The evolution from grandmother's serpentine to home distillation columns followed bizarre paths, spawning many dead-end branches and "monsters", but sometimes useful hybrid designs were developed. One of these devices was beer column(BK), the popularity of which among home distillers is growing every year. However, such a device requires understanding theoretical foundations and proper operation, otherwise the result will disappoint.
The history of the appearance of the beer column
What did not suit the good old serpentine? First, poor performance. Secondly, even when fractional distillation distillate contains a significant amount of harmful impurities. Distillation column(RK) copes with these shortcomings, but has its own problems: expensive equipment, after rectification, the drink does not have the smell of the feedstock, and it still needs a distiller for the first distillation.
The advent of once-through and shell-and-tube refrigerators solved the performance problem. These designs of coolers made it possible to distill the mash into raw alcohol relatively quickly, and an empty pipe was added to the design to overcome splashing. So the distiller of the new generation has acquired a finished form.
Example of a once-through cooler 
Example of a shell and tube cooler The pipe served as a dry steamer - not allowing splashes from the cube, which are formed in wild phlegm, to fall into the selection. Such a distiller easily coped with any heating power available in everyday life. There was also a slight fortification of the product to reinforce this, as previously thought, useful property- a reflux condenser was used, which gave rise to a whole family of distillers with fortification, related by the common name: “mash column”.
Attention! The continuous beer column (NBK), despite the similar name, has a completely different purpose and principle of operation.
Film mash column
The main scheme was the BC with a shirt reflux condenser, shown in the figure.
An example of a film column in assembled form Available materials, ease of manufacture and strengthening of moonshine up to 90-91% contributed to the growth in popularity of such a scheme. With operating experience, the main requirements were formulated.
A film mash column was considered good if:
- the diameter was 25-28 mm, and the height was 30 to 50 times the inner diameter;
- there was a sufficiently powerful and well-controlled dephlegmator capable of extinguishing the working heating power;
- there was a fine adjustment of the flow of cooling water to the dephlegmator using a needle valve;
- implemented a separate water supply to the refrigerator and dephlegmator;
- a thermometer is installed above the reflux condenser in the steam pipe;
- there was a sufficiently productive refrigerator to work with full heating power both in the second and in the first stage.
Working with the film column was not easy and required the owner's constant attention. During the first distillation, the reflux condenser was not turned on so as not to increase the boiling time of the mash, but during the second distillation, the reflux condenser was already working, making it possible to select the “heads” drop by drop and strengthen the “body” up to 90%. True, it was not always possible to achieve the intended goals with the help of a reflux condenser, then heating was used, which eventually became the main one for the BC. However, the product obtained as a result of distillation on film BC seemed to enthusiasts to be significantly better than moonshine after fractional distillation on a normal device.
Euphoria can be explained by the fact that a high fortress masks bad smell drink. True, after dilution with water up to 40-45%, all the shortcomings of the distillate manifested themselves in full in a couple of days. Users consoled themselves with the fact that they did not seek to obtain alcohol, but wanted to drink well-purified moonshine with the aromas of the raw materials.
Film column disadvantages
"Strong does not mean clean"- this simple idea did not immediately capture the minds of moonshiners, but there were sensible skeptics who gave the product for analysis. The results were amazing: laboratory testing showed that the removal of impurities on this equipment is a myth.
Moreover, if the film column still somehow allowed to select the “heads”, then there was almost more fusel in the selection than in the feedstock. This made me think and understand how harmful impurities get into the selection, then determine the reasons and try to overcome them.
1. Sensitivity to water pressure. Even a slight decrease in the flow of water in the dephlegmator is enough for all intermediate harmful impurities accumulated in the pipe to instantly slip into the selection. It is enough to open the faucet in the bathroom or flush the toilet so that the water pressure in the system drops, and the drop-by-drop selection of “heads” turns into a vigorous stream.
Rational proposals fell like a cornucopia: stabilization with the help of pressure regulators, water supply through an intermediate tank under the ceiling or an aquarium pump, autonomous cooling systems, etc. In general, things that are very useful and applicable not only for BC.
It seemed that the problem was solved, but in addition to stabilizing the flow of supplied water, it was also required to control the reflux ratio with its help, and this is very inconvenient due to the large inertia of the system.
2. Small holding and separating ability. Trying to fit coils or a couple of washcloths into the column improved things a bit, but not enough to solve the whole cleaning problem. As a result, the “heads” were selected carelessly, and even despite the drop-by-drop selection, the necessary esters responsible for aroma were also removed along with harmful substances.
Due to the inability to concentrate "heads" in the selection zone in in large numbers due to the practically absent holding capacity, it was necessary to select them in excess, losing a significant part of the alcohol. The transition to the selection of the "body" by increasing the heating power instantly sent intermediate impurities accumulated in the pipe to the selection.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that during the selection of the "body" the separation fell to 2-3 plates and could not hold up the sivukh. When the temperature in the cube approached 90-92 °C, if they did not switch to the selection of “tails” in time, the remains of the fusel oil flew into the receiving tank, leaving only water in the “tails”.
Even in the best samples of moonshine obtained on film columns, the content fusel oils at least 1-2 thousand mg per liter, more often much more. Due to the design features of the film BC, the distillate is unbalanced - with a clear skew chemical composition towards the sivuha.
The emergence of the modern brew column
The solution to the problem of cleaning from fusel oils matured quickly - you need to fill the drawer with a nozzle. As a result, the BK has turned into a mini RK (distillation column) with the same rules and equipment requirements. The differences remained only in the versatility of the design, which allows the use of BC for the distillation of mash. The traditional BC selection by steam is also used, although many distillers appreciated the convenience of liquid selection and installed it on their columns, while others began experiments with selection by steam to the dephlegmator.
Example of a beer column After that, BC classical form a film column with a selection of steam above the reflux condenser solemnly marched to the museum of the history of moonshine, where it took pride of place. You can object: "Full is for sale!". The answer is simple: you never know dealers and collectors of antiques who sell and bribe not only obsolete things, but also their fakes.
Requirements for a good mash column
In most cases, a modern BC has a column with a diameter of 40-50 mm and a height of 75 to 100 cm, as well as a cube of 20-30 liters, liquid extraction and automation. In general, this corresponds to the standards and requirements for the Republic of Kazakhstan, but the main thing remained for the beer column: the versatility of the design and the desire to obtain a well-purified distillate with the taste and aroma of the feedstock, which can be drunk immediately without a long correction-aging in oak barrels.
However, during operation, ordinary users had a problem: using standard rectification technologies during the distillation of mash, they received not the expected well-purified and fortified distillate, but rather dirty alcohol, which they called NDRF semi-contemptuously - under-rectified. It seemed that the evolution of the development of beer columns had reached a dead end.
Then BK fans began experiments on the use of low reflux numbers in the distillation of raw alcohol. Everything fell into place. Smaller volumes of still bulk and short sides, which do not allow pure alcohol to be obtained on the BC, have become a strong point for the production of distillate. The high side of the RK has a separating ability that is excessive for the distillate, cutting off not only the superfluous, but also the useful.
The low side of the BC made it possible to implement the technology of a balanced reduction in the concentration of all impurities in the product with the removal of some that are definitely not needed. This was facilitated by the use of larger nozzles. So, for 50 mm BC, SPN 4 x 4 x 0.28 is used instead of 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.25 in the Republic of Kazakhstan. For certain tasks, tray columns and copper rings as packings have proven themselves well, but this is a topic for a separate article.
How to work on the beer column
Beginners often complain that despite all their efforts, they get pure alcohol on the beer column, and not delicious drink. There is no universal technology, since many of the nuances of distillation depend on the design of the apparatus, however, following the basic rules, you can make a fragrant and well-purified distillate on the BC.
1. BC and RK are devices that implement heat and mass transfer technologies, so the requirements for preparing equipment for operation are almost the same for them. In order to confidently manage the reflux ratio during operation, you need: stable, controlled heating and cooling, as well as good thermal insulation of the cube and column.
2. Calculate the planned rate of "body" selection. We proceed from the fact that the reflux number should not exceed 2. For example, if the operating heating power for a 50 mm column is 1700 W, then approximately 4.93 x 1.7 = 8.3 liters of liquid per hour evaporate from the cube. We must take away a third, and return two-thirds with phlegm back to the column and cube. This means that the planned selection rate is 2.8 liters per hour, and the reflux ratio is (8.3 -2.8) / 2.8 = 2. Greater accuracy is not required.
3. A long and dull selection of “heads”, adopted during rectification, removes not only aldehydes, but also esters responsible for the aroma of the drink. Therefore, "heads" should be selected no more than 2-3% of the AC (absolute alcohol) in bulk. The rate should be approximately 25-300 ml/h (about 10% of the "body" withdrawal rate).
4. We set the starting speed of the “body” selection equal to the planned one (in our example, 2.8 l / h). And after the start of the selection, we adjust it so that the yield strength is 90-91% with a bulk strength of 40%.
No more speed change! By the end of the “body” selection, the speed will drop anyway, and the strength in the stream will decrease to 87-88% (with a residual strength of raw alcohol in a cube of 5%). The speed compared to rectification is enormous, but this is precisely what allows medium esters and a moderate portion of higher alcohols to pass into the receiving container. You need to finish the selection of the "body" at a bottom temperature of no higher than 95 ° C.
5. If we distill grain raw materials, then we select the “tails” fractionally (2-3 portions of 100-150 ml each) at a speed two to three times less than the starting one when selecting the “body”. "Tails" will go the next day for blending or for further processing in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The main thing is not to be afraid of a high selection rate: if you underestimate it, then the output will no longer be good distillate, and poorly purified alcohol, which is quite suitable for a barrel - impurities are not completely removed, but only “slightly combed”, freed from excess fusel oil and aldehydes.
If the goal is a distillate for consumption without long exposure, then you can experiment with adjusting the reflux ratio, remembering that the higher the reflux ratio, the greater the degree of purification and approximation to alcohol.
For the distillation of sugar raw materials, only the maximum purification from all impurities and the distillation technology adopted in the Republic of Kazakhstan are suitable. If the volume of the bulk does not exceed 15-20 volumes of the packing in the column, this SPN packing of the size corresponding to the diameter of the column, and the column itself is at least 1 meter high, there are chances to get quite decent alcohol on the BC from raw sugar alcohol.
P.S. Thanks for preparing the material for the article to the user from our forum.
Moonshine still VIP. Continuous mash column HD/3 - 60.
The moonshine still is a continuous mash column (NBK).
The method of obtaining SS (raw alcohol) using the technology of a continuous beer column (NBR) is one of the most popular today. There are more and more fans of this technology in our country.
In addition to receiving SS on this column, she has one more purpose. It can be used for secondary distillation of SS into high quality product up to 95% credit (under-rectified). And when using automation in this mode, the process will take place practically without your presence. In addition, the use of automation will allow you to make drinks in a wide range: from 88 to 95%, depending on your taste preferences.
The principle of operation of the NSC is quite simple. AT upper part the column is supplied with mash, then it flows by gravity down the plates installed in the column. Steam is supplied from the bottom of the column, which, meeting with the mash, evaporates the alcohol-containing base from it. Alcohol vapors respectively go up the column and getting into the distiller installed on the column, condense into a receiving tank. The bard, passing through the column to its base, is brought out through the bardo trap or pipe into the sewer (or into a special container for the stillage).
Benefits of NBR over traditional vat distillation.
- Organoleptics of the final product. When SS is obtained by the NBR method, all aromatic components of the feedstock (apples, grapes, grain) pass into the final product in a much brighter form. This is due to the fact that the mash entering the column is evaporated by steam in 12-15 seconds, and due to this, the yeast and proteins in it do not have time to boil and “pass” into the product with unwanted notes.
- With the help of NBR, it is convenient to process large volumes of mash. It is enough to set up the operation of the NSC and the steam supplied to it, and then the pump will do everything for you, which does not care what volume of mash it has to pump into the column from the tank with mash. Still distillation is limited by the useful capacity of the cube, no more.
- In the case of distillation of stillage from the column immediately into the sewer, another advantage of NSC becomes obvious: there is no need to think about how to dispose of stillage after the process, as in the case of vat distillation. You need to do two simple things: turn off the pump from the mash supply and turn off the heat. The process is over.
- When using a small volume of the cube as a steam generator, we can overtake large volumes of mash. For example, with a cube of 50 liters, you can overtake up to 250 liters of mash on the SS.
Detailed instructions for working with the NBK are presented here.
Recently, there have been a lot of search queries on the topic of a continuous action beer column. Let's talk about this device.
Primarily composition of the NBK :
1. Fermentation tank.
2. A pump that feeds the mash into the column from above. It can be a peristaltic (ideally) or a conventional submersible pump (set both separately and paired with a peristaltic for mixing thick mash).
3. A device for feeding mash into the column (feeding must be carried out at a certain speed and in a certain amount). If there is a peristaltic pump, it performs this function.
4. Actually NSC, which is filled with special plates.
5. Steam generator. It can be both continuous and cyclic - despite the proud name H (continuous) BK, the presence of such an element of equipment as a fermentation tank with a finite volume indicates that the continuity here is conditional. Of course, in industrial production, the fermentation process can be carried out in several looped tanks, and then the system will be really continuous.
6. Refrigerator-condenser and aftercooler finished product.
7. Receiving container of the finished product (see item 5).
How it works . Braga, served from above, flows down the plates, gradually interacting with hot water vapor supplied from below. The modes of supply of the components are selected in such a way that the mash has time to heat up to the evaporation temperature of the alcohol, which will join the ascending steam flow and go to the selection. Alcohol-free mash, turning into a stillage, flows down the column and is discharged into the sewer. I will not talk about a very difficult way of technical implementation of the process, let's talk about how
What does this scheme give us?
Supporters of its introduction to the masses give a lot of arguments “for” and not a single one against.
- The time of contact of the mash with steam is insignificant, therefore, the yeast does not boil, and this greatly affects the organoleptic of the final product. Is it bad? No, it's wonderful.
- Equipment after use does not need to be washed, the bard itself flows into the sewer. Cool? Still would.
- Higher transfer speed. What is it? What can I say - class.
- No need for high-capacity stills - NBK will process any amount of mash in one run, as long as there is enough steam (continuous PG solves this issue). And this is a very useful feature.
- We squeeze the alcohol to "zero". I'm shocked how great it is.
Well, and everything in this spirit.
Now let's separate the flies from the cutlets.
- One can argue about washing the components - a column with plates of complex shape is much more difficult to wash than a distiller or BC; the fermentation tank also needs to be washed in both cases; if the cube is set at the same height as the column, the bard will run into the sewers just as well; pumps and other elements - additional fuss. But, in the end, does it all matter?
— The speed of distillation and the ability to work with large (in the long run, endless) fermentation tanks are a definite plus.
— And what about “ready distillates of the highest quality” (I quote from the website of one of the manufacturers) is a big question. If the tails can still be “cut” by adjusting the supply of steam and mash so that the temperature of the drained “bard” (actually alcohol-containing mash - remember the thesis “We press alcohol to “zero”) is lower than the temperature of the waste tails. But what about the heads? Braga then all the time comes new, there is no question of any factional division. So at the exit from the NSC we have raw alcohol (SS) of poor quality. nowhere, except for re-distillation or rectification, this product is not suitable. It turns out that the NBC
is a solution for wholesalers selling moonshine to the suffering, or for wholesale producers of alcohol. In everyday life, NBK can be successfully applied by a wealthy curious rectifier, since the price tag starts from 25 thousand rubles for the most primitive version (essentially a conventional distiller). The price tag of the equipment of the profurovny is far from being so democratic.
Call if something is wrong.
The blueprint is borrowed from a home distiller.
P.S. Recently, people from the network often come to requests such as "continuous mash column drawing" . And on this blog and on other resources there are practically no drawings. Why? Here is an example of a drawing in the title of this article. At one time, at one of the forums, the topic of the practical implementation of the NSC was rather lively discussed; during the discussion, diagrams and drawings of intermediate versions of the column were laid out. As soon as a working solution was formed and the column "went into series" of one of the commercial manufacturers, all specific technical embodiments were removed from the public domain (except for this drawing). This is a common and understandable practice. Schemes, drawings and photographs give a general idea of \u200b\u200bthe design, and then you have to do it yourself. This is homemade, and whoever can’t, welcome to the store.
If any apparatus is assembled from ready-made units, then all the more so no drawings can be found, they simply do not exist in nature. So don't waste your time looking for them. Even if some kind of blueprint is posted somewhere, this is probably not an implemented intermediate design with internal flaws.
Brain columns are very common among amateurs. 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 affordable household solutions, then the most the best option for carrying out these works on installing the adjustment will be a radiator valve, 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 on film column If a liquid extraction reflux condenser is used, 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 products hot water. If it's about cold water, then you can use tubing 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.
To get started, take 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 the location of the structure on 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.
3.5. Working with NBK, obtaining extra-class raw alcohol
3.5.1. General information about working with a continuous mash column
The technology of continuous production of raw alcohol from mash is a method widely used in industry. It is especially convenient with a large amount of mash that does not fit in a cube, and requires several vat distillations in a row. But, along with saving time and energy, the SS obtained on the equipment of the NSC has a MUCH better organoleptics, compared to that obtained by the vat method, from the same mash.
This is explained by the fact that the mash, which is continuously fed into the mash column, flows through it from top to bottom in a rather short time (12-15 seconds). Alcohol evaporates from it so quickly that yeast and other protein compounds simply do not have time to “cook”, bringing their “aromas” to the SS organoleptic.
In everyday life, this method has not been widely used until recently, however, with the advent of NBR XD / 3 (the first industrially manufactured continuous column for home use) the situation is rapidly changing. Working with it is simple, and the quality of distillates changes dramatically.
Let us explain the principle of its operation on the example of a regular column NSC ХД/3
https://pandia.ru/text/80/022/images/image002_43.jpg" align="left" width="240" height="161">Here is a photo of the bottom of the column. The upper fitting (larger diameter, on the right) is intended for draining the stillage, the lower (smaller) for the thermometer. Although I personally prefer the opposite - to install the thermometer higher, in the vapor zone, and not in the liquid. This is due to the fact that with a low liquid supply, a certain “stagnant zone” of weak convection appears below, and the displayed temperature can drop quite a lot, and the bard will be completely squeezed out.
So, in any case - the thermometer of the bottom of the column shows the temperature of the stillage.
When dispersing the column, when there is no mash supply, the thermometer can show 100-104C, the steam temperature. When we feed the mash into the column, the temperature drops to about 100C, with a small feed (for HD / 3 it is 5-6 liters / hour). With an increase in flow, the temperature decreases; a decrease in temperature by no more than 1C is considered the norm.
If your thermometer is not calibrated and does not show these temperatures, it does not matter. What matters to us is not its absolute readings, but relative ones, the dynamics of changes. It is enough to remember the readings of the thermometer at a low flow of the buggy, and not allow it to fall when the flow of mash increases by more than a degree.
https://pandia.ru/text/80/022/images/image004_32.jpg" align="left" width="148" height="216 src="> informative device for monitoring the operation of the column.We will dwell on this in more detail, since this is important information.
Relatively speaking, there are three modes of operation of the NSC.
a) Film - when the mash flows in a thin stream into the column, and the steam “smeares” it along the walls. In this “thin film” mode, the pressure at the bottom of the column is practically atmospheric, there is no redundancy.
b) The other extreme - when the mash hangs with a cork - the pressure is usually 10-12 mm of mercury, the choking begins almost instantly
c) An intermediate option, when there is no choke yet, but a sufficient amount of “bubbling” phlegm accumulates in the column - bubbling mode.
The pressure at the same time is 5-7 mm of mercury. This mode is the most productive, but also the most unstable. Feed or heating increased a little - and the column tends to choke.
Well, so - the pressure gauge allows you to clearly and unambiguously understand which of the modes the column is currently in.
In practice, if the mash is supplied using a high-precision static pump, and the heating is stabilized, it is possible to work in bubbling mode for hours. If not, it's better to work in film mode - albeit a little slower, but without choking. Although it is desirable to stabilize the heating in this case as well - otherwise there is a high risk (with a decrease in heating) to lose a fairly significant proportion of alcohol.
Comment.
If there is a non-return valve at the NSC inlet, then the pressure gauge installed in the cube will show, when the column is warmed up, different from zero - the valve opening pressure. Usually this value lies in the range from 30 to 70-80 mm of mercury. It doesn't matter - it is enough to remember this value (it is stable), and count from this value.
A non-return valve is installed so that when the work is stopped, the residues of stillage do not get into the cube, in cases where the NBR is used to drive small amounts of mash. In general, this valve is optional.
3. Draining stillage
As already mentioned, the bard merges into one of the holes located at the bottom of the column.
I connect the drain to the sewer with a 12mm diameter hose made from a mixture of silicone and PVC. It is cheaper than pure silicone, and at the same time it does not soften from high temperature (the bard has a temperature of almost 100C), like a PVC hose. The latter, from my point of view, is generally of little use for these purposes.
I have this hose led to a tee under the sink, and the bard merges directly into the sewer of the house. VERY convenient and VERY practical - there is no smell, and immediately after the end of the process you can do something else - there is simply nothing to clean. This is one of the clear advantages of NBR technology compared to vat distillation.
My drain hose lies on the floor without any pressure - the steam tends to rise, as you know. Therefore, a breakthrough of steam into the drain is possible only when the pressure at the bottom of the column rises to almost drowning.
Another option, in the absence of sewerage, is to drain the stillage into some kind of container located next to the NSC. In this case, the container must withstand high temperatures, and be of sufficient capacity - no less than the fermentation container, of course.
4. Serving mash
As mentioned above, the serving of mash should be
Adjustable, from zero to the maximum possible for a particular mash column
Stable in time, so that the column runs stably.
IMPORTANT NOTE. For NSC XD/3, the mash should not have large inclusions, since the mash passage gaps in the column are 3-4 mm. Large inclusions (crushed grain, seeds, grape pomace) can clog these gaps, disrupting the operation of the column.
Therefore, if the wash contains large solid particles, it must be filtered before distillation on a medium sieve, with a cell of no more than 2 mm.
The ideal feeder option is a perelstatic dosing pump, which is able to pump any mash very stably and for a long time. However, such pumps, especially those made reliably, are quite expensive, so they are not available to everyone.
In the absence of an expensive dosing pump to supply the mash to the NSC, a system is used to dose the mash by feeding it into the system of "communicating vessels". The pump from the container with the mash delivers it to the overflow device (pictured) with a mechanical regulator of the level of mash supply to the column. At the same time, the mash is mixed in the mash container to obtain a homogeneous liquid consistency.
The composition of the mash supply unit includes a submersible pump, which is lowered into the mash tank, and a system of pipelines - supplying the mash to the supply unit, and returning the excess back to the tank. The pump lies at the bottom of the tank, the return pipeline ends above the surface of the wash. This design allows the second important condition stable operation - constant MIXING of the contents of the fermentation tank, obtaining the same consistency of mash in it during the entire operation. Heavier particles do not accumulate at the bottom, they mix when they get to the surface.
Comment.
If a perelstatic pump is used, a submersible agitation pump is REQUIRED. The hose in this case is simply brought to the surface, and the pump creates an active convention of mash layers, mixing it.
Braga is fed into the nozzle, which is located at the top of the column using a silicone tube. The mixing pump must be turned on in advance, at the start of work (warming up the steam generator) - the better the mash is mixed, the more stable the work.
Comment.
NBK works very poorly with foamy brews - however, the same applies to vat distillation. For example, it is generally impossible to distill fresh beer in a cube, even taking into account the anti-foam tsarg - the spray is so strong. Therefore, such mash must be prepared for distillation. There are different ways of defoaming - preliminary heating, kneading, bentonite precipitation, etc. Therefore, it is very important to turn on the pump in advance.
5. Turning on and warming up.
Everything is quite simple here.
40-45 liters of water are poured into the cube, heating elements are switched on in full power mode. If possible, water is poured already hot, for example, from a water supply system - this reduces the start time. The column is assembled as shown in the photo.
When water boils in a cube, the column begins to warm up very quickly - after a minute or two, the temperature in the dephlegmator is already almost 100C.
There is no return of stillage at this time, since all the steam flies through the heated column to the dephlegmator, where it condenses and enters the product receiver. However, it is desirable to warm up the column for about 10 minutes before serving the mash.
The value of the pressure gauge readings is memorized, which will serve as reporting in the future.
6. Setting up the column
For the column studied, setting the operating mode is EXTREMELY simple.
After warming up, we reduce the power of the column to the nominal value - for NSC XD/3, this is approximately 2500W. The first modifications worked at the full power of the heating element of 3000W, but since the stabilization possibilities were limited (the network most often “sags”), the design was changed.
We feed a small stream of mash into the column (about five liters per hour for HD / 3). The readings of the lower thermometer decrease slightly (before that, it showed the temperature of the steam). We remember these readings, this is the temperature of the completely squeezed stillage. At the same time, the pressure gauge should not change the readings - the low feed mode is film.
We set the feed of the mash to the working value. We check the mode of operation on the pressure gauge, on the thermometer the degree of squeezing out the mash.
If the pressure gauge shows no more than 5 mm of mercury, and the thermometer readings have dropped by no more than a degree, everything is fine.
COMMENT
If the mash is thicker (or less thick) than usual, the normal serving level may change. Therefore, after setting the working level, you need to watch the column for some time.
If the pressure rises, either reduce power or reduce flow.
If the temperature at the bottom of the column drops, reduce the flow or increase the power.
In the case of studying the capabilities of the column for its conditions (type of mash, type of feed, etc.), we can recommend the following algorithm for finding the optimal operating mode
We turn on the power to the maximum possible stabilized, the feed to the minimum. We remember the temperature of the bottom of the column. We increase the feed in stages, with pauses of three to five minutes between increases. As a result, with the next increase in supply, two options are possible - an increase in pressure above 5 mm of mercury or a drop in temperature below 1C. If the temperature has dropped, but the pressure has not yet increased, then we have found the maximum supply, make it lower (so that the pressure is no higher than 5 mm of mercury) and fix it. If the temperature does not drop, but the pressure has increased, we reduce the heating by 5-10%, and wait until the process is settled. Then we continue to increase the supply little by little (repeat the process from point 3) until we achieve a correspondence between temperature and pressure.
Comment.
Once again, I emphasize that after each change in the supply or heating level, a certain time is required for the transient processes in the column to be completed and the regime to settle.
7. Work with the unit for feeding the mash into the column
Effectiveness" href="/text/category/dejstvennostmz/" rel="bookmark">is an effective way, and I'm aware of it.
The inner core with plates is removed, their cleanliness is checked.
The lower holes are plugged, the column is installed vertically in its regular place.
A solution of caustic soda is prepared, at the rate of a tablespoon per liter, and poured into the column. WARNING - caustic soda is very caustic and should be handled with rubber gloves.
The solution is left overnight in the column, then it is drained and the column is washed hot water in sufficient quantity.
Here, in fact, are all the main points related to the operation of the NSC. In fact, everything is quite simple, and the result of her work is worth a hundred times the technical complexity of the equipment!
