distillation it gives a result that is unattainable during distillation - 96-degree ethyl alcohol without any impurities.
In addition, the state introduced a monopoly on the sale of strong alcohol, and the production of bread wine practically ceased: there was no commercial sense to use expensive old technology when cheap new technology was available. Bread wine was replaced by table wine, that is, vodka based on rectified alcohol - exactly the same as we drink now. And since the alcohol was obtained with such a high degree of purification, it became unimportant from what raw materials it was produced: the taste of the original product was still not felt. And alcohol began to be made not from grain, but from cheaper and more sugary potatoes and beets. By the way, the current GOST for "Extra" and "Lux" spirits - the most popular in the alcoholic beverage industry - allows the use of these cultures in their production by 60% and 35%, respectively. At the same time, not a single person in the world will be able to taste by taste what alcohol is made of, the solution of which he consumes with water. And the inscriptions on the labels like “cleaned with milk” or “cleaned with silver” are nothing more than a marketing ploy: modern alcohol has nothing to clean from. Rather, the situation is exactly the opposite: milk, silver and other foreign substances do not purify, but, on the contrary, enrich the taste of alcohol.
You can sniff
In general, there are serious doubts that we are doing the right thing, so taking care of the purity of vodka. According to many toxicologists, for example, Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences Vladimir Nuzhny, fusel oil - in reasonable doses, of course - does not increase the effect of ethyl alcohol on the body, but, on the contrary, weakens it, acting as an antidote. Suffice it to say that according to modern, very harsh Russian GOSTs, the content of fusel oil in cognac is from 1000 to 2000 times higher than its content in vodka. That is, according to the logic of supporters of sterile vodka, cognac is a thousand times more harmful than it, and death should occur after the first sip. The same applies to whiskey, grappa, calvados and tequila - they contain no less fusel oil.
In addition, there is a strong suspicion that, like any other purified substance, pure ethyl alcohol is more addictive and more addictive than impure alcohol. Indirect evidence of this can be the fact that, for example, in the 1890s, Russia was in the penultimate place in terms of the consumption of absolute alcohol (only Norway drank less), and in terms of the consumption of strong drinks - in eighth, lagging behind the leader - Denmark - almost in three times. By the way, in terms of absolute alcohol consumption per capita, we are still not in first place in the world, although we are trying not to lag far behind the “champions”.
There is another significant difference between the “newly blessed” (as Professor Preobrazhensky called it in “Heart of a Dog” - because the Moscow State Distillery, the current “Kristall”, was located in a lane that was called Novoblessed before the revolution) and “real Russian” (according to his own expression) vodka - this is the so-called gastronomy. Modern vodka is consumed, as a rule, in one gulp and with a snack: it is no coincidence that a noticeable part of what remains of modern Russian cuisine by our time - all these pickles, mushrooms, herring, is nothing more than a snack for vodka. Bread wine, which has its own taste, is drunk in the same way as cognac or, say, single malt whiskey: a little bit, in sips. It, unlike vodka, can and even needs to be smelled.
Vodka as it is
But back to the history of vodka.
In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, dry law was introduced in Russia - a complete ban on the production and sale of strong alcoholic beverages. The Bolsheviks who came to power in 1917 at first wanted to keep it, but they had to somehow fill the budget. In addition, moonshine got an unprecedented scale - it was then that the word "moonshine" arose. And in 1924, a 20-degree "Russian bitter" was released. Then - 30-degree "Rykovka", named after the then chairman of the government, and only then - 40-degree table wine. It is interesting that at first the word "vodka" was not used at all, then it began to be used in documents and in brackets, and only in 1936 did it appear on bottle labels. At the same time, a state standard was formulated, defining vodka as "a colorless and transparent mixture of rectified ethyl alcohol with water ... treated with activated carbon, passed through filters and having a taste and smell characteristic of vodka." It is 1936 that should be considered the year of birth of modern Russian, or rather, Soviet vodka.
It is difficult to say why Russia decided to go this way in the alcohol issue - most likely for budgetary and financial reasons. Why was it impossible to preserve, like all countries, the national, historical production of distillates - especially since in the 19th century the country was the world leader in the vodka market in their then understanding - and at the same time introduce a new production? After all, the Scots got out, and after them all other whiskey producers. When the distillation method appeared, they simply began to mix distillate with rectified, resulting in mass and cheap blended, that is, mixed whiskey. It is to this class that all now known mass varieties of whiskey belong - the difference is only in the amount of distillate: in very cheap ones there is very little of it, in medium-priced ones - well, probably half. Producers of inexpensive cognacs do the same. And maybe expensive ones too.
Vodka as it will be
Yury Yudich, director of the Alcoexpert analytical group, does not share the enthusiasm for the changes coming from July 1:
- The market of grain distillates, of course, will arise. But I don't think there will be any jump. And even more so, I don’t think that something threatens vodka from rectified alcohol. Distillate is an expensive product by definition. In addition, the price of an “entrance ticket” to the market is high: 9.5 million rubles is only the state duty for a production license, almost a million is a license for the circulation of alcoholic products. And try to get them. Plus certification, EGAIS and so on. This is not to mention production facilities, equipment, marketing and logistics. At the same time, grain distillates will not create a new category of consumers: they will be used by some of those people who now drink expensive vodka. And there are not so many of them in the country. Fruit and grape distillates, which are now sold and produced, including in Russia, have not taken any prominent place in our lives.
Boris Akimov, co-owner of the farmer's cooperative and the LavkaLavka restaurant, which serves only domestic drinks, believes that the revival of bread wine should be looked at not only and not so much from the point of view of marketing, but metaphysically:
- To dilute alcohol with water and call it a national drink, a lot of mind is not needed. And the production of distillates is a complex technical and creative process. I am sure that many will open distilleries simply because it is terribly interesting. As with proper food: in principle, you can eat sausages and pizza, washing it all down with cola, but it is much more interesting to consume good food, revive or create traditions, understand that you are not a cog in the global consumption system, but a responsible citizen. The development of the distillates market will not immediately, but will lead to changes in other areas, for example, in the kitchen, because the ways of consuming the same polugar and vodka are completely different, they need different snacks. I'm not talking about the fact that the national drink is one of the most important elements of national culture and, let's not be afraid of this word, identity. And I am happy to realize that my Russian national drink is a complex and tasty bread wine, and not a banal vodka.
However, there are not only grounds for optimism, but also a not so distant example. At some point, the same Scots were so carried away by mixing their main national drink that they began to fear for its future. And there was a movement for real single malt whiskey, which was successfully revived; this happened decades ago. And the Russian national drink is being revived right now, before our eyes.
This step-by-step instruction is just one of the methods of distillation on a distillation (RD) or mash (BK) column, having mastered which you can get a highly purified product. However, for fruit, berry and grain distillates there are technological nuances, without knowing which, instead of a flavored drink, there will be pure alcohol. Each type of nozzle has its own characteristics. Use the proposed method as a start for studying the operation of columns, training on sugar mash, or knowingly understanding that the result will be rectified alcohol or a drink close to it.
Initial conditions. Raw alcohol is available - sugar mash distilled on a conventional distiller (moonshine still) and - RK or BK. In this case, the procedure for working on different types of columns is almost identical, and the differences are described in appropriate places in the instructions.
Rectification scheme 
An example of a distillation column in assembled form with a description of the main structural elements Technology of home distillation on RK and distillation on BC
1. Fill the cube with raw alcohol no more than 3/4 of the height, leaving at least 10-12 cm of the vapor zone. However, it is also impossible to fill in too little, so that at the end of the distillation process, when there is almost no liquid left in the cube, the heating elements do not emerge (do not become bare).
The strength of the cubic bulk should be about 40%. This value is related to the minimum phlegm number required to achieve the selection of a given strength. With an increase in the strength of the bottom bulk, the minimum reflux ratio decreases non-linearly, reaching a minimum at a strength of about 45%. Therefore, if you start the process with a fortress of 60%, then you will have to reduce the phlegm number up to 45% of the fortress, and then increase it as the distillation residue is further depleted in alcohol. That is, first increase the selection from 60 to 45% of the cubic strength, and then reduce it. As a result, rectification will not only be more difficult to manage, but will also take longer.
2 Turn on the heater at maximum power and bring the raw alcohol to a boil. The optimal heating element power for overclocking is 1 kW per 10 liters of bulk, then the time to boil is 15 minutes for every 10 liters of bulk.
3. Shortly before the start of boiling, at a temperature of 75-80 ° C in the cube, turn on the water supply. After the start of boiling, reduce the heat to operating power. If the operating power is not yet known, reduce to a level below the rated power by 200-300 watts. Adjust the water supply so that the steam is completely condensed in the dephlegmator. The outlet water should be warm or hot. The column began to work for itself.
4. Monitor the values on the thermometers in the column, wait for the readings to stabilize.
5. Determine the operating power of the column. To do this, after stabilization of temperatures, check the pressure in the cube. You will need a pressure gauge up to 6000 Pa (0.06 kg / sq. cm, 400 mm water column), or a U-shaped differential pressure gauge, a pressure gauge from a tonometer will also work (if nothing else is found).
If the pressure is stable and does not increase, increase the heating power by 50-100W. The pressure in the cube should rise and after 5-10 minutes stabilize at a new value. Repeat this operation until the pressure ceases to stabilize and continues to increase, for example, after 20 minutes the increase continues. Remember the current readings - this is the power of the choke.
If there is a 50 mm column and a SPN 3.5 packing, then the last non-increasing pressure (in mm of water column) will be approximately equal to 20% of the column height in millimeters. If the pressure is 30-40% of the height of the column, this means that the phlegm has hung, and the choke process continues. With a less dense nozzle with less holding capacity, the power of the choke will be higher.
If there is no pressure gauge, they are guided by the sounds of the column - when choking, the column may begin to sway, gurgling, increased noise is heard, spontaneous emissions of alcohol through the communication tube with the atmosphere or into the refrigerator when steam is taken are also possible. For the first time without experience, it is difficult to determine the choking of the column, but it is possible.
After determining the power of the choke, turn off the heat and wait a few minutes for the phlegm to glass into a cube. Turn on the heating at a power 10% less than the choke. Wait for stabilization of temperatures and pressure in the cube. If everything is in order, then this will be the working capacity of the column.
If the operating power is much lower than the nominal, this means that the packing or packing support elements are not properly packed in the column: the packing is too overpacked, possibly a tangle, there are pockets of reflux concentration, where the steam stops it, flooding the column. In this case, you need to disassemble the column, pour the nozzle, straighten the tangle, then reassemble and repeat the setup process.
The operating power of the column is determined once. In the future, the obtained value is used constantly, occasionally making adjustments.
With a properly selected working power, the pressure in the cube will be the same every time. It does not depend on the diameter of the column and usually amounts to 3.5 - 150-200 mm of water for the SPN packing. Art. for each meter of nozzle height, for SPN 4 - 250-300 mm of water. Art., for other nozzles, the value will be different.
When looking for working power, you can also focus on the following practical data: for an etched heptagonal SPN 3.5, the working power in watts is approximately equal to 0.85-0.9 of the pipe cross-sectional area in millimeters. If SPN 4 is used, the coefficient increases to 1.05-1.1. For less dense nozzles, the coefficient will be higher.
6. After stabilization at operating power, let the column work for itself for 40-60 minutes.
7. Set the selection of "heads" at a rate of 50 ml/h for a 40 mm column, for 50 mm - 70 ml/h, for 60 mm - 100 ml/h, for 63 mm - 120 ml/h. Provided that SPN is used.
The time of selection of "heads" is determined based on the bulk volume: 12 minutes (0.2 hours) for each liter of 40% raw alcohol. It must be remembered that this is not distillation in a conventional apparatus with a coil - in the columns there is a separation into fractions and their sequential withdrawal to the selection in a concentrated form.
Recommendations such as 3-5% of absolute alcohol are average values, but no one has canceled them, and precise control of the end of the selection of “heads” is done, guided by the smell of the exit. It should be remembered that the time and speed of the selection of "heads" are not related quantities. If you select "heads" at twice the speed, they will simply turn out in a less concentrated form.
General principle: during the selection of any fraction, it is impossible to take more from the column than enters the selection zone. This will prevent violation of the separation of fractions along the height of the column.
8. Changing the rate of extraction is only possible by adjusting the water supply to the reflux condenser for columns with steam extraction upstream of the reflux condenser. If the column is with liquid extraction, then just a selection valve.
The heating power must always be constant, this ensures the stability of the amount of steam supplied to the column and the operation of the column as a whole.
9. Select headrests - this is second-class alcohol, slightly contaminated with head fractions. Its amount is equal to 1-2 volumes of alcohol held by the nozzle in the column (150-500 ml). In fact, the nozzle is washed from the remnants of the “heads” and the intermediate fractions accumulated in the column. To do this, the selection is set at 1/3 of the nominal (about 500 ml/hour). Alcohol of the second grade is suitable for re-distillation.
10. Go to the "body" sampling: set the initial sampling rate equal to the nominal or slightly higher. The rated speed (ml/h) is numerically approximately equal to the operating heating power (in W). For example, if the working power is 1800 W, then the initial rate of selection of the “body” is 1800 ml per hour. By the end of the selection, the power is reduced to 600 ml / hour,
11. Control the process according to the readings of thermometers and the pressure in the cube. There are several methods. The simplest is to navigate by the temperature difference between the lower (20 cm from the bottom of the nozzle) and the middle (at half or 2/3 of the column height) thermometers. After the start of the selection of the “body”, the difference in these readings should not change by more than 0.3 degrees. As soon as the difference increases by more than the accepted value, it is necessary to reduce the selection rate by 70-100 ml.
Special cases: if there is only one thermometer, proceed in the same way, focusing on the change in its readings. For the lower - a change of 0.3 degrees, for the upper - 0.1 degrees. This is a less accurate method, as it is sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure.
If there are no thermometers in the column at all, they are guided by the change in temperature in the cube - they reduce the selection by 6-10% after the temperature in the cube rises by each degree. This is a good method that allows you to get ahead of the rises in the column in terms of temperature.
12. After the selection of half of the “body”, more and more often it is necessary to reduce the speed of selection. When the temperature in the cube rises above 90 °C, fusel and other intermediate impurities leave the cube and accumulate in the nozzle. To cut them off more clearly, you can let the column work for itself for several minutes before reducing the selection, then resume the selection after the temperature difference returns to its previous level, naturally, by reducing the selection rate. This will make it possible to more clearly cut off the "tails" by creating an alcohol buffer in the sampling zone.
13. When the selection is reduced by 2-2.5 times in relation to the initial one, the temperature regularly leaves the operating range, while the temperature in the cube is 92-93 °C. These are signals for the BC that it is time to move on to the selection of "tails". On the RC, due to the greater holding capacity, with a bulk of less than 20 nozzle volumes, the selection can be continued up to 94-95 ° C, but the process is often stopped, saving time and nerves.
Change the container, set the selection rate to about half or 2/3 of the nominal. Although these are "tails", but you need to try to take a minimum of impurities. Sample up to 98 °C cubed. "Tails" are suitable for the second distillation.
14. Rinse the column. After selecting the "tails", let the column work for itself for 20-30 minutes, during which time the remaining alcohol will collect at the top, then turn off the heating. Alcohol, flowing down, will wash the nozzle.
Also, periodically you need to steam the nozzle, removing the remnants of fusel oils. This can be done by driving the raw alcohol "dry", then continue the selection at a decent speed until an odorless distillate comes out. The second method is to pour clean water into the cube and steam the column.
How to make high-quality alcohol, and what is the difference between rectified and distilled. These two technologies for the production of alcohol and moonshine raise questions among beginners. They are interested in what is the essence of technology, and which one is better? What is the difference between distillation and rectification, with the help of what methods and devices the desired result is achieved.
Moonshine distillation
When they say "drive moonshine" - this means distillation (distillatio is a Latin word, translated as dripping). During distillation, alcohol vapor evaporates from the mash and condenses. To increase the fortress and get rid of excess impurities, moonshine is distilled several times.
Distillation is the production of alcohol from mash using a distiller.
To do this, the ripened mash is heated and waiting for evaporation. After cooling, the steam that has passed through the cooler (coil) condenses and a water-alcohol solution begins to drip. Distillation is divided into simple and fractional. What is the difference between them?
Simple distillation
Simple distillation or obtaining raw alcohol, mash is simply distilled on a moonshine in a fast way without separation into fractions. With such distillation, impurities are not removed from the drink, as required by the technology. The first drops of moonshine with harmful impurities remain in the drink. This product has an unpleasant odor. Some unscrupulous winemakers purify low-quality distillate with chemicals to get rid of the smell. This alcohol is unhealthy because it contains methyl alcohol, unhealthy aldehydes and fusel oils. This method requires further processing, fractional distillation with separation into fractions or rectification.
Fractional distillation
Good moonshine is obtained by fractional distillation with the separation of head and tail fractions, which are harmful and are not needed in the final product. This method allows you to get a quality drink.
Features of fractional distillation:
- The head fraction is “cut off”, these are the first 10% of absolute alcohol. It is suitable for technical use only. "Pervach" has an unpleasant odor and contains a large amount of harmful substances such as acetone, methyl, etc.
- The tail fraction contains fusel oils that spoil the taste of moonshine. Tailings begin to go when the temperature in the distillation cube reaches 91-65 degrees, when this temperature is reached, the selection of the drinking body must be stopped. They can only be used for subsequent rectification.
After being distilled twice, the finished drink turns out to be pure from harmful impurities, its strength is 90-92%. Moonshine turns out pure, but the specific taste and aroma of the raw material is preserved.
Rectification - what is it?
To get drinking alcohol at home, use a special distillation column. This apparatus is a little more complicated than moonshine, but quite affordable and commercially available. Most of the new generation moonshine stills go as a distiller or distillation column at the same time; by a simple configuration change, you can make alcohol and moonshine. The cost of high-quality columns is quite high, but it is better not to buy inexpensive models, as they can ruin the drink.
The rectification process is different from re-distillation. The purity of alcohol at the output is not less than 96%. The distillation column produces alcohol without the taste and aroma of the feedstock. Pure mash cannot be used for rectification, only raw alcohol after the first distillation with a strength of 30-40%.
Distillate and rectified: which is preferable
To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of rectified and distillate, it is important to decide what result you want: a subtle taste of the drink or pure alcohol.
Distillation and rectification - these methods are used to obtain different products: moonshine is obtained by distillation, and vodka is a product of rectification
Main differences:
- After distillation, the drink retains the aroma of the product from which the mash is made.
- During rectification, the original aroma and taste of the raw material is lost. This is the difference between alcohol and moonshine
It is difficult to say that it is better to drink distillate or rectified. These are different alcoholic drinks, some people prefer moonshine, while others prefer alcohol. Opponents of rectification argue that rectification produces a "dead" drink.
