This article brings to your attention a version of a distillation column assembled from available materials, with reflux condenser made from an ordinary household thermos. A thermos with a volume of 0.5 or 0.75 liters is an almost ready-made dephlegmator, which significantly simplifies the design and reduces the amount of work. The productivity of the column for rectified alcohol is 1-1.5 l/hour, depending on the diameter of the pipe. Some column elements will require turning work to produce them. As an evaporation container (distillation cube, hereinafter simply a cube), for raw alcohol (moonshine), you can use any suitable size, starting from two liters, the upper limit is not limited. The cube can be heated in any way, but for safety reasons, you should try, if possible, not to use an open fire for heating.
To make a column you will need:
Tools and equipment you will need:
During operation of the column, to control temperature conditions and tracking the order in which factions are released, you will need:
thermometer up to 100 g
A mercury thermometer can be used with a division value of 0.5 g, in as a last resort 1 gr. Or better yet, with an accuracy of 0.1 g. Inexpensive can be used multimeter with thermometer function.
You will also need it to measure the pressure drop in the cube, although you can do without it.
To supply and discharge coolant, you will need a flexible hose or hose with a diameter of 5-6 mm.
To select the resulting distillate, a diameter of 5-6 mm will be required.
And so, if you want to independently make a column to obtain pure 96% alcohol, then go ahead to the store to purchase the above materials and the missing tools.
To do this, first of all, we’ll take the pipe to a turner so that he can cut off the centimeters we don’t need from the pipe, carefully remove the chamfers and thus trim off the edges of the pipe. If you don’t have a turner, it doesn’t matter, we cut it evenly with a metal hacksaw, as much as necessary, trying to maintain the cutting plane at an angle of 90 degrees to the body of the pipe. To do this, you can evenly wrap the pipe at the cut site with electrical tape and cut along its edge. Then, using a flat file, we align the edges of the cut and remove the burrs. Use a round file to process the inside of the cut. Then we polish it with sandpaper to prepare the surface for further soldering. Next, we will need to make an adapter to connect the pipe to the lid of the cube, as well as a distillate selection unit. If there is a turner, then we order these parts from him. The adapters should be tightly inserted at one end from the inside or put on from the outside of the pipe. This will depend on the diameter of the pipe itself and the ability to machine or obtain an adapter for this diameter. On the other hand, the adapter must have carving . The thread can be metric, inch or pipe. It is preferable to make the thread pitch no less than 1.5 and no more than 2. If you don’t have a turner, you’ll have to buy an adapter at a plumbing store. 1" or 1¼" adapters will fit depending on the pipe diameter. It is better to take a brass adapter, not nickel-plated, so that it can be lighter and then tinned. But with the selection unit it is more difficult; you will have to improvise on the go, depending on the available parts and the configuration of the neck of the thermos. You can select suitable parts at a plumbing store and, by fitting them together and then soldering them, assemble a selection unit. Then you need to make support washers for nozzle. The diameter of the washer should be such that it ensures a tight fit of the washer into the pipe. The holes in the washer should be drilled as often as possible and have a diameter of at least 3 and no more than 4 mm. Insert a washer into the pipe on one side to the desired depth. Next, you need to solder an adapter to the pipe to connect it to the lid of the cube. To do this, you need a soldering iron, solder (or better yet, pure tin, it does not contain lead) and soldering acid. First, we clean the intended soldering areas on the pipe and adapter with sandpaper or a file. Then we apply soldering acid and heat it with a soldering iron with a drop of tin. Additionally, you can warm up the soldering area with a gas torch. As it warms up, the tin will begin to melt and spread. Thus, you need to tin the entire surface of the adapter to be soldered, as well as the surface that will come into contact with alcohol (but this is only if the adapter is not made of stainless steel). There is no need to tin the stainless steel adapter. Remove excess tin deposits while hot using a rag made of natural material (not synthetics). Then insert the tinned adapter into a pipe tinned in the same way and heat the soldering area with a soldering iron, or better yet, with a gas burner. The tin will melt and securely fix the parts together. Then we start making column nozzles . Next, pour the nozzle into the pipe, periodically shaking the pipe slightly to ensure even placement of the nozzle. No need to shake too hard. Thus, we fill the pipe to the very top. We insert another support washer for the nozzle into the pipe. Then we insert the tinned end of the extraction unit and heat the soldering area (naturally, the second end of the pipe is also tinned). We put a heat insulator of the required diameter on the pipe and at this point we can consider the manufacture of the distillation part of the column completed.
To do this, you need to clean the bottom of the thermos with sandpaper.
Make something like a bracket out of a strip of tin.
Then make a kind of loop out of steel wire, insert it into the hole in the bracket and twist it with pliers.
Clamp the other end of the wire in a vice or nail it to the wall. Take the thermos with both hands, move it away from you and pull it hard. The lid (bottom) should come off. It should be mentioned that some of the bottoms are set loosely and fly off quite easily, and some require very great effort and sometimes the bracket at the soldering site comes off, but the bottom remains in place. In this case, you need to increase the contact area between the bottom and the surface bracket, solder these parts again and try again.
It is necessary to grind around the perimeter of the welding seam connecting the lid and the flask. It is better to do this on an emery machine.
But you can also use a drill attachment. You need to grind as evenly as possible and watch for the appearance of a small, barely visible gap between the lid and the flask.
You need to grind until a gap appears around the entire circumference.
After this, the lid is easily removed from the flask. Another flask will be visible under the lid.
If necessary, you can also remove it by sanding the weld seam around the perimeter.
After which the inner flask is easily removed from the outer one.
As a result of all the manipulations to disassemble the thermos, we have two separate flasks.
But if no modifications are provided for in the design of the thermos, then you should not remove the inner flask from the outer one. To make a reflux condenser, it is enough to remove the bottom and vacuum cover and gain access to the inner flask. Next, in the inner flask, in the center, on the back side, you need to drill a hole for a tube for communication with the atmosphere. Clean and then tin the soldering area, both the flask and the tube. Then insert the tube into the hole and solder it securely. The hole must be of such a diameter that the tube can be inserted into it with tension. This will make soldering easier. When soldering, try not to allow solder to flow onto the inside of the flask. Then also drill a hole in the center of the bottom and tin the soldering area, tin the mating surfaces of the flask and the bottom. Place the bottom on the flask and solder it. Then solder the tube and bottom. Then tin the neck of the thermos and the selection unit. Insert the selection unit into the neck and solder it by heating with a soldering iron or gas torch. Carefully, without damaging the inner flask, drill holes in the outer flask at the bottom and top for the cooling water inlet and outlet pipes. Tin, insert tubes and solder. In the distillate sampling unit, drill a hole for the thermometer sleeve. It is advisable to make the sleeve from fluoroplastic. Drill a hole in the bushing to the diameter of the thermometer probe. Insert the bushing into the take-off unit. You also need to drill another hole in the selection unit to select the distillate. Insert the tube and solder. At this point, the manufacture of the reflux condenser can be considered complete. Next, you need to thoroughly rinse all soldering areas with a solution baking soda in water. Then screw the reflux condenser to the column and rinse the entire assembly under running water.
Before using the column for the first time, you should carefully study rectification theory. Then you need to run the column for as long as possible (several hours) without sampling the distillate in order to wash the contaminants remaining after washing with water from the surface of the nozzle, pipe and reflux condenser. After this you can begin to select head fractions into a separate container. These fractions will wash the refrigerator and distillate selection tubes from contaminants. And only after this we begin to select the main one - food fraction . If you don’t understand something from the description, ask questions in reviews and comments. I will try to answer them soon.
A variant of a reflux condenser with a removable large-diameter lid made of a stainless steel cup
There is also no welding in this option. You need to make a large hole in the bottom. The hole should be of such a diameter that a small flask would be difficult to push into it, that is, with as little clearance as possible. I did this with a special drill that I made myself some time ago. Nowadays, a similar one is sold for cutting round holes in ceramic tiles. There is a drill in the center and two more cutters with pobedit tips on the edges; you set these two cutters to the required diameter and drill at low speeds, pouring water on them. It takes 1-2 minutes. The hole is smooth, without burrs or burrs. But it is advisable to drill on a drilling machine; with a drill there is a risk of breaking the cutters or turning the bottom out. If there is neither such a drill nor a machine, then you need to punch it exactly in the center. Take a caliper with a sharp edge and draw a circle of the required diameter, then drill the largest possible drill, then take a cone-shaped drill attachment and bore the hole to the drawn circle, especially at the end you need to be careful so that the hole turns out even. Well, naturally you try it on more often at the end of the boring. This usually takes 15-20 minutes. Next, sand the edges to be tinning until they shine and then tin them. Then you pull the bottom onto the flask with gentle rocking and solder the joint. Further, or rather, this should be done at the very beginning. You also need to drill a large hole in the inner flask. Why is it big, because instead of a lid, a conical stainless steel cup will be inserted there, cut approximately in half; do you know the principle of closing a can of coffee? There is a rather large hole there, but it closes hermetically due to the tension and springy properties of the lid. The same is true here, the cone of the cup fits very tightly into the hole of the flask, and no fluoroplastic or other lids are needed. and through this large hole, firstly, everything is visible what is happening there, and secondly, a hole is drilled in it for a tube that connects to the atmosphere, as well as for a tube into which the thermometer probe is subsequently inserted.
A dephlegmator for a moonshine still is a device that has several names; its necessity is still debated. But, despite such active discussions, no one even thinks of arguing for the merits of the reflux condenser.
Why you need a moonshine still is clear to everyone. Despite the fact that the design has a primitive structure, it can be modernized. Modernization will help to significantly improve the quality of the product: it will make the moonshine cleaner and rid it of unpleasant odors.
Location of the steamer in the moonshine still
A reflux condenser, or steam tank, is an integral part of the device, a kind of sump in which harmful fusel oils settle during distillation. It is fusel that spoils the quality of alcohol and can cause severe intoxication.
Moonshine stills come in different varieties, for example, with and without a steamer, but this does not mean that the devices work the same. The structure of the device has a direct impact on the quality of moonshine. If the device does not have a refrigerator, a steamer and a distillation cube, then it is difficult to classify it as a device for the production of alcohol-containing drinks at home.
Each part of the unit performs specific functions. If we talk about a reflux condenser (steam vaporizer, settling tank), then it helps:
- Significantly improve taste qualities alcohol, eliminate bad smell and even remove the aftertaste and affect the strength of the drink.
- Avoid getting boiling mash into the container with the finished distillate. When the mash boils in the distillation cube, a small amount of it in the form of splashes can get into the container with the finished alcohol - this event will not have the best effect on the quality of the product. You can pour the moonshine back into the cube and start processing it again, since the concentration in the mash is high fusel oils.
- The unique device of the reflux condenser helps to divide the moonshine into fractions: separate the “heads” from the “body” and select the “tails”, due to which the quality of the product will only benefit.
- The steamer is also used as a flavoring agent. Various components are placed in it (lemon or orange peels, herbs, spices and other substances) that can give the drink a pleasant smell and taste.
It is necessary to understand that some devices are equipped with several steam chambers. The presence of additional modules affects the quality of moonshine. In some cases, reflux condensers work so effectively that they make it possible to produce high-strength alcohol at home.
Many people think that only a moonshine still is equipped with a steamer, but a distillation column does not need such a device. In fact, this is not entirely true. The rectifier often has one or two settling tanks. It is these modules that help the device produce raw alcohol with a strength of up to 96 degrees.
How does a reflux condenser work:
- Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than fusel oils and water.
- When the vapor begins to evaporate, it passes through the steam chamber. Harmful fusel oils settle on the walls of the reflux condenser, as well as in the water contained in the sump. This blocks harmful substances from entering the finished product.
- Partially, the alcohol vapor continues its movement, it enters the refrigerator, passes through the coil and turns into a fairly strong product.
At its core, a reflux condenser is a kind of filter that retains fusel oils, drops of mash, various impurities, etc. It allows you to improve the taste of the product, increase its strength and provide the moonshiner with high-quality moonshine.
Why do you need a second steamer in this case? The answer to this question is obvious: the second steam chamber, or reflux condenser, helps not only to clean the moonshine from fusel, but also to increase its strength. The design of the unit may have two or more steam chambers. One of them is used to add flavor to the drink, and the other cleans the moonshine from harmful impurities. The more steam chambers there are in the unit, the better the quality of alcohol it produces.
Designs with three steam chambers are used for distillation noble drinks, such as whiskey, cognac and even rum.
Main advantages of a reflux condenser
Understanding how a steamer works and why it is needed, it is worth noting that the device has several advantages. Alcohol mashine with a reflux condenser - a special device that has a number of positive characteristics. The presence of an additional module optimizes the operation of the device and helps:
- Reduce the concentration of fusel oils in alcohol. If the reflux condenser is built into the distillation column, then it allows you to obtain high-purity alcohol. This product does not require re-distillation, it is of high quality. A moonshine still, or a rectifier with a steamer, is a practical device. Compared to chemical cleaning methods, cleaning using a reflux condenser is more effective.
- Increase the strength of the drink. This occurs due to the fact that phlegm returns back to the mash, which makes it possible to increase the strength of the drink.
- Protect almost ready-to-drink alcohol from getting particles of boiling mash into it. This means that the device acts as a barrier element.
- Give alcohol a pleasant smell and taste if you use aromatic substances during the distillation process.
But the main thing is that the reflux condenser simplifies obtaining finished products, it allows you to produce high-quality moonshine without much effort, without carrying out a second or third distillation of the mash.
DIY dephlegmator
Making a steamer for a moonshine still is not so difficult; you will need some knowledge of the details of the structure of the unit and the functions of the additional module.
If you study the drawing, you will notice that the reflux condenser is a kind of container that is used as a sump. The container has certain structural features; based on them, you can make the module yourself. But if you do not have the skills to design and create moonshine stills or its parts, then it is better to purchase the device in a store.
How to make a steamer yourself:
- To create the device you will need a glass jar with a screw-on lid. You can also take a jar with a sealed tin lid, which is not removable, but such a steamer cannot be washed and cleaned of fusel oils and mash residues.
- Two fittings and two nuts, as well as materials for sealing the structure. You can use regular superglue or epoxy.
- You will also need hoses and tools that will help you make two holes in the lid; it is advisable to take an awl.
When all the starting materials are ready, you can start making the module yourself.
Algorithm of actions when working with materials:
- Markings are applied to the metal cover in the places where the fittings will be located. The markings can be made using a marker, the main thing is not to make a mistake with the diameter.
- Once the markings are applied to the surface of the cover, you can make holes in the metal. This can be easily done using an awl.
- After the holes are ready, it is worth treating them with glue or other means to seal the structure. The treatment is carried out immediately before assembly so that the glue does not dry out.
- Then we screw in the fittings and secure them with nuts. The pipe for the entrance of alcohol-containing vapors should be located 1–1.5 cm below the outlet pipe. The pipe through which harmful oils escape is lowered into the sink.
- We place the steamer between the refrigerator and the distillation cube. For installation we use silicone hoses, since rubber can affect the taste and smell of the drink.
Using such a system, several reflux condensers can be manufactured; in principle, the scheme is not particularly complicated. You can “screw” a sump tank to a ready-made unit or supplement it with a home-made moonshine still.
After the dry steamer is ready and installed in the structure of the device for the production of alcohol-containing drinks, it will need to be tested. It is worth pouring water into the distillation cube and starting the device - this will help check the tightness of the connections and correct installation.
Dry steamer for rectifier
The presence of a drawer in a device does not mean that it has a rectifier. The drawer is part of the distillation column, but not only this device is involved in the distillation of alcohol. So, how to strengthen the work of the drawer and turn the moonshine still into a real distillery? To do this, you can equip an existing device with an additional module - a dephlegmator.
How to make a steamer for a rectifier:
- To make a steamer, you should arm yourself with a thermos and disassemble it. To prevent damage to the device, it is necessary to clean the bottom of the thermos, remove the brackets and carefully disassemble the device.
- After the thermos is disassembled, you should start turning the front seam. The weld seam is ground until a gap appears.
- When the gap is ready, you need to pull out the inner capsule of the thermos and weld a ventilation tube to it.
- Then we fix the test tube to the bottom of the structure.
- Then we solder the neck to the gap assembly; a hole must be made in the neck, a tube will be mounted into it.
- We prepare a hole in the sleeve; the sleeve is made of fluoroplastic and serves to strengthen the tube.
The design of a reflux condenser for a distillation column is very complex; making such a device with your own hands is not at all easy. For this reason, you can buy a ready-made device, it will be easier.
It is worth noting that previously the steamer was considered an unnecessary element, equipment for making moonshine with a reflux condenser was not particularly popular, and the units were dismantled. The settling tanks were removed without thinking about the fact that they improve the quality of alcohol and its taste characteristics.
All reflux condensers used in moonshine can be divided into two large classes: film and all the rest. The fundamental difference is that in the classical film design there are no additional elements: phlegm condenses on the walls of a vertical tube and evaporates from it. The main advantage is the simplicity of the design, the manufacture of which is possible with your own hands; the main disadvantage is the interaction of the reflux with the peripheral region of the steam flow, and not with the central one.
“All the rest” are dephlegmators, into the internal cavity of which various elements are introduced: fillers with a developed surface area (plates, glass beads, etc.) made of inert material. Due to them, the efficiency of interaction between steam and reflux increases and the overall dimensions of the device are reduced. We list just some types of reflux condensers:
- Le Chatelier;
- Bunsen;
- Christmas tree;
- nozzles;
- Dimrota, etc.
In terms of product quality / dimensions / ease of manufacture / ease of adjustment of the operating mode - practicality, in a word, preference is given to the Dimroth design.
Some methods for making the simplest reflux condensers
- Modernized steam tank. Strictly speaking, even a self-made primitive is a steamer from glass jar, still performs some functions of a reflux condenser. But only some, and only if we say “very strictly”. In order for it to turn into an elementary uncontrolled reflux condenser, the design and its placement must be changed. This can be done easily and with your own hands.
- There is only one outlet pipe left at the top.
- The body is made of thin metal.
- A metal tube is soldered into the bottom, which is then connected to the lid.
- This entire structure, unlike the classic steamer, is installed not on the side, but above the distillation tank with the initial mixture.
As a result, the reflux condensed on the walls of the housing flows down the tube back into the tank, meets the newly formed steam, is partially evaporated and goes to the selection. The strength and purity of the product increases slightly, but increases.
- Do-it-yourself reflux condenser made of two tubes- the simplest film. On the outside of the large tube, two pipes are welded into the walls at the ends. A tube of smaller diameter is inserted inside the larger one. The ends are welded to form a cavity (jacket) between them. The entire structure is connected to the hole in the lid of the distillation cube. Cold water circulates in the resulting jacket.
Steam from the container rises inside the tube, condenses on its cold walls and flows down them back into the container. When interacting with a counter flow of steam, the phlegm is repeatedly evaporated and divided into fractions. By adjusting the cooling intensity, all components are sequentially separated from the feedstock, starting with the low-temperature component.
- Dimroth reflux condenser. Two tubes. One of them serves as a housing; a spiral is rolled up from the second so that it fits into the housing with a small gap. The structure is installed on the lid of the distillation tank; water circulates through a spiral tube. Unlike the film structure, here condensation and re-evaporation of reflux occurs on the surface of the spiral.
Let us separately consider a reflux condenser, which, if you can make it at home with your own hands, gives a very good result for the final product.
Dephlegmator made of a metal thermos
The basis of this design will be a thermos with a volume of 0.5-1 liters. Let's get started.
- We disassemble the thermos, that is, remove the bottom so as not to damage the flask itself. To do this, we clean the area on the bottom and solder a metal bracket to it. We fasten a wire or steel cable to the bracket. We securely fix the second end of the wire and firmly pull the thermos towards ourselves. The bottom should be removed from the thermos flask. To facilitate the process, you can preheat it with a burner.
- Next, you need to grind off the rib along which the partition is connected to the outer flask so that an almost indistinguishable uniform gap appears around the entire circumference. For this, it is best to use a drill with an attachment or, if you have access, an emery machine. After this, the thermos partition is easily separated from the outer flask.
- In order to remove the inside of the flask, you must also carefully grind off the ridge on the neck of the thermos. As a result, the inner part is easily removed from the outer one.
- We drill a hole in the bottom of the inner flask, insert a tube into it for communication with the atmosphere and tin the junction.
- We cut and solder two pipes into the wall of the outer flask at the top and bottom to organize the circulation of cooling water. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the ends of these tubes protrude inside the flask at a distance less than the gap between the flasks.
- We assemble the flask: carefully solder the gaps made earlier, drill a hole in the bottom and partition for the tube and put them in place.
In principle, our do-it-yourself reflux condenser, as far as the thermos itself is concerned, is ready. Its working position is on the moonshine still with the neck down. But it does not yet have the most important node, because of which everything started: the selection node finished product.
Selection unit
It will be connected to the neck of the thermos. Its design and position in the moonshine still are shown schematically in the figure below.
Dephlegmator operation diagram
It is made from a piece of pipe with two adapters: the top one to the neck of the thermos, the bottom one to the tube connecting the reflux condenser to the distillation cube. A wide washer with a low side (8-10 mm) along the edge of the central hole is welded inside the tube. If you have the skill, then you can install the washer yourself; if not, then go to a workshop. Just above the bottom formed along the wall of the bowl pipe, a hole is drilled for the pipe through which the finished product will come out.
Not shown in the diagram, but to accurately adjust the operating mode of the device, you also need a thermometer or temperature sensor. To install it, just above the upper side of the washer, drill a hole in the pipe wall for the sleeve to install the thermometer.
So, the reflux condenser is assembled. It can be connected through a tube (50-80 cm long) to the lid of the distillation container and begin to obtain the finished product. But if we want to get really high-quality alcohol, then we should think about replacing the tube with a full-fledged distillation column.
The progress of production and improvement does not stand still. Various modifications and additions are constantly being made to help make homemade alcohol cleaner and better quality.
One such device is called reflux condenser for a moonshine still. In this article we’ll talk in more detail about this device, its types, and how to make it yourself.
This device is intended for additional purification and increase in strength distillate. It represents a similarity.
Principle of operation
Thanks to the reflux condenser, when selecting the primary fraction, all the alcohol remains in the distillation cube, and harmful compounds come out practically without alcohol content.
The phlegm evaporates, rises and concentrates, and then flows back into the distillation cube. This process is repeated over and over again.
Moonshine still with reflux condenser
The device is positioned vertically and is mounted in different ways, depending on the design. Supply required cold water, because for the reflux process continuous cooling required. Such additions are less effective in comparison with a reflux condenser, although in essence they perform similar functions.
By the way! In one distillation, this device does more work than a steamer does in several distillations.
What could they be?
Basically, these devices are carried out glass and stainless steel.
Dimroth refrigerators present in the reflux condenser design are made using copper tube. Simple moonshine stills are usually equipped with devices made of glass.
How to do it at home?
Making such a device without special equipment will be quite problematic. But if you purchase some components, then adding this modification to your moonshine still will not be difficult.
Glass tube
Or a Christmas tree reflux condenser. It is a long (40cm) glass tube with many fairings inside. It is hermetically connected to the glass flask on which it is installed. There is an adapter on top that conducts alcohol vapor further to the refrigerator.
Thermos
The device can be made from an ordinary thermos by disassembling it. First, carefully remove the bottom of the thermos so that the flask inside is not damaged. To do this, you need to solder a metal bracket to the previously cleaned bottom.
A wire or steel cable is screwed to it, and the remaining end is secured. After this, the thermos must be pulled towards you by force. Preheat a torch will make this process easier.
The surface along which the connection of the outer flask with the partition will pass, need to be sharpened like this so that a gap appears around the circumference.
This can be done with a drill with an attachment or on an emery machine (if available). This will allow you to easily separate the septum from the outer flask.
To remove the inner part, the rib on the top of the thermos is cut off. A hole is drilled in it, a hose is inserted to interact with air. The junction point is marked.
To supply cold water and drain hot water, you need to cut and solder 2 pipes into the wall. Their ends should protrude into the flask, being at a distance less than the gap between the flasks.
To collect the flask, pre-made gaps are soldered. A hole is made at the bottom and on the partition for the hose.
Glass jar
A simplified model of the similarity of a reflux condenser can be made using regular can. Two holes are drilled in the lid. Each is hermetically screwed union. A metal tube is inserted into one of the fittings so that a few millimeters remain to the bottom of the can.
Water is poured into the container. During distillation, alcohol vapor will penetrate the jar and pass through the water, thereby removing harmful impurities. This design would rather be called bubbler, because the process of reflux does not take place in it. But some moonshiners consider this device a reflux condenser.
Which is better?
It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question. It all depends on the required characteristics and power. A reflux condenser is a complex device that consists of several parts. Collect it at home pretty hard.
It would be better and even cheaper to purchase a ready-made model that fits a specific model of moonshine still (read:). Most experienced distillers give preference for Dimroth's design, because it is most convenient to use and easy to install.
Useful videos
How the Christmas tree dephlegmator works, how to use it, how to use it, look:
Comparison of steam vaporizer and reflux condenser - which is better:
Accurate and detailed production of a reflux condenser-refrigerator based on a 1.5″ valve, choice of device design, video in 9 parts, watch:
The reflux condenser has a positive effect on the quality of the finished product. He is capable significantly improve the smell and taste of moonshine. But it is not enough to obtain pure alcohol. For this you will need a full-fledged one.
Sooner or later, almost every lover of homemade alcohol thinks about purchasing or making a distillation column (RC) - a device for producing pure alcohol. You need to start with a comprehensive calculation of the basic parameters: power, height, drawer diameter, cube volume, etc. This information will be useful both for those who want to make all the elements with their own hands, and for those planning to buy a ready-made distillation column (it will help make a choice and check the seller). Without touching on the design features of individual units, we will consider general principles building a balanced system for rectification at home.
Column operation diagram Characteristics of the pipe (tsar) and nozzle
Material. The pipe largely determines the parameters of the distillation column and the requirements for all components of the apparatus. The material for the manufacture of the drawer is chromium-nickel stainless steel - “food grade” stainless steel.
Due to its chemical neutrality, food-grade stainless steel does not affect the composition of the product, which is what is required. The raw material is distilled into alcohol from sugar mash or distillation waste (“heads” and “tails”), therefore the main goal of rectification is to maximize the purification of the output from impurities, and not to change the organoleptic properties of the alcohol in one direction or another. It is inappropriate to use copper in classic distillation columns, since this material slightly changes chemical composition drink and is suitable for the production of a distiller (ordinary moonshine still) or mash column(a special case of rectification).
Disassembled column pipe with a nozzle installed in one of the drawers Thickness. The drawer is made of stainless pipe with a wall thickness of 1-1.5 mm. A thicker wall is not needed, as this will make the structure more expensive and heavier without providing any benefits.
Nozzle parameters. It is not correct to talk about the characteristics of a column without reference to the nozzle. When rectifying at home, nozzles with a contact surface area of 1.5 to 4 square meters are used. m/liter As the contact surface area increases, the separating ability also increases, but the productivity decreases. Reducing the area leads to a decrease in separating and strengthening ability.
The productivity of the column initially increases, but then to maintain the strength of the output, the operator is forced to reduce the extraction rate. This means that there is a certain optimal size of the nozzle, which depends on the diameter of the column and will allow achieving the best combination parameters.
The dimensions of the spiral-prismatic packing (SPN) should be approximately 12-15 times smaller than the internal diameter of the column. For a pipe diameter of 50 mm - 3.5x3.5x0.25 mm, for 40 - 3x3x0.25 mm, and for 32 and 28 - 2x2x0.25 mm.
Depending on the tasks at hand, it is advisable to use different attachments. For example, when preparing fortified distillates, copper rings with a diameter and height of 10 mm are often used. It is clear that in this case the goal is not the separating and strengthening ability of the system, but a completely different criterion - the catalytic ability of copper to eliminate sulfur compounds from alcohol.
Options for spiral prismatic attachments You shouldn’t limit your arsenal to one, even the best attachment, there simply aren’t any. There are those that are most suitable for solving each specific problem.
Even a small change in the diameter of the column seriously affects the parameters. To evaluate, it is enough to remember that the nominal power (W) and productivity (ml/hour) are numerically equal to the cross-sectional area of the column (sq. mm), and therefore are proportional to the square of the diameter. Pay attention to this when choosing a drawer, always consider the internal diameter and compare options using it.
Dependence of power on pipe diameter
Pipe height. To ensure good retention and separation capacity, regardless of the diameter, the height of the distillation column should be from 1 to 1.5 m. If it is less, there will not be enough space for the fusel oils accumulated during operation, as a result the fusel oil will begin to break through into the selection. Another drawback is that the heads will not be clearly divided into factions. If the pipe height is greater, this will not lead to a significant improvement in the separating and containing capacity of the system, but will increase the distillation time, as well as the number of “heads” and “headrests”. In other words, with an increase in the pipe height, the separating capacity of the distillation column increases for every additional centimeter decreases. The effect of increasing the pipe from 50 cm to 60 cm is an order of magnitude higher than from 140 cm to 150 cm.
Cube volume for distillation column
To increase the yield of high-quality alcohol, but to prevent overflow of the fusel column, the bulk (filling) of raw alcohol in the cube is limited to the range of 10-20 packing volumes. For columns with a height of 1.5 m and a diameter of 50 mm - 30-60 l, 40 mm - 17-34 l, 32 mm - 10-20 l, 28 mm - 7-14 l.
Taking into account that the cube is filled to 2/3 of the volume, a 40-80 liter container is suitable for a column with an internal diameter of the drawer of 50 mm, a 30-50 liter container for 40 mm, a 20-30 liter cube for 32 mm, and a pressure cooker for 28 mm.
When using a cube with a volume closer to the lower limit of the recommended range, you can safely remove one drawer and reduce the height to 1-1.2 meters. As a result, there will be relatively few barnacles to break through into selection, but the volume of “headrests” will noticeably decrease.
Column heating source and power
Slab type. The moonshine past haunts many beginners who believe that if they previously used a gas, induction or conventional one to heat the moonshine still, electric stove, then you can leave this source for the column.
The process of rectification is significantly different from distillation, everything is much more complicated and a fire will not work. It is necessary to ensure smooth adjustment and stability of the supplied heating power.
Electric stoves operating according to a thermostat in start-stop mode are not used, because as soon as a short-term power outage occurs, the steam will stop flowing into the column, and the phlegm will collapse into the cube. In this case, you will have to start rectification again - with the column working on itself and selecting the “heads”.
An induction cooker is an extremely crude device with a stepwise change in power of 100-200 W, and when rectifying, you need to change the power smoothly, literally by 5-10 W. And it is unlikely that it will be possible to stabilize heating regardless of input voltage fluctuations.
A gas stove with 40 percent raw alcohol poured into the cube and a 96-degree product at the outlet poses a mortal danger, not to mention fluctuations in the heating temperature.
The optimal solution is to embed a heating element of the required power into the cube of the column, and for adjustment use a relay with output voltage stabilization, for example, RM-2 16A. You can also take analogues. The main thing is to get a stabilized voltage at the output and the ability to smoothly change the heating temperature by 5-10 W.
Power supplied. To heat the cube in an acceptable time, you need to proceed from a power of 1 kW per 10 liters of raw alcohol. This means that for a 50 liter cube filled with 40 liters, a minimum of 4 kW is required, 40 liters - 3 kW, 30 liters - 2-2.5 kW, 20 liters - 1.5 kW.
With the same volume, cubes can be low and wide, narrow and high. When choosing a suitable container, you need to take into account that the cube is often used not only for rectification, but also for distillation, therefore, the most stringent conditions are used so that the supplied power does not lead to violent foaming with the emission of splashes from the cube into the steam line.
It has been experimentally established that with a heating element placement depth of about 40-50 cm, normal boiling occurs if per 1 sq. cm of bulk mirror accounts for no more than 4-5 W of power. As the depth decreases, the permissible power increases, and as the depth increases, it decreases.
There are other factors that influence the boiling behavior: density, viscosity and surface tension of the liquid. It happens that emissions occur at the end of distillation of the mash, when the density increases. Therefore, carrying out the rectification process at the border of the permitted range is always fraught with troubles.
Common cylindrical cubes have a diameter of 26, 32, 40 cm. Based on the permissible power per surface area of the mirror of a 26 cm cube, it will work normally with a heating power of up to 2.5 kW, for 30 cm - 3.5 kW, 40 cm - 5 kW .
The third factor that determines the heating power is the use of one of the column sides without a nozzle as a dry steam tank to combat spray entrainment. To do this, it is necessary that the steam velocity in the pipe does not exceed 1 m/s; at 2-3 m/s the protective effect weakens, and at higher values the steam will drive the reflux up the pipe and throw it into the selection.
Formula for calculating steam speed:
V = N * 750 / S (m/sec),
- N – power, kW;
- 750 – steam generation (cubic cm/sec kW);
- S – cross-sectional area of the column (sq. mm).
A pipe with a diameter of 50 mm will cope with splash entrainment when heated to 4 kW, 40-42 mm - up to 3 kW, 38 - up to 2 kW, 32 - up to 1.5 kW.
Based on the above considerations, we select the volume, dimensions of the cube, heating and distillation power. All these parameters are consistent with the diameter and height of the column.
Calculation of parameters of the distillation column reflux condenser
The power of the reflux condenser is determined depending on the type of distillation column. If we are building a column with liquid or steam extraction below the dephlegmator, then the required power must be no less than the rated power of the column. Typically, in these cases, a Dimroth refrigerator is used as a capacitor with a utilization power of 4-5 Watts per 1 sq. cm surface.
If the column with steam extraction is higher than the dephlegmator, then the calculated power is 2/3 of the nominal one. In this case, you can use Dimrot or “shirt maker”. The utilization power of a shirtmaker is lower than that of a dimrot and is about 2 watts per square centimeter.
Example of a Dimroth refrigerator for a column Then everything is simple: divide the rated power by the utilization power. For example, for a column with an internal diameter of 50 mm: 1950 / 5 = 390 sq. cm area of Dimrot or 975 sq. see "shirt maker". This means that a Dimrot refrigerator can be made from a 6x1 mm tube with a length of 487 / (0.6 * 3.14) = 2.58 cm for the first option, taking into account a safety factor of 3 meters. For the second option, multiply by two thirds: 258 * 2 / 3 = 172 cm, taking into account a safety factor of 2 meters.
Shirt for column 52 x 1 – 975 / 5.2 / 3.14 = 59 cm * 2/3 = 39 cm. But this is for rooms with high ceilings.
"Shirtmaker" Calculation of a once-through refrigerator
If the direct flow unit is used as an aftercooler in distillation column with liquid selection, then choose the smallest and most compact option. A power of 30-40% of the rated power of the column is sufficient.
A direct-flow refrigerator without a spiral is made in the gap between the jacket and the inner pipe, then a selection is launched into the jacket, and cooling water is supplied through the central pipe. In this case, the shirt is welded onto the water supply pipe to the reflux condenser. This is a small “pencil” about 30 cm long.
But if the same direct-flow unit is used both for distillation and rectification, being a universal unit, they proceed not from the need of the dispenser, but from the maximum heating power during distillation.
To create a turbulent steam flow in the refrigerator, allowing for a heat transfer intensity of at least 10 Watts/sq. cm, it is necessary to ensure a steam speed of about 10-20 m/s.
The range of possible diameters is quite wide. The minimum diameter is determined from the conditions of not creating a large excess pressure in the cube (no more than 50 mm of water column), but the maximum by calculating the Reynolds number, based on the minimum speed and the maximum coefficient of kinematic viscosity of vapors.
Possible design of a once-through refrigerator In order not to go into unnecessary details, we will give the most common definition: “In order for a turbulent regime of steam movement to be maintained in a pipe, it is sufficient that the internal diameter (in millimeters) is no more than 6 times the heating power (in kilowatts).”
To prevent airing of the water jacket, it is necessary to maintain the linear speed of water at least 11 cm/s, but an excessive increase in speed will require high pressure in the water supply. Therefore, the optimal range is considered to be from 12 to 20 cm/s.
To condense the steam and cool the condensate to an acceptable temperature, you need to supply water at 20 ° C in a volume of about 4.8 cubic cm / s (17 liters per hour) for each kilowatt of power supplied. In this case, the water will heat up by 50 degrees – up to 70°C. Naturally, in winter you will need less water, and when using autonomous cooling systems, about one and a half times more.
Based on the previous data, the cross-sectional area of the annular gap and the inner diameter of the jacket can be calculated. The available range of pipes must also be taken into account. Calculations and practice have shown that a gap of 1-1.5 mm is quite sufficient to comply with all necessary conditions. This corresponds to pairs of pipes: 10x1 - 14x1, 12x1 - 16x1, 14x1 - 18x1, 16x1 - 20x1 and 20x1 - 25x1.5, which cover the entire range of capacities used at home.
There is another important detail of the direct flow unit - a spiral wound onto the steam pipe. Such a spiral is made from wire with a diameter that provides a gap of 0.2-0.3 mm to the inner surface of the shirt. It is wound in increments equal to 2-3 diameters of the steam pipe. The main purpose is to center the steam pipe, in which during operation the temperature is higher than in the jacket pipe. This means that due to thermal expansion, the steam pipe lengthens and bends, leaning against the jacket, causing dead zones that are not washed by cooling water, as a result of which the efficiency of the refrigerator drops sharply. Additional advantages of spiral winding are lengthening the path and creating turbulence in the cooling water flow.
A properly designed direct-flow unit can utilize up to 15 watts/sq. cm of heat exchange area, which has been experimentally confirmed. To determine the length of the cooled part of the direct flow unit, we will use a nominal power of 10 W / sq. cm (100 sq. cm/kW).
The required heat exchange area is equal to the heating power in kilowatts multiplied by 100:
S = P * 100 (sq. cm).
Steam pipe outer circumference:
Locr = 3.14 * D.
Cooling jacket height:
H = S / Lamb.
General calculation formula:
H = 3183 * P/D (power in kW, height and outer diameter of the steam pipe in millimeters).
Example of direct flow calculation
Heating power – 2 kW.
It is possible to use pipes 12x1 and 14x1.
Sectional areas - 78.5 and 113 square meters. mm.
Steam volume – 750 * 2 = 1500 cubic meters. cm/s.
Steam velocities in pipes: 19.1 and 13.2 m/s.
The 14x1 pipe looks preferable, as it allows you to have a power reserve while remaining within the recommended steam speed range.
The paired pipe for the shirt is 18x1, the annular gap will be 1 mm.
Water supply speed: 4.8 * 2= 9.6 cm3/s.
The area of the annular gap is 3.14 / 4 * (16 * 16 – 14 * 14) = 47.1 sq. mm = 0.471 sq. cm.
Linear speed – 9.6 / 0.471 = 20 cm/s – the value remains within the recommended limits.
If the annular gap were 1.5 mm - 13 cm/s. If 2 mm, then the linear speed would drop to 9.6 cm/s and it would be necessary to supply water above the nominal volume, solely to prevent the refrigerator from airing - a pointless waste of money.
Shirt height - 3183 * 2 / 14 = 454 mm or 45 cm. No safety factor is needed, everything is taken into account.
Result: 14x1-18x1 with a height of the cooled part of 45 cm, nominal water consumption - 9.6 cubic meters. cm/s or 34.5 liters per hour.
With a rated heating power of 2 kW, the refrigerator will produce 4 liters of alcohol per hour with a good supply.
An effective and balanced direct-flow distillation unit must have a ratio of extraction rate to heating power and water consumption for cooling of 1 liter/hour - 0.5 kW - 10 liters/hour. If the power is higher, there will be large heat losses; if the power is low, the useful heating power will decrease. If the water flow rate is higher, the direct flow pump has an inefficient design.
The distillation column can be used as a mash column. Equipment for mash columns has its own characteristics, but the second distillation differs mainly in technology. For the first distillation there are more features and individual components may not be applicable, but this is a topic for another discussion.
Based on real household needs and the existing range of pipes, we will calculate typical options for a distillation column using the given methodology.
P.S. We would like to express our gratitude to the user of our forum for systematizing the material and assistance in preparing the article.
