Hi all!

A couple of weeks ago I came across some very interesting equipment for moonshiners - mash column. It is also called a film column or a reinforced distiller. A distiller I know bought it and kindly offered to test this unit.

What is the result you ask? My colleague makes excellent 88-degree moonshine, and now I know what to answer to readers when they ask me “How to make strong moonshine.” Interested?

And so, in today’s article I will tell you what a mash column is, the principle of its operation and how to properly distill moonshine on it.

What is a mash (film) column

Now I will briefly tell you why a mash column is needed, and in the next chapter I will examine in more detail the principle of its operation.

So, a film column is equipment that allows you to produce very strong and pure moonshine. Up to 90 degrees! And at the same time, the equipment is quite simple in design and use, and its price is relatively low. It is installed directly on the distillation cube.

In appearance, the mash column resembles an ordinary one straight-through distiller. In fact, this is how it is, the only difference is that there is another refrigerator installed on the pipe rising from the cube. The so-called reflux condenser or partial condenser.

This is where the whole point lies. But more on that in the next chapter.

Operating principle of film column

To make it more clear, I drew a simple diagram of the work.

So, as I already said, the column is placed directly on the distillation cube. The heated vapors of moonshine from the cube enter a partial (in Russian - partial) condenser. There, part of the vapor condenses and settles on the walls of the cooler, and the other part goes further.

That’s why the first cooler is called partial, because it does not condense all the steam.

The liquid that settles on the walls of the cooler is called phlegm. Hence another name for the partial cooler - reflux condenser.

As you remember, moonshine consists of various impurities, which are conventionally divided into three main groups - “heads”, “body” and “tails”. The heads evaporate at a lower temperature than the other groups. The body is higher than the heads, and the tails are the highest boiling fraction. We drink, as we know, only the body, and cut off everything else. This distillation is called fractional.

So, when cooling the moonshine vapors in a reflux condenser, we separate them and pass on the lower boiling components, while everything else condenses on the walls of the cooler and flows back into the still as a film.

Hence the second name of the column - film.

In this case, the alcohol-containing steam rising in the drawer of the partial condenser constantly interacts with the phlegm flowing towards it. A process of heat and mass transfer occurs - the steam snatches low-boiling components from the reflux and gives it high-boiling ones (fusel oils and water). Hence such crazy strengthening - up to 90 degrees of the final product!

By adjusting the water supply to the temperature in the dephlegmator, we can quite efficiently divide the moonshine into fractions and cut off its unnecessary parts. To begin with, we set the temperature so that only the “heads” pass into the second cooler, and return the alcohol and everything else to the cube. And then we raise the temperature and drive out the alcohol, leaving “tails” in the phlegm.

But in order to clearly cut off the heads and tails and get pure and strong moonshine with the column, you need to work correctly. Fortunately, this is quite easy to learn.

How to work on a mash column correctly

• First distillation.

Well, everything is simple here. Our column will only work as a distiller; a reflux condenser is not used. We supply water only to the second refrigerator and distill the mash into raw alcohol as quickly as possible. For those who don’t know why this is done, read the article double fractional distillation.

• Second distillation.

Goal selection

We begin to heat the cube. When the temperature in the cube approaches 75 degrees, we supply water to both coolers. Moreover, it is necessary to supply enough water to the reflux condenser so that the steam in it is completely condensed and does not enter the second cooler. Those. Nothing should flow into the receiving container.

This mode of work is called “working for yourself.” It should last 25-30 minutes. During this time, the head fractions will concentrate in the tsarg.

Now, very carefully, we begin to reduce the water supply to the strengthening distiller until moonshine begins to drip from the second cooler at a rate of 2-3 drops per second. It is worth noting that the response time of the column to changes in water supply is quite long.

Therefore, it is necessary to pause between changes in the incoming parameters - slightly reduce the water and wait 30 seconds. Then look at the result and, if necessary, reduce it further. Or they added.

And so, at a speed of 2-3 drops per second, we select the heads. They are usually selected based on smell, but if your moonshine brewing experience does not yet allow you to do this, then use the standard proportion - 50 ml for every kilogram of sugar in the mash.

When we run out of heads, we change the container and begin selecting the body.

Body selection

Slowly reduce the water supply to the reflux condenser. The moonshine starts to come out faster. The less water you supply, the faster the process begins. But at the same time, the strength and purity of the distillate decreases.

Here, choose for yourself - either faster at the expense of the degree of purification and degree, or stronger and cleaner, but longer.

A compromise solution, in my opinion, is the speed at which the moonshine flows in a thin stream.

Now it’s time to pay attention to the thermometer installed above the film column. At this moment, a certain temperature should be recorded on it. I can’t say which one you will have, because... it depends on the strength of your raw alcohol poured into the device.

But here's what you need to remember. If you have chosen the correct selection mode, then the temperature should remain at this level. If it grows, even very slowly (by 1-1.5 degrees), but constantly, then we are supplying too much heat and the moonshine is of poor quality. Therefore, we either increase the water supply or reduce the heating.

Now that we have adjusted the column and a stream of strong moonshine flows from the second direct flow, and the temperature of the alcohol-containing steam leaving the column is constant (fluctuates between 0.1-0.2 degrees), we select the body.

But after some time, the temperature still begins to increase - all because there is less alcohol in the cube. Then it is necessary to slightly increase the amount of water supplied to the reflux condenser. The temperature will return to its previous value, but the amount of moonshine coming out will decrease.

In this mode we select the body down to the tails. Experienced moonshiners will be prompted by their own nose. For beginners, I recommend moving on to tailings selection when the temperature in the cube (in the cube, not above the column!) rises to 93ºC.

Tailings selection

If you are engaged in the selection of tailings, then simply turn off the water supply to the reflux condenser and squeeze out the residues as in normal distillation. Just in case, let me remind you that we collect the tails in a separate container.

Update: In February, I purchased my own film column HD/4-2500 PC produced by Samogon and Vodka. It has been slightly modified compared to the factory design - the reflux condenser has been insulated and needle valves have been installed to regulate the water supply.

General impression and conclusions

I liked working on the film column. And the resulting product was also to my taste.

Let me list the advantages that I noted

1. The heads come concentrated, with a pungent odor. The line where they end and the body begins is clearly noticeable. It's the same with tails. Therefore, you can clearly divide the moonshine into fractions and get a very high-quality product.
2. The strength of the distillate reaches 80-90%. Of course, you won’t get alcohol; this requires more serious equipment, but we didn’t set that goal either.
3. Fruit and berry mash do not lose their taste and aroma.
4. Sugar moonshine it turns out softer and more pleasant to the taste
5. Simplicity of design, relatively low price and ease of use.

In general, I drew conclusions for myself - for sugar moonshine, a mash column is required. And very desirable for fruit and berry production.

Such equipment allows us to produce a product of very high quality. Personally, I have already decided that I will order myself such a column. True, after the New Year holidays, when the family budget is restored.

Update: I finally bought the column in February. Her photo is in the previous section.

Bye everyone.

From the school course we know that the rectification process is the process of separating complex mixtures into components through repeated evaporation and condensation of the constituent parts. The results are ideally pure components, the temperatures of transitions to different states of aggregation of which are, accordingly, different.

This simple process is used in the production of gasoline, kerosene, pure oxygen and nitrogen. Rectification also helps separate fusel oils and aldehyde fractions to produce ethanol, or ethyl alcohol.

This process is carried out in distillation columns, the design of which allows the creation of a product with a purity of up to 96%. You can create a homemade moonshine still with straight hands, minimal knowledge of organic chemistry and the desire to enjoy high-quality alcohol of your own production.

Nowadays you can simply buy a rectification chamber, but we will go a different route. We will assemble a miniature distillery with our own hands.

From the name of the process that gave the name to the column, it is clear that constant rectification occurs inside, and the column itself is made of materials that do not react with the components of the process.

The working liquid, mash infused with grain, berries, fruits, etc., is poured into the distillation cube. and bring to boiling temperature. As the working fluid boils, alcohol-containing vapor is released, which is lighter than the liquid and due to this rises up the pipe, where it cools.

Cooling, the heated steam falls into condensate on the walls of the column and rushes back into the distillation cube in the form of a liquid, but along the way it encounters a new portion of heated steam. Components whose boiling point is below the working fluid evaporate again, among such components is ethyl alcohol.

The essence of the process is that substances are distributed along a vertical column, in accordance with the level of their evaporation and condensation points. At approximately a height of 75% from the distillation cube, ethyl alcohol vapors are collected - a pipe is installed here to discharge these same vapors into the container with the final product.

Higher up the column, toxic volatile vapors of aldehydes and dimethyl ketone are concentrated and released into the atmosphere through an outlet pipe; below the formation of the concentration of ethyl spirit vapor, fusel oils and other fractions accumulate, whose boiling point exceeds the boiling point of ethanol.

Moonshiners manage to use such devices in their work that provide the opportunity to produce high-strength alcoholic beverages with a reduced content of harmful substances. A strengthening column for a moonshine still is especially in demand in the distillery environment. She does an excellent job of solving the problem of preparing a good homemade drink.

This device has a specialized name - a drawer, which helps to process the mash multiple times. The product is thoroughly cleaned of essential oils, which tend to return to the drink with condensation. Due to the fact that water vapor also condenses and does not reach the refrigerator, the moonshine acquires a high degree.

A tsarga is nothing more than a copper or stainless steel pipe with attachment or film variations for moonshine brewing. It is fixed vertically on the distillation cube. Usually it is tightly connected to the lid on the mash container.

Interestingly, the mash column can have its own separate cooler, to which a water jacket is connected.

If you have a simple device diagram, then it does not include a flow cooler, and the pipe is cooled by air. True, in this case it is possible to select fusel only from the initial, most poisonous portions of alcohol vapors.

The desired “body” is pursued using the usual method. It is better not to touch the “tails” or to collect them in a separate container to later add to the moonshine and distill.

The design of the mash column in other cases smoothly transitions into a rectification pipe, where alcohol vapors are completely freed from fusel oils. With such a more complex system, it is possible to strain a certain amount of pure alcohol with a strength of 95 degrees.

But more often than not, the column goes into a steamer (in which the moonshine is freed from impurities), and from it into the refrigerator, where the alcohol vapors are cooled and flow into a previously prepared container.

The simplest design is when the drawer goes into the cooler. The distillate is no less strong, but requires additional purification with coal or some other substances.

What is the difference between a film column and a packed column?

The film column is hollow, without attachments. What's going on inside her? Alcohol vapor evaporates from the mash and enters the drawer. In it they are cooled with water or air.

1. The alcohol (its boiling point is 78 degrees) turns into steam and enters the cooler, where it condenses. And from there the condensate flows down a tube into a specially prepared container.
2. Heavy fractions (water and essential oils) do not pass through and settle in the mash column. Then they flow back into the distillation cube.
3. If the strengthening column is filled with nozzles (for example, pieces of stainless steel), then it will select phlegm with a high content of essential oils and will not allow methanol to rise higher. Therefore, a fairly strong alcohol at the exit of a packed column will be cleaner than when using a film model.

The need to use a column

Arming a standard moonshine still with a reinforcing column is due to the intention of obtaining strong and significantly purified moonshine. And only then, based on it, create a drink that the manufacturer likes best or whatever the recipe requires. Nothing good will come of a low-grade compote with the smell of fusel. What can be done from it is only to re-distill it.

In a partial refrigerator, the most harmful substances, the so-called heads, are selected. We mercilessly flush them down the drain, despite their attractively high strength.

Operating principle of the unit

After cooling in the column, moonshine vapors are separated. Those that have a lower boiling point evaporate, while others are sent back to the distillation cube.

During the process, alcohol vapor, drawn up along the frame, interacts with phlegm flowing down the walls of the tank. It again removes the remaining components with a low boiling point from the condensate, in addition, it releases the water and fusel oils preserved in the alcohol vapor to reflux. Thus, the degree of moonshine increases.

At the start of the distillation, the minimum temperature is set (in the upper part of the column it should not be higher than 75 degrees). When using a tsarga, the alcohol does not come out, but returns to the distillation cube. Afterwards we raise the temperature and drive the alcohol without selecting the “tails”.

How to make a unit with your own hands?

To make a drawer, you will need the following materials:

• a stainless steel or copper pipe (brass is also allowed) with a diameter of 22 mm, a length of 40–90 mm (the larger the pipe, the better the separation of vapors into fractions);
• transition fittings (22 by 15 mm). Their number depends on how the column is connected to the lid of the distillation cube. With a blind connection, you will need only one spare part, which is installed when the drawer is transferred to the refrigerator;
• welder or soldering iron with rosin and solder;
• tube with a plug for attaching a thermometer;
• cylindrical thermometer;
• metal mesh if you plan to make a column with nozzles (it is fixed at the bottom of the unit), as well as small pieces of stainless steel or copper for a washcloth.

Step by step steps:

1. Cut the pipe to the required size.
2. We cover the bottom of the drawer with a mesh if we are going to use a column with nozzles.
3. A centimeter from the top of the pipe, drill a 15 mm hole for the tube - the thermometer mount.
4. We cut the tube, put a plug and solder (weld) it at an angle into the hole.
5. We connect the drawer to the distillation pipe using welding or a fitting.
6. We fill the pipe with nozzles. If the latter are not provided, we skip this step.
7. We secure the fittings and check the tightness of the structure.

So, with a little effort and effort, you can make an excellent reinforcing column.

The evolution from grandma’s coil to home distillation columns followed bizarre paths, producing many dead-end branches and “monsters,” but sometimes useful hybrid designs were developed. One of these devices was the mash column (BC), the popularity of which among home distillers is growing every year. However, such a device requires an understanding of the theoretical foundations and proper operation, otherwise the result will be disappointing.

The history of the appearance of the mash column

What was wrong with the good old coil? Firstly, low performance. Secondly, even with fractional distillation, the distillate contains a significant amount of harmful impurities. A rectification column (RC) copes with these disadvantages, but has its own problems: expensive equipment; after rectification, the drink does not contain the smell of the original raw material, and a distiller is still needed for the first distillation.

The advent of once-through and shell-and-tube refrigerators solved the productivity problem. These cooler designs made it possible to relatively quickly distill the mash into raw alcohol, and to overcome splash entrainment, an empty pipe was added to the design. This is how the new generation distiller acquired its finished form.

Example of a once-through refrigerator
Example of a shell-and-tube refrigerator

The pipe served as a steam trap - preventing splashes from the cube, which are formed in wild phlegm, from entering the selection. Such a distiller easily coped with any heating power available in everyday life. A small strengthening of the product also appeared in order to enhance this, as previously believed, useful property - a reflux condenser was used, which gave rise to a whole family of distillers with strengthening, related by the common name: “brazhnaya column”.

Attention! The continuous mash column (CBC), despite the similar name, has a completely different purpose and principle of operation.

Film beer column

The main one was the BC circuit with a jacket reflux condenser, shown in the figure.

An example of an assembled film column

Available materials, ease of manufacture and strengthening of moonshine up to 90-91% contributed to the growing popularity of this scheme. Based on operating experience, the basic requirements were formulated.

A film mash column was considered good if:

• the diameter was 25-28 mm, and the height was from 30 to 50 times the internal diameter;
• there was a sufficiently powerful and well-controlled reflux condenser capable of extinguishing the operating heating power;
• there was precise regulation of the flow of cooling water to the reflux condenser using a needle valve;
• a separate water supply to the refrigerator and reflux condenser has been implemented;
• a thermometer is installed above the reflux condenser in the steam pipe;
• there was a sufficiently efficient refrigerator to operate at full heating power in both the second and first stages.

Working with the film column was not easy and required constant attention from the owner. 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” to 90%. True, it was not always possible to achieve the intended goals with the help of a reflux condenser, then heat regulation 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 much better than moonshine after fractional distillation on a conventional apparatus.

The euphoria can be explained by the fact that the high strength masks the unpleasant odor of the drink. True, after diluting with water to 40-45%, all the shortcomings of the distillate became fully apparent after a couple of days. Users consoled themselves with the fact that they were not striving to obtain alcohol, but wanted to drink well-purified moonshine with the aromas of the raw materials.

Disadvantages of a film column

"Strong does not mean pure"- this simple thought did not immediately take possession of the minds of moonshiners, but there were sensible skeptics who gave the product for analysis. The results were amazing: laboratory testing showed that purification of impurities using this equipment is a myth.

Moreover, if the film column somehow made it possible to select the “heads,” then there were almost more fusels in the selection than in the original raw material. This made us think and understand how harmful impurities get into selection, then determine the reasons and try to overcome them.

1. Sensitivity to water pressure. Even a slight decrease in the water flow in the reflux condenser is enough for all the intermediate harmful impurities accumulated in the pipe to immediately slip into the selection. It is enough to open the tap in the bathroom or flush the toilet so that the water pressure in the system drops, and the drip-by-drop selection of “heads” turns into a vigorous stream.

Improvement proposals poured in as if from 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, very useful things and applicable not only for BC.

It seemed that the problem had been solved, but in addition to stabilizing the flow of supplied water, it was also necessary to control the reflux ratio with its help, and this is very inconvenient due to the high inertia of the system.

2. Low holding and separating capacity. Trying to place coils or a couple of sponges in the column improved the situation a little, but not enough to solve the cleaning problem as a whole. As a result, the “heads” were selected carelessly, and even despite the drop-by-drop selection, the necessary esters responsible for the aroma were also removed along with harmful substances.

Due to the impossibility of concentrating the “heads” in the selection zone in large quantities due to the practically absent retention 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 the intermediate impurities accumulated in the pipe into the selection.

The situation was further aggravated by the fact that when selecting the “body,” the division dropped to 2-3 plates and could not detain the fusel fish. 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 fish flew into the receiving container, leaving only water in the “tails”.

Even in the best samples of moonshine produced on film columns, the content of fusel oils is at least 1-2 thousand mg per liter, more often it is much higher. Due to the design features of the film BC, the distillate turns out to be unbalanced - with a clear bias in the chemical composition towards fusel.

The emergence of the modern mash column

The solution to the problem of clearing fusel oils came quickly - you need to fill the drawer with a nozzle. As a result, the BC turned into a mini RK (distillation column) with the same rules and equipment requirements. The only differences remain in the versatility of the design, which allows the use of BC for distilling mash. Traditional BC steam extraction is also used, although many distillers appreciated the convenience of liquid extraction and installed it on their columns, while others began experiments with steam extraction before the reflux condenser.

Example of a mash column

After this, the BC, in the classic form of a film column with steam extraction above the reflux condenser, solemnly marched to the museum of the history of moonshine, where it took pride of place. You can object: “It’s completely for sale!” The answer is simple: you never know the number of dealers and collectors of antiques who sell and bribe not only outdated items, 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 selection and automation. In general, this complies with the standards and requirements for the Republic of Kazakhstan, but the main thing remains for the mash column: the versatility of the design and the desire to obtain a well-purified distillate with the taste and aroma of the original raw material, which can be drunk immediately without long-term correction-aging in oak barrels.

However, during operation, ordinary users encountered a problem: using standard rectification technologies when distilling mash, they did not receive the expected well-purified and fortified distillate, but rather dirty alcohol, which was half-contemptuously called NDRF - under-rectified. It seemed that the evolution of the development of mash columns had reached a dead end.

Then BC fans began experiments on the use of low reflux ratios when distilling raw alcohol. Everything fell into place. Smaller volumes of still bulk and short drawers, which prevent the production of pure alcohol at the distillate, have become a strong point for the production of distillate. The high drawer of the RK has a separating ability that is excessive for the distillate, cutting off not only the excess, but also the useful.

The low frame of the BC made it possible to implement a technology for a balanced reduction in the concentration of all impurities in the product while removing some that are definitely not needed. This was also facilitated by the use of larger nozzles. So, for a 50 mm BC, an SPN of 4 x 4 x 0.28 is used instead of 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.25 in the BC. For certain tasks, dish-shaped columns and copper rings as nozzles have proven themselves to be effective, but this is a topic for a separate article.

How to work on a mash column correctly

Beginners often complain that despite all their efforts, their mash column produces pure alcohol and not a tasty drink. There is no universal technology, since many of the nuances of distillation depend on the design of the apparatus, but by following the basic rules, you can make an aromatic and well-purified distillate using BC.

1. BK and RK are devices that implement heat and mass transfer technologies, therefore the requirements for preparing equipment for operation are almost the same for them. In order to confidently control 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 selection rate of the “body”. We assume that the reflux ratio 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 evaporates from the cube. We must select a third, and return two thirds with reflux back to the column and cube. This means that the planned withdrawal rate is 2.8 liters per hour, and the reflux ratio is (8.3 -2.8) / 2.8 = 2. No greater accuracy is required.

3. The long and dull selection of “heads” adopted during rectification removes not only aldehydes, but also esters responsible for the aroma of the drink. Therefore, the “heads” should be selected no more than 2-3% of the AC (absolute alcohol) in bulk. The rate should be approximately 25-300 ml/hour (about 10% of the “body” selection rate).

4. We set the starting speed of “body” selection equal to the planned one (in our example, 2.8 l/hour). And after the selection begins, we adjust it so that the output strength is 90-91% with a bulk strength of 40%.

We don’t change the speed anymore! By the end of the “body” selection, the speed will drop, and the strength in the stream will drop to 87-88% (with a residual strength of raw alcohol in the cube of 5%). The speed is enormous compared to rectification, but this is precisely what allows medium ethers and a moderate portion of higher alcohols to pass into the receiving container. The selection of the “body” must be completed 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 servings of 100-150 ml each) at a speed two to three times lower than the starting speed when selecting the “body”. The “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 it is underestimated, then the output will no longer be a good distillate, but poorly purified alcohol, which is quite suitable for a barrel - the impurities are not completely removed, but only “slightly combed”, freed from excess fusel and aldehydes.

If the goal is a distillate for consumption without long aging, then you can experiment with adjusting the reflux ratio, remembering that the higher the reflux ratio, the greater the degree of purification and approach to alcohol.

For the distillation of sugar raw materials, only maximum purification from all impurities and 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 is of a size corresponding to the diameter of the column, and the column itself is at least 1 meter high, there is a chance of obtaining quite decent alcohol from raw sugar alcohol.

P.S. Thanks to the user from our forum for preparing the material for this article.

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 the general principles of 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. Raw sugar mash or distillation waste (“heads” and “tails”) are distilled into alcohol, so 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 the chemical composition of the drink and is suitable for the production of a distiller (a regular moonshine still) or a 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 you to achieve the best combination of 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 remove 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 according to it.

Do-it-yourself strengthening column: what and how to do it correctly

Column with reinforcement (also known as a mash or film column)- this is a device for the production of “under-rectified”, that is, strong and relatively pure moonshine. The resulting product is better than distillate, but does not reach the level of rectified product. You can read about its difference from a conventional moonshine and distillation still here - https://2samogona.ru/samogonnye-apparaty/otlichiya-brazhnoj-kolonny.

Today we will consider the option of making a reinforcing column with our own hands. This work requires knowledge of its structure, and owning a welding machine and grinder. It is quite difficult to assemble something adequate from trash, but we will try to offer you the most budget-friendly and affordable option, which will yield a strong and relatively high-quality product.

What materials will the column be made of?

There are not as many components as it might seem at first glance.

• Three pipes with a diameter of 32 mm made of stainless steel.
• Two nuts for connecting to the cube.
• Stainless steel refrigerator
• Sewer pipes, coupling and adapter for washing machine (dephlegmator).
• A milk can is used as the basis of the distillation cube.

So how will we do whole column, then you will need a welding machine with electrodes and a grinder.

The design will not imply disassembly, and it will need to be washed directly with water.

Before starting work, I suggest studying the structure and operating principle of this device.

Did it most successfully Lucky on your Youtube channel. A lot of questions are closed in the comments, so also study this section.

Your base for the machine will probably not be the same as ours. For this reason, you will not be able to make an identical column, since your pipe and connection sizes will be different.

That's why we have prepared for you selection of drawings, which you can use to navigate while working. Choose the best option for yourself, assemble all the parts and you can get to work. The video will be presented below.

Step-by-step instructions for making a reinforcing column

It is very difficult to explain the practical part in words, so I suggest you watch 2 videos from the Youtube channel homemade PRODUCTION. These videos are considered the most popular, as they show a budget option for manufacturing a reinforcing column.

The whole process can be divided into several parts:

1. Preparation of equipment and components of the apparatus.
2. Connecting and welding pipes, that is, creating a sealed system.
3. Testing and improving distillation (adding Panchenkov nozzles or working with a reflux condenser).

The result is a rather ugly, but working moonshine still. On it you can make moonshine with fortification, selecting most of the harmful fractions from the product.

Copper column

If stainless steel does not suit you for some reason, then the only alternative would be copper. The device will be more expensive, more efficient and better. This material is difficult to care for, but the results are always fantastic.

I propose to study the operation diagram of a copper reinforcing column and understand its main components. The author will talk about those parts of which it consists, so after watching the video you will have an objective picture of how it can be done.

Do-it-yourself distillation column for a moonshine still

In order for the moonshine to be clean and without the characteristic fusel odor, it must be passed through the still at least twice. During distillation, most of the fusel oils settle, which gives reason to call the finished product pure. However, experts insist that you can only get a truly pure alcohol-containing drink at home by using a distillation column.

In order to understand how to make a distillation column for a moonshine still and why it is needed at all, let’s try to understand the principle of its operation. Here we will look at what materials are needed and whether it is advisable to make it at home.

How does a distillation column work?

When the distillation cube, into which the mash is poured, is heated, a gradual boiling begins with the intense release of alcohol-containing steam. These vapors, lighter than the liquid, rise up the distillation column, from where they enter a water-cooled reflux condenser. Here, at the highest point, steam condensation begins, and it again flows into the column in the form of condensate. That, in turn, is filled with special elements through which liquid flows. At this time, the mash continues to boil, and its vapors rise up the column, meeting condensate along the way. It is this continuous process of exchange of liquid and vapor that is called rectification.

During such an exchange, the liquid condensate (reflux) is saturated with steam, and the steam, on the contrary, is saturated with a liquid with a lower boiling point. This process occurs continuously while the mash boils and condensation forms. As a result, the lightest vapor with the highest concentration of alcohol is collected at the head of the distillation column, which is sent to the refrigerator for final condensation. Already from the refrigerator, an absolutely pure distillate - moonshine - descends into the receiving container.

The operating principle of a distillation column is shown in this figure

What causes continuous rectification?

In order for the steam and the flowing liquid (reflux) to contact most effectively, special contact elements are used in the distillation column. In industrial designs, this function is performed by physical plates, in home designs - a metal sponge for washing pans. Due to their disparate structure, these elements increase the contact area between phlegm and steam, and, accordingly, the efficiency of such interaction. This becomes possible due to the fact that equilibrium is very quickly achieved between the two phases (liquid and vapor).

As reflux flows down the column, it bypasses an entire layer of metal springs, meeting steam along the way. At the moment when the steam overcomes the first layer of the contact element, the phase of physical equilibrium begins. To obtain the optimal height of a household distillation column, its diameter must be at least 30 and no more than 50 mm.

Manufacturing of a distillation column

The issue of purchasing such equipment is very pressing for many. If we are talking about industrial production, then most samples have many flaws. Still, streaming production is making its presence felt. You can, as an option, order manual assembly, but then its price will be approximately the same as the “wing” of a good SUV. Therefore, the best option is to make a distillation column with your own hands. Of course, its structure is a little more complex than that of a homemade moonshine still, but still not so complex as to lose consciousness from the drawing and instructions.

The material used for manufacturing is stainless steel - a chemically inert material that does not corrode and does not produce foreign impurities or odors.

This is a diagram of a distillation column, according to which it can be assembled

Now in more detail about the main elements of equipment and what they can be made from.

• Body - stainless steel pipe with a diameter of 30-50 mm and a total length of 1300-1400 mm. The permissible pipe wall thickness is 2-3 mm, since you will have to make holes for the threaded connection.
• Water body (dephlegmator) - most often made from a regular thermos. Literally 10-15 minutes, and this element will ideally replace an industrial design. In some cases, the reflux condenser is made of copper pipe. The most exotic and ineffective option is a coil made of a copper tube. It is wound around the top of the column and cold water is run through it. From experience, even a flattened tube does not provide the necessary heat loss due to the small contact patch.
• Refrigerator - a container with a submerged coil and cold water. The tank and tubes are made of copper. You can also purchase a ready-made laboratory refrigerator at a chemical store.
• The contact element is several metal mesh sponges, which housewives usually use to remove scale and burnt food from pots and pans.

In addition, silicone connecting and copper tubes, thrust washers, threaded nuts, and adapters are also required.

The column has 2 connection points - a turn-off point and a connection to the distillation cube. Typically, threaded elements are used for connections, but the danger here is leakage. You can also put one element on top of another, while joining it as tightly as possible to prevent the passage of steam and the leakage of phlegm. You can, of course, treat the edges with sealant and join the structure forever, but then you will not be able to disassemble and clean it.

How to assemble a distillation column

1. We take a copper pipe with a height of 1300-1400 mm and a diameter of 30-50 mm. We cut it into 2 parts, they can be either equal length or with slight deviations - it doesn’t matter. You clean the edges of both parts, trim them, be sure to chamfer them and connect them to each other with threaded connections or using an adapter. We remind you! The connection must be tight.
2. Install a mesh and thrust washers on one part of the pipe to prevent the contact element from falling out. This is the lower part of the column that will fit onto the distillation cube. Metal springs are poured here.

Not only springs, but also small glass balls can be used as such a contact element, although this is quite expensive. In terms of contact area and quality of heat transfer, ordinary metal sponges are absolutely not inferior. Made of stainless steel, they are absolutely inert to the alcohol mass and are not subject to corrosion.

Before you buy such a sponge, check with a magnet whether it is really made of stainless steel. If another metal is used, over time the springs will begin to rust, which will negate the quality of purification of moonshine.

1. Buy 30-40 steel wool and cut them into small pieces up to 5 mm.
2. Place the contact element in the lower part of the pipe, where the metal mesh-retainer is installed, periodically tapping it on the table. There is no need to force it in so that the springs, if possible, do not intertwine, but are compacted compactly. Like this, shaking and tapping, fill the entire section of pipe, then close it with a mesh and secure it with a thrust washer.

This part of the pipe, already installed on the distillation cube, should be insulated with any insulator; even foam rubber 3-5 mm thick will do.

1. On the second part of the pipe, use a soldering iron to solder a water housing (deflector) with two pipes - one for the water inlet, the other for the outlet.
2. Cover the top of the pipe with a lid or seal it, making a hole for the tube.

1. 15-20 mm from the joint with the bottom of the pipe, make a hole for the distillate outlet pipe, and under it a small plate for collecting condensate - phlegm.

1. You connect the column and the refrigerator with a silicone hose, on which a clamp from a dropper is installed - this is a very convenient tool for regulating the movement of liquid.

At this point, the manual production of the distillation column is completed, and you can begin distillation.

If you still have questions, watch the video to see how to make a column correctly and in what order.

Reinforcing column for a moonshine still: do it yourself and drawings

To obtain a higher quality distillate, distillers use different methods: from upgrading a moonshine still to purchasing a distillation column. An intermediate option is a mash or strengthening column.

Due to the formation of a moving film on the inner walls during operation, it is also called film film.

The design differs from the classic distiller in appearance, principle of operation and degree of the final product.

The mash column allows you to obtain alcohol up to 90% strength. As for quality, the level of purification directly depends on the skill of the distiller. The more experienced the moonshiner, the better the distillate, but in any case it does not reach the characteristics of a rectified distillate.

Design and selection of materials

The classic strengthening column consists of the following parts:

1. Still

You can use a pressure cooker, a milk flask, a beer keg, a container from a classic distiller, etc. as a basis.

Copper or stainless tube - the column itself

The optimal diameter is 2.5-5 cm, the height should be 30 times the first indicator.

Dephlegmator (precooler)

The coil can be built inside the pipe or located outside. It is installed at the top of the column and should occupy approximately 25% of its length. It is optimal to take a ready-made cooler, but you can make the device yourself. It is recommended to equip the device with a regulator (for example, from a heating battery).

Steam line

It is a metal tube with a diameter of about 1 cm.

refrigerator

For cooling, a classic device is used, which is part of any distiller.

You will also need 2 thermometers (one is installed on the tank, the second - in the upper part of the column, just above the precooler) and connecting elements: nuts, couplings, adapters, clamps, silicone seals, tubes, etc. Home craftsmen make reinforcing columns from stainless steel or copper Both options are good in their own way: steel is more affordable, copper conducts heat better.

Work stages and drawings

It is difficult and impractical to describe the entire process in detail; it is better to focus on diagrams and videos. In general terms the process looks like this:

1. Connection of tank and column. To do this, make a corresponding hole in the lid of the cube, install a flange/threaded fitting, and install a pipe. It is convenient to use a clamp connection to fasten the elements.
2. Manufacturing of a reflux condenser. The simplest option is an external coil - winding a copper tube along the contour of the column, but you can use a design with a water jacket, mount it as a separate unit and connect it from above, taking care of the pipes for supplying and discharging water.
3. Preparing holes for thermometers. One is done in the tank lid, the second is at the top of the column, between the reflux condenser and the refrigerator.
4. Assembly and installation of the main refrigerator with pipes for water supply/discharge. Sometimes a jumper with a tap is made between two vertical pipes, but this element is not mandatory.

If desired, the device can be improved: connect several dephlegmators, fill the pipe with nozzles, install automation, etc. For the column to work efficiently, it is very important to ensure a stable water supply. There is no need to insulate the device.

Found a mistake or have something to add?

Select the text and press CTRL + ENTER or click here.

Calculations for the independent manufacture of a distillation column for a moonshine still

Beginning moonshiners usually prefer distillers. But the more experience, the more you want to get a perfect product - devoid of fusel oils and as strong as possible.

You can use this to make tinctures, liqueurs, liqueurs without fear that the smell of moonshine will spoil the aftertaste. To get an improved apparatus, a good solution is a do-it-yourself distillation column.

Moonshiners who are not practically familiar with the work of the Republic of Kazakhstan have a prejudice. They believe that the distillation column takes away the smell of the original product. This is only partly true.

It all depends on the purpose, and the column is operated in different ways: to obtain rectified alcohol or a pure and fortified distillate.

Components of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Distillation column in appearance - tall pipe, vertically rising above the distillation cube. Indispensable components:

• A food-grade stainless steel pipe with a height of no lower than 1 and no higher than 1.5 meters. Industrial ones have dimensions that are thousands of times larger than those indicated.
• Dephlegmator - the upper part of the pipe with a water jacket.
• Attachments: RPN or kitchen weeding scrapers made of stainless steel, as well as (not always) SPN-spirals of equal diameter and height.
• Thermometer. Or better yet, two: one in a cube, the second in a column.
• Tube for connection to the atmosphere.
• A direct-flow refrigerator that finally condenses the alcohol vapor coming from the column.
• Connecting elements and pipes for connecting/draining water for cooling.
• Column insulation in the compartment where heat and mass transfer occurs (desirable, but not required).

Calculation of system parameters

Calculation is necessary to ensure that the column produces a product with a strength of up to 95°, free of fusel and other impurities. At the same time, it did not choke and had an optimal transfer speed.

Attention. Any of the distillation columns on the market and homemade ones have a distillation speed several times lower than a distiller.

This is due to the need for repeated evaporation of the alcohol-containing liquid.

Productivity and quality of work depend on:

• height and diameter of the drawer;
• correct calculations for the nozzle;
• heating power;
• volume of the distillation cube.

Pipe and nozzle dimensions

To ensure the correct strengthening and separating properties, regardless of the internal cross-section, an acceptable drawer height is considered to be 1 - 1.5 m. These parameters have been determined by numerous experiments.

At a lower altitude, it will not be possible to protect against fusels breaking through into the finished product, that is, it will not be possible to achieve the proper purity of selection. If you make the height larger, this does not give better performance and, on the contrary, it increases the number of head fractions. Simply put - Every extra centimeter of the column reduces the separating ability device and negatively affects the transfer speed.

Acceptable parameters of the internal diameter of the pipe – 28-52 mm. These are the sizes used in the production of household RKs.

There is a formula: productivity, measured in milliliters of product per hour of operation and power (Watts) are equal to the cross-sectional area (cross-section) of the pipe in square meters. mm, that is, directly proportional to its diameter squared.

When choosing or constructing a column, calculate the diameter (internal). If there are large deviations, it will not work correctly.

Nozzle

It not only increases the contact of alcohol-containing steam with reflux, it must be tied to a specific column. When producing alcohol at home, select nozzles that have a contact surface of 1.5 - 4 m2 per liter of rectified product.

If you take more, the purification will improve, but the already low distillation speed will drop. If you take less than 1.5 sq.m., then the separation and strengthening will fall, resulting in pure alcohol.

When using only on-load tap-changers, usually twisted sheets are inserted one above the other from below - from the cube to the selection unit. The ratio of SPN to internal diameter is selected 13-15 times smaller. That is, with a wire thickness of 0.25 mm, the diameter of the SPN is matched to a 50 mm pipe - 3.5x3.5; 40 mm – 3x3; 28-32 mm – 2x2.

Attention. Different attachments are used for different tasks.

For example, when distilling grain raw materials, it is advisable to use copper on-load tap-changers or spn-on-load tap-changers, rings, and saddle-shaped attachments. For rectification – RPN+SPN, cut wire wool.

Selecting the volume of the distillation cube

Rectification is carried out after the first distillation, when raw alcohol is obtained. 40-degree liquid is poured. The amount of nozzle to prevent fusel from getting into the finished product is calculated from 10 to 20 volumes of alcohol-containing strong liquid per cube.

It is allowed to fill only 2/3 with raw alcohol, then the container should be selected based on the drawer used. Calculations for a 1.5-meter column with a pipe diameter:

• 50 mm – no less than 30, no more than 60 liters. You need a container of 40-80 liters;
• 40 mm – from 17 to 34 l. Cube up to 50 liters;
• 32 mm – from 10 to 20 l. Cube up to 30 liters;
• 28 mm – up to 14 l. Requires a cube of up to 18 liters.

With minimal volumes, you can take a pipe with a length of not 1.5, but 1-1.2 m.

What to heat with and at what power?

Rectification is not distillation, in which heating on tiles of various industrial manufactures and even wood heating is possible. For the Republic of Kazakhstan, several mandatory conditions must be met:

• ensuring the fastest possible heating;
• the ability to finely adjust the heating for high-quality separation of alcohol into fractions;
• safety – protection from ignition and explosion, taking into account the fact that the cube contains not low-alcohol mash, but strong raw alcohol.

In this regard, it is necessary to select a heating source from many options taking into account these requirements:

1. Wood burning stove. It is rejected unconditionally, since it does not meet any of the requirements.
2. Gas burner. Not suitable because the heat cannot be precisely adjusted and there is a high risk of explosion.
3. Electric stove does not correspond for the reason that it works on the principle of completely stopping heating and resuming after the temperature drops to a critical point (remember the “clicks” made by an electric stove). When the power supply is interrupted, the reflux will not drain gradually, as provided by the technology, but will collapse and rectification simply will not take place or it will have to be started again - with a different heating source.
4. Induction cooker can be used with some reserve. It is impossible to smoothly change the power, and proper rectification requires a smooth change, no more than 10 W at a time.
5. heating element with regulation, voltage stabilization and a smooth change in heating by 5-10 W - this is the optimal solution. This is what the RK should be equipped with.

When selecting power, keep in mind: to quickly heat the cube, you need a kilowatt heating element for every 10 liters of liquid. That is:

• For a 50 liter (it contains 40 liters), a 4 kilowatt heating element is required.
• 40 l (optimally 30 l) – 3 kilowatt.
• 30 (up to 23 l) – 2.5 kW.
• 20-25 (15-20 l) – 1.5 kW.

Dephlegmator calculations

They are determined based on the type of column. When selecting alcohol below the reflux condenser, the best choice is a Dimroth reflux condenser with a power of up to 5 watts per square cm.

If the extraction is higher than the reflux condenser, then the power can be up to 2 Watts. Both Dimrot and “shirt maker” are used.

For example, if you have a drawer of 50 mm, then for Dimroth a tube of 6 cm (internal cross-section) up to 50 mm in length is sufficient (with an exact calculation - 48.7). The shirt can be made from a 52 mm pipe with a length of 39 cm.

Achieving the required power in the table:

Pipe inner diameter (mm)

Productivity at optimal heating power (ml/h)