Do-it-yourself distillation column from a copper tube. Moonshine still or distillation column - which is better to buy

The question often arises, which is better distillation column or moonshine still. There are many supporters of each device, but definitely having a RK you can get good moonshine, but vice versa it will not work. Rectification allows you to get pure alcohol with a strength of 96-98 ° from raw alcohol (moonshine). Good alcohol has practically no organoleptic properties, there is no smell of raw materials, you can use a pure product for the production of homemade vodkas and all sorts of liqueurs and tinctures. At home, you can get such a product using a mini-distillery. A home mini-distillery today is quite easy to purchase in specialized stores. It is also realistic to make your own real distillation column with your own hands.

In addition to technical skills, you must know the principle of operation of this device, how a distillation column works. To obtain alcohol, packed columns are used, they have small dimensions, they easily fit in height in an ordinary apartment. The performance of such a device reaches 300-1000 ml per hour, which is quite enough for household needs.

Distillation column - the principle of operation. As a packing for the column, various materials are used that are neutral to the action of alcohol - glass, stainless steel, ceramics. The main property of all nozzles is wetting and holding phlegm on its surface. That is, vapors of alcohol from the distillation cube, rushing up the column, condense at the top and return down, flowing down the nozzle. There is an exchange of components, alcohols rise up the column, and water and heavier impurities flow back into the still. When a stable distillation column enters the operating mode, a balance occurs between the supply of steam and the withdrawal of alcohol. The temperature stabilizes in the column and during the entire process of distillation it stays at the same level, not exceeding 0.1-0.3 degrees. It is possible to maintain such a regime by good insulation of the column, supplying a certain power for each column and maintaining the necessary pressure in the system.

Distillation column device

How to make a distillation column worries many home distillers. But you can make a small mini-distillery for the home yourself, saving a lot when buying a ready-made kit. The amount will be 2-3 times less if you decide to make a self-made distillation column. All the details of how the distillation column and the drawing are arranged are described in detail below.

Each home mini-distillery consists of:

1. distillation cube;
2. Tsarga;
3. Nozzle;
4. Selection node;
5. Dephlegmator;
6. Fridge;
7. Pasteurization drawer (optional);
8. Automation.

Drawing diagram of a distillation column

Distillation cube. In another way, the evaporation cube, raw (moonshine) is poured into it for rectification. The cube is also a solid base for the column, the weight of the column with the packing is quite large. For domestic use, a capacity of 15-50 liters is usually used. The cube can be universal suitable for distillation of mash and alcohol, in this case it is advisable to use a large capacity of 30-50 liters. In the manufacture of the cube, stainless steel beer kegs of 30 and 50 liters or food boilers are often used. The container must be equipped with a heating element, which is a heating element or two heating elements with a power of 1-3 kW. As a heating source, you can use an electric or induction hob with the ability to adjust the heating power. A thermometer is installed on the cube for internal control of the bottom liquid. To reduce heat loss, it is recommended to insulate the cube from the outside.

Tsarga. The main, main part of any distillation column. All processes take place in it. A column for a home mini-distillery can be assembled from several connected parts (tsarg). Connections of all drawers are best done using milk couplings or clamp connections. Such a system will turn out to be universal and can be used as a beer column for moonshine and a mini-distillery. For the tsarga, a pipe made of food grade stainless steel with an inner diameter of 25-60 mm is used.

The distillation column for moonshine, which produces NDRF alcohol (under-rectified with a strength of 94-95 °) can be made of copper. The diameter of the column must be selected approximately 25mm - 0.5kW, 32mm - 1kW, 38mm-1.5kW, 50mm - 2.5kW. The length of the packed part of the distillation column should be 30-50 diameters, i.e. if the inner diameter of the pipe is 50 mm, then the height should be 1500 - 2500 mm. The higher the column, the better the exchange of vapor and liquid occurs in it, and as a result, the purer the alcohol. The wall thickness is preferably not more than 1 mm.

The column needs careful thermal insulation. The insulation for pipes has proven itself well, and the drawer can also be insulated by other methods by winding the twine around the pipe, wrapping it with foil tape on top. The better the thermal insulation is, the more stable the column will work. At 20-30 cm from the bottom of the nozzle, you need to make a seat for the thermometer.

This can be done by soldering a tube of the required diameter to the side. Or weld a sleeve under the sensor or thermometer. It is not always possible to find stainless steel and a high-quality argon welder, so a distillation column for alcohol can be soldered from copper fittings. Do-it-yourself distillation column from plumbing fittings is soldered very simply, it is easy to pick them up in specialized stores.

Nozzle. Today, SPN (spiral-prismatic nozzle) is considered the highest quality nozzle. It is made of stainless or nichrome wire, which should not react with alcohol and other distillation products.
The price of the nozzle is high, but if desired, it is easy to wind it yourself. In order for the nozzle to stay in the pipe, a crosspiece made of a stainless electrode for welding is soldered at the bottom of the drawer, 2-3 cm of wire (nichrome) tangle is placed on it. The SPN nozzle is not tightly filled from above and another wire wad is inserted on top.

The second most effective nozzle can be called an on-load tap-changer - a Panchenkov nozzle, it is a mesh of wire wound into wads with the diameter of your pipe. There are also ceramic rashig rings, glass balls. The simplest nozzle is stainless steel washcloths, but the effectiveness of such a filler is very low. For a pipe 1.3 meters long with a diameter of 35 mm, 16-18 pieces will be needed. washcloths.

Dephlegmator with RK selection unit. The reflux condenser crowns the upper part of the river column. Alcohol vapor enters it and condenses, turning into liquid phlegm. Part of the liquid phlegm returns down through the nozzle, and part is brought out through the selection unit. The design of the dephlegmator may be different. The simplest to manufacture is considered to be a shirt or direct-flow dephlegmator. It is made of two pipes of different diameters, between which water circulates for cooling. Water is supplied from below, warm water comes out from above. The outer case of such a reflux condenser can be made from a conventional thermos. The diameter of the inner pipe is usually made the same as the packed column. At the top of any dephlegmator is TCA - a tube for communication with the atmosphere.

Another option is a dimroth dephlegmator. It is a piece of pipe (continuation of the tsarga) in the middle of which there is a spiral made of a thin tube with a diameter of 6-10 mm through which the coolant circulates. For a column with a diameter of 50 mm, the dimroth is wound from a 6 mm tube 3 meters long. The reflux condenser is obtained with a length of 25-35 cm. This design has a large area of ​​\u200b\u200bcontact between vapor and liquid and is considered more efficient.

And the third option is a shell-and-tube dephlegmator. Several thin tubes are welded into a large-diameter pipe in which vapors condense. The advantage of such a device is its versatility, it can also work as a refrigerator distiller. The second advantage of this type is low water consumption and large cooling area. The shell and tube can be made inclined, which reduces the height of the column, which is important for a home mini-distillery in apartments with low ceilings.

Under the reflux condenser, above the packed part, there is a distillate selection unit in the distillation column. Usually its design consists of one or two partitions and an alcohol sampling tube. Partitions at an angle are welded or soldered into the drawer side. A needle valve with fine adjustment or a Hoffmann clamp is installed on the sampling tube to limit or increase the selection of fractions.

King of pasteurization. Pasteurization drawer allows you to better clean commercial alcohol from head fractions. Which are formed in the upper part of the distillation column and dephlegmator throughout the entire process of rectification. The alcohol pasteurization drawer complicates the design of the distillation column and may not be installed as a separate element, but it can significantly improve the quality of alcohol. A slow selection of heads is also carried out in time for the selection of rectified alcohol from the pasteurization box.

Fridge. The alcohol at the outlet flows hot and in order to cool it, an additional refrigerator is installed after the selection unit and the tap (before the cooler). You can buy a ready-made glass refrigerator in the "med tekhnika" stores.
Or make a homemade refrigerator from tubes like a shirt reflux condenser, but with smaller dimensions. The length of the refrigerator is approximately equal to the length of the reflux condenser or slightly longer. Water first enters the lower inlet of the refrigerator, then from the upper goes to the dephlegmator. By adjusting the flow of water with a tap, the desired indicators are achieved.

Automation for distillation column. The complex rectification process requires constant presence and supervision.
Good automation makes it possible to produce rectification, without the constant participation of a person in the process. It does not allow "tails" to get into commercial alcohol, allows you to select the head fractions in a separate container. The rectification control unit, abbreviated (BUR), will turn on the water for cooling at the desired temperature, reduce the power during extraction and automatically reduce the extraction at the end. After the selection of tailings, turn off the heating and water. The simplest automation option is a start-stop installation with a valve that stops the extraction when the temperature in the column rises, after the temperature stabilizes, the extraction resumes. It is cheaper to assemble automation for a home mini-distillery from Chinese components or purchase it on specialized forums.

Do-it-yourself distillation column is made on the basis of the scheme. The diagram is needed in order not to make mistakes. It contains not large volumes when compared with other devices that reach 19 meters. A distillation column made at home, its design and the mechanism itself cannot be characterized as easy - it consists of many components. Initially, you should buy a metal tube - its length is ideally about 119-149 cm.

Instead of a reflux condenser, it is allowed to use an ordinary thermos. In addition, you will need:

• adapters that will combine the tube with tanks;
• Insulation and stainless steel sheet for the production of main washers;
• A small reinforcing tube used to drain water;
• cooling mechanism.

From the devices you will need a hammer, a drill with a drill, pliers, a file, hard paper, a soldering iron with solder or flux, a transition device into a faucet, a rubber tube of small parameters and a temperature indicator.
A home-made device is produced according to the established scheme. The tube must have the desired length, and its tips must be polished. For the purpose of arranging the tube and the distillate unit, a euro adapter is used. The union of the pipe and the cube should be soldered, and part of the soldering later requires stripping.

Then you need to make metal nozzles that fill the pipe right up to the very top. Now the main washer is introduced into the pipe, a small end of the selection is introduced into it. The section of connecting points is soldered. The next step will be the thermal insulation of the pipe.

A thermos that will be used as a reflux condenser must be considered and removed from the bottom. The inner test tube must be removed from the outside and the vacuum cover of the thermos removed. A passage should be made in the test tube, in the central part of the very bottom of the part and in the main place of its rear edge.
Through the upper passage, you need to mount the pipe and seal it there. Then the base is placed on the cone.

In the outer flask, in addition, holes are made for the tubes for the entry and exit of water. They are located at the top and bottom of the tube. Zones must be fixed. In the distillate extraction unit, it is necessary to make a passage for the purpose of the temperature indicator bushing. The distillation column is created with special care so as not to harm your health.

In our generation, a small distillation column is quite relevant. This device is publicly available to absolutely everyone, and the device requires a little space. Drawing the industrial manufacture of a distillation column is a bit complicated for ordinary people. Nevertheless, the manufacture of alcohol at home occurs quite often, and many people practice it.

The distillation column model needs a large number of trays in order to obtain the highest quality product. This greatly complicates the installation process. To make this kind of apparatus, like a distillation column, with your own hands at home, you will need some details. The cooling mechanism is made from a reddish-yellow tube. In order to do this, it is necessary to wrap the rectifier column with it.

Iron washcloths are made from stainless steel. The period of validity and their reserve of use in the distillation column is quite long. In existing 9.8 cm pipes, you need to take 1 washcloth. It's a good idea to use a medical clip from a dropper, you can take it instead of a tap. The scheme of the distillation column, as a rule, is completed with a tube, for the purpose of interconnection with the environment.

The essence of the column

If we briefly discuss the system of alcohol production and rectification, then this is, in fact, the repeated distillation of the mash, which takes place in special plates. Instead, they usually use all sorts of components. In order to produce alcohol at home, a distillation column with a diameter of 3 to 5 cm, an iron sponge can be used as a connecting component. It is through it that the distillation column for the moonshine will be filled.

During the operation of the distillation column, the distillate smoothly descends to the bottom, and the evaporation rises upward. A rectifier is needed in order to raise degrees. Separate modifications of this device involve the use of a boiler and a cool fluid jet in order to cool. All elements of the device may well be combined with each other using an ordinary soldering tool. Slight differences in volumes in the production of a unit so necessary in the economy will not particularly affect the quality of the product.

However, in order to increase the amount of alcohol, it is necessary to significantly increase the volume of the distillation device, a 1.5 m column tube, guarantees up to 28 liters of alcohol element, in about two days. Upon completion of the production of the apparatus, it is necessary to coat all connections with a detergent. In a similar way, it is allowed to examine the extra holes, if there are bubbles appear. When a water-steam cooler is connected to a tube through which water enters and whether there are holes during operation, it is a column-type system.

All of the above makes it possible to realize what kind of home-made device it is and why people need it at all. With a distillation column, you have the opportunity to get pure alcohol. In addition, we can conclude that it is not at all difficult to create an apparatus with your own hands - you just need to carefully read the instructions. It is also enough to have a strong desire, and the necessary details to create it. Everyone decides for himself what is better - to buy alcohol or make it at home, because there will be no harmful additives in such moonshine, and its quality depends solely on the distillation structure.

But, in fact, this is absolutely not the case!

With the help of a distillation column, you can get such delicious drinks as absinthe, whiskey, you can prepare flavored alcohol for, etc.

Previously, rectifiers were a multi-meter column, but today's version with "multi-pass" rectification allows to reduce the height of the column.

If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to buy a distillation column in an online store, for example, the Dobrovar series allows you to get 98% alcohol from the first distillation.

However, let's get back to how to make a homemade distillation column with your own hands.

We provide you with an easy way to prepare a rectifier at home. The appearance of the structure is provided in the first image. In addition, rectifier drawings are provided.

To begin with, I would like to talk about why the moonshine device - overgrown is the most successful design.

Firstly, this device is unique, since it requires only a supply of running water. You can adjust the temperature of the boiler using the light switch, which has a smooth adjustment. You can use a home-made distillation column with any capacity, from a three-liter jar to an installed pressure cooker.

Let's take a look at the scheme of a distillation column made at home.

Drawing of distillation column

As you can see, the design is quite simple. A refrigerator and a water jacket can be made from a copper pipe by wrapping rectifier pipes with it. You can make them from pipes with a thicker diameter than what we used in our column. In this case, you need to solder the lower and upper parts to the walls. You need to put on insulation for the rest - for this you need to visit the construction market and purchase insulation for metal pipes.

Washcloths is an iron washcloth for sinks, which is cut with scissors. As a rule, washcloths are made of stainless steel, which do not deteriorate during operation of the distillation column. For a pipe 130 cm long and 35 cm in diameter, it is necessary to spend 15-20 washcloths.

The clamp of the medical dropper must be used in conjunction with the tube. The tube will serve as a connection with the atmosphere - this is a classic needle from a syringe.

The height of the distillation column, which is provided in the drawing, is 130 centimeters (the height of the distillation cube - soldering iron is not taken into account).

Now a little theoretical knowledge.

Rectification is a multiple distillation of distillate, which is carried out in countercurrent packed and tray columns with contact components (trays, packings, etc.).

For the successful operation of phlegm flowing down the column and steam moving upward, any contact components can be used that increase the efficiency and area of ​​their action. As a rule, plates are used as contact components in large distillation columns.
Each plate, which is located in the column, is called a FT - physical plate. Its purpose is to ensure the rapid movement of the state of equilibrium between the vapor phase and the liquid.

The plates work in this way: steam in the form of bubbles with a sufficiently developed surface acts through the phlegm layer, which is located on the plate. As a result, the mass exchange between phases is intensified.

It should be noted that when steam passes through one plate, equilibrium between the various phases is not achieved. The actual state of the liquid and vapor phases in relation to their state is evaluated only by the coefficient of the correct action of such a plate.
The efficiency of a conventional plate is 50-60%, that is, to achieve a state of complete phase equilibrium, which theoretically corresponds to one plate, two physical ones are required.

Thus, it turns out that in order to create a distillation column-40-TT, it is necessary to install about eighty plates of a conventional design in it.

For distillation columns assembled at home with a diameter of 30..50 mm, an effective contact component is a special nozzle that fills the internal volume of the column. When the column is down, the distillate flows down the contact filler, and the steam rises.

Industrial distillation columns use "SULZER" packing made of stainless, corrugated mesh or stainless wire in the form of small springs of a spiral-prismatic nature.

Heat-mass exchanges at the contact connections are continuous along the entire height of the column. The phase equilibrium position equivalent to the 1st theoretical plate (“TT”) occurs after the steam overcomes the packed bed – the transfer unit height (“TPU”) or the theoretical plate height (“TTT”).

This height is measured in millimeters, which in turn allows you to calculate the height of the future column. Therefore, in the manufacture of the installation at home, we are talking about columns that have a diameter of 30 - 50 mm, using nozzle contact components.

And this is what a purchased distillation column looks like in a "full body kit".

Despite such an abstruse theory, a home-made distillation column is a very simple product!

Vadim He speaks:

Maybe the diameter of the pipe is 35mm and not cm ???

And I also have a question, why do we need a connection with the atmosphere?

Good article...
The topic is not just disclosed, but the written information is well received, thank you!

Vadim, when the column enters the mode, the clamp from the medical dropper is closed and if there is no connection with the atmosphere, excess pressure will occur and subsequent destruction of the equipment.

But what if instead of washcloths we place a tape spiral in the form of an auger ... then how to calculate the pitch of this spiral?

Good evening, can I see a schematic drawing? And what gaskets should be used in the connection nodes? Thank you.

Georgy, why don't you like iron washcloths?

Where can I buy an inexpensive river column?

pipe: diam. 50mm, length 1.6cm, do not work without washcloths. Cause?

I understand that not everyone has the opportunity, but.
A good result can be obtained by using the head of an old distiller. As a rule, the TENs and the cube fail earlier, and the heads are simply thrown away.

Help me understand what is the difference between a distillation column and a distiller (such as Volzhanin or Kum). That is, the selection of alcohol is below the reflux condenser, or is it like Volzhanin's?

To reduce the height of the column, put an additional refrigerator in the working area (where the washcloths are), and adjust the temperature during the distillation.

That is, washcloths, in this case, replace plates?

It is quite possible to get homemade moonshine of excellent quality. Of course, if you have a moonshine still at home that allows you to make it. In order for the quality to be precisely high, thorough cleaning and several distillations will be required. But to achieve all this can be faster and easier, which requires the installation of a distillation column for moonshine with your own hands.

The principle of operation of the distillation column

First of all, it is worth understanding the term rectification of alcohol. Rectification is the separation of a multicomponent substance into fractions. That is, separately methyl, ethyl alcohol, aldehydes, fusel oils and more. This happens due to the evaporation of liquids and the condensation of steam many times.

Scheme of distillation column

Rectification, or bubbling, is possible due to the fact that the concentration of components in different phases is different, while the system tends to equilibrium. The liquid and vapor phases exchange components: the liquid receives non-volatile, and the vapor becomes volatile. At the same time, heat exchange takes place between the two different phases.

Due to the different direction of movement of liquid and vapor, after the system reaches equilibrium at the top of the distillation column, pure components can be selected. At the same time, as in a moonshine still, liquids with a low boiling point are first selected, then with a high one.

Bubble column: device

A distillation column is a device for separating a liquid into components with different boiling points. It is made in the form of a cylinder, the cross section of which can be both variable and constant, and contains special elements - contact plates, which are located inside the cylinder. In addition, most of these columns have special units for the supply of raw alcohol and the selection of pure fractions.

The distillation column has the following main parameters:

• materials and size. As a rule, all elements of home moonshine stills are made of stainless steel or another alloy that expands evenly at a temperature, for example, copper. Column dimensions - from 120 cm in length, with a diameter of at least 30 mm.
• heating system. The process requires precise control and the ability to quickly increase power, so the system is equipped with heating elements that are mounted in the lower part of the cube of the apparatus. It is not recommended to use heating from a gas stove due to the high inertia of the system.
• Process control. It is very difficult to control the rectification process without two devices - a thermometer and a barometer.
• Performance. Better purification occurs with a larger column and more plates inside. And also performance will be affected by such a parameter as heating power, but at the same time it should not be too large so that the system does not choke.
• Pressure. Successful distillation requires that the pressure at the top of the column be nearly atmospheric. Otherwise, at a lower pressure, the vapor density decreases and the system chokes; at higher pressures, the evaporation rate decreases and the efficiency of the system drops. To maintain the correct pressure, the column must be equipped with an atmospheric connection tube.

How realistic is it to assemble a column with your own hands? A device such as a distillation column is not too complicated. In practice, it is implemented by many craftsmen and quite successfully. However, this comes with some dangers. First of all, a person who wants to make such a column with his own hands must have knowledge in the field of physics and, at least at some more advanced level, understand how it should work. It is necessary to calculate all the components of the structure, select materials, manufacture and assemble everything so that it is safe.

Factory columns are tested, have quality certificates, are supplied with instructions. The danger of a home-made device is the occurrence of an explosion or fire if there are errors in the design.

Do-it-yourself distillation column

There are some advantages to assembling a distillation column. You are not so dependent on funds and with some skill you can make something of high quality, while saving. A do-it-yourself column for a moonshine still will cost two to three times cheaper.

So, in order to make a distillation column, first of all we need a stainless steel pipe more than 120 cm long. It is better that its diameter is about 45 mm. For a dephlegmator, a thermos with a volume of less than one liter is best suited. In addition, you will need adapters for joining pipes, the capacity of the unit and a dephlegmator. Ideally, all these parts should be made of stainless steel.

For good thermal insulation of the entire device, you should buy a heater. Supporting reinforcing washers are made of sheet steel. We will make thermometer bushings from fluoroplast, and copper pipes with a diameter of about 5 mm are used to drain water. Before constructing the apparatus, it will also be necessary to make a drawing on paper in order to see what we are dealing with.

In addition, before you start directly manufacturing, it is worth acquiring some necessary equipment. Some tools can be found at home, while the rest will have to be bought or borrowed from someone:

• Flexible tubing longer than 100mm, preferably silicone. It does not deform and is resistant to temperatures.
• Thermometer.
• Faucet adapters.
• Soldering iron, at least 100 watts.
• Solder and flux.
• Emery machine.
• Drill.
• Pliers.
• File.
• A hammer.
• burner.

All these tools are the minimum required to create a column. It won't be possible to do it without them.

Device creation.

After all the drawings are drawn, and the tools are purchased, we get to work. It should be noted in advance that it will be complex and responsible, in addition, requiring certain skills in working with some tools, in particular, with a soldering iron.

First, cut off a piece of pipe, chamfer and trim the edges. Next, we make an adapter, it will connect the pipe and the selection unit. On the one hand, it should fit into the pipe as tightly as possible, and on the other, it should have a thread of about 2–2.5 mm. Thus, we will get automation at the stage of vapor condensation.

After that, we start creating pucks. The size of the washers should be no more than 4 mm, and the diameter should be such that they subsequently fit confidently into the pipe. A pipe is inserted into one part of it, and an adapter is soldered into the other part. This place will connect the element to the distillation tank.

After that, the pipe is inserted into the adapter, and the junction is heated by a burner. We turn to the manufacture of filler for the rectifier. Pour it into the pipe and shake it strongly so that it is evenly distributed over it. In this case, it is worth making sure that the filler fills the column completely.

The other end of the pipe is inserted into a washer designed to attach the nozzle. On the other hand, the end of a copper tube for the selection of alcohol is placed in it, it must first be tinned. All parts at that stage make up one structure, the outer side of the pipe is thermally insulated.

The next step is the process of creating a reflux condenser. We take a thermos and process its bottom with sandpaper. We make a bracket from tin and loops from steel wire, which are inserted into the brackets and twisted with pliers.

The free end of the wire is clamped with a vise and attached to the wall of the thermos. The latter is strongly shaken, so that its bottom falls off. The seam connecting the thermos lid and the flask is turned, this is done until a small gap appears in its place. The inner rings are removed from the casing.

To make a reflux condenser, it is necessary to separate the bottom and the vacuum cover from the thermos. In order for air to enter the reflux condenser, we make a hole along the back side of the inner flask. We process it with sandpaper and push the tube, the hole of which we seal. We make another hole in the bottom of the thermos and put the flask on the bottom of the container. We solder the junction of the flask and the bottom of the thermos. Insert the sampling tube into the neck and solder.

Using a drill, we make holes in the upper and lower parts of the flask. Pipes are inserted into them to drain water. Next, we drill a hole in the distillate sampling unit and place the thermometer bushing there. It can be anything, but preferably a dish-shaped one, because under such conditions it is easier to monitor temperature fluctuations.

Using this simple algorithm, it turns out to create a good distillation column. Of course, such a home-made distillation column is far from the quality of production, and in order to make it, you have to try, but this is already something. You will also need a moonshine still. Together they will make it possible to receive a high-quality product at home without much effort.

More and more people are coming to the realization that store-bought alcohol is not worth the money they ask for: the quality is low and the prices are too high. For this reason, more and more "moonshiners" appear in our country. They start with primitive moonshine stills, but rather quickly come to the idea of ​​creating a full-fledged distillation column with their own hands. But making it is not as easy as it seems at first glance.

The distillation column has a complex device. In order for it to work well in the future, you need to accurately calculate its parameters. Only in this case it will be possible to count on the creation of a truly balanced system for home use.

Before making a distillation column for a moonshine still with your own hands, you need to carefully calculate the parameters of each of its elements, and then purchase all the necessary components that correspond to the calculations.

Characteristics of the drawer side and nozzles

In fact, this is the main element of the distillation column. All other parameters of the column will depend on the parameters of the pipe.

When creating an alcohol column with your own hands, it is best to use a chromium-nickel steel pipe. This is the so-called food grade stainless steel. Due to the fact that this alloy is completely neutral in chemical terms, it will not give any impurities to the final product. This is very important, because the main task of rectification is to obtain a pure product without impurities, and not at all to change its taste and aromatic properties.

Some experts advise using a copper drawer for distillation. Under no circumstances should this be done. The fact is that copper can change the chemical composition of alcohol.. The maximum where copper can be used is a distiller or a beer column.

The drawer must have a wall thickness of at least 1 and not more than 1.5 mm. Thicker pipe walls do not provide any advantages in distillation, but at the same time greatly increase the weight of the entire structure. This is unacceptable for a home distillation system.

The tsarga needs to be calculated together with the nozzle. At home, it is customary to use nozzles in which the total contact surface area does not exceed 4 m 2 / liter. Of course, you can use packings with a larger contact area, but this will only increase the separating capacity of the column, however, it will reduce the overall performance.

Spiral prismatic in size the nozzle should be less than the diameter of the column by 12 times.

Experienced moonshiners recommend keeping nozzles with different characteristics at the ready in order to use them depending on the situation. So, to get fortified moonshine, it is best to put copper rings up to 10 mm high in the column. In this case, copper will effectively take sulfur compounds from alcohol.

When choosing a drawer side, it should be remembered that even a minimal change in the diameter of the column will seriously affect the performance parameters.

Regarding the height of the pipe, then it should fit into the parameters from 1 to 1.5 m. The height will be less, then fusel oils will penetrate into the selection. At the same time, with an increase in the height of the pipe, the driving time increases, but not the separating ability of the system. That is, it makes no sense to increase the height of the rectifier.

To increase the selection of high-quality alcohol and prevent overfilling of the tsarga with fusel, raw alcohol should be poured into a cube no more than 20 nozzle volumes. On average, the cube is filled to 2/3 of the volume. This means that with a drawer diameter of 50 mm, you need to use a cube with a volume of 40 to 80 liters. If the pipe diameter is 40 mm, then a cube with a volume of 30 to 50 liters is sufficient.

Heat source calculation

Many people think that if the moonshine still can be heated on a gas or conventional electric stove, then it can also be used to heat the distillation column. This is far from true. The fact is that rectification is very different from the usual distillation process. If the distillate production process allows heat surges, then the heating power must be correctly regulated during distillation. Therefore, neither gas, nor electric, nor induction cookers are suitable.

Ideal option: installing a heating element of the required power inside the distillation device with an output voltage regulator for fine tuning.

As for the power of the heating element, it takes 4 kW of energy to heat a 50 liter cube, 3 kW for 40 liters, and 2 kW for 30 liters.

Ten needs to be correctly installed in a cube so that its heating does not cause the mash and raw alcohol to boil. The higher the heating element is, the less power it needs to cause the contents of the cube to boil. With an increase in the depth of immersion, the power required for boiling increases.

Dephlegmator calculation

The power of the reflux condenser is largely determined by the type of distillation column. If it is planned to build a column with liquid extraction, then the power of the reflux condenser must correspond to the rated power of the entire column. Most often, in this design, a Dimroth refrigerator is used, in which the utilization power is 5 watts per 1 cm 2 of area.

When creating a distillation column with a fence installed above the reflux condenser, then the capacity of the latter should not exceed 2/3 of the capacity of the column. In this case, you can abandon Dimroth and use a "shirt", whose utilization power does not exceed 2 watts per cm 2.

Calculation of a once-through refrigerator

In the event that the straight-through will be used as additional cooling, then the simplest and smallest option should be chosen. Its power should not exceed 30% from the power of the distillation column.

A straight-through refrigerator looks like a straight tube between the tsarga shirt and the inner tube. The length of the tube usually does not exceed 30 cm.

If the same once-through condenser will be used not only for distillation, but also for rectification, then the calculation should take into account not the nominal power of the column, but the maximum heating during distillation.

The minimum tube diameter is determined by the minimum speed and the maximum kinematic viscosity of the vapor.

• With a power of 1.5 kW, the minimum diameter is 8, and the maximum is 9 mm.
• With a power of 2 kW, the minimum pipe diameter is 9, and the maximum is 12 mm.
• With a power of 3 kW, the minimum diameter is 10.5, and the maximum is 18 mm.

So, we have on hand all the necessary calculations with the drawing, and therefore we can proceed with the assembly of the distillation column.

It is necessary to prepare the following elements of the distillation apparatus:

• Frame.
• Dephlegmator.
• nozzle. It can be dish-shaped or spiral.
• Thermal insulation.
• Thermometers.

A tank for raw alcohol can be used from a moonshine still. You can also not make a new coil. It can be taken from the same distiller. A correctly calculated and assembled column can be installed on any moonshine still. The main thing is that the volume of the tank is more than 20 liters. If the volume is smaller, then the distillation column will not work.

How to make a king with your own hands?

It is best to make it from stainless steel. Ideal option - food grade steel.

Experts advise doing it with several joints. A flange is welded in the lowest part of the tsarga, through which it will be attached to the lid of the distillation tank. The flange connection must be tight, so a gasket must be used. Preferably silicone. Plastic gaskets change shape under the influence of temperature.

The flange must be welded so that the column is strictly vertical. A deviation of only half a degree will change the quality of the product at the end.

Separate parts of the column are better connect with clamps. So, it will be easier to assemble and disassemble the column.

The two lower parts of the tsarga are just pipes. Nozzles will be installed in them to increase the area of ​​contact between liquid and vapor. But the upper part is quite complicated. It should have the following structural elements:

• Flow refrigerator.
• Outlet pipe.
• Connector for installing a thermometer.
• Air valve.

The flow cooler accounts for half of the top of the column the easiest option is to wrap the pipe with a copper coil, but it does not have good efficiency. The ideal option is to place the Dimroth cooler inside the pipe. In this case, the dephlegmator will turn the condensate into steam until it reaches the air valve at the highest point of the distillation column.

The outlet pipe must be installed below refrigerator for a couple of centimeters.

Nozzle

This is one of the most important parts of the column. It is of 3 types: dish-shaped sieve and spiral. The first option is much more efficient. Many novice moonshiners make a disc nozzle from parts that are freely sold on the Internet.

A sieve nozzle is much easier to make. All you need: a drill, discs, and small diameter drills, stainless steel partitions. We drill holes of different diameters in the partitions and install them inside the pipe.

You cannot make a spiral nozzle yourself, but you can easily buy it in a specialized store.

Some thematic forums and sites advise using dishwashing nets to create a spiral nozzle, but you should not do this. the fact is that no one knows for sure what alloys they are made of. This means that no one can predict what kind of compounds will be obtained when the mesh material comes into contact with hot alcohol vapors.

thermal insulation

When assembling the column you must not forget to protect it from heat losses at least to the lower boundary of the dephlegmator. As a heater, you can use materials such as: polyurethane foam, penoizol, foil insulation, etc.

Actually, it remains only to put all the parts together and make a test run of a home-made distillation column.

Conclusion

Now the reader knows how to make a column for home distillation. It remains to put this knowledge into practice and enjoy the purest product.

Even the simplest distillation column, despite the low distillation rate, will allow you to get enough alcohol both for pure consumption and for making more noble drinks based on it.

Also, do not forget that the use of a distillation column as a moonshine still for moonshine will allow you to get 30% more product than from a conventional distiller. In addition, the quality of moonshine will be much better.