The operation of a continuous beer column is based on the same process of evaporation of alcohol followed by condensation. But here, as with other methods of obtaining moonshine, it is not the initial and final state that is important - home brew and alcohol (moonshine), but the process of converting one liquid into another.
The distillation steps are the same as in conventional pot stills - evaporation/condensation. The difference lies in the principle of evaporation, which is also a complete cleaning process. When using a column of this type, you can get an unlimited amount of raw alcohol, devoid of fuselage. The volume of the product is limited depends only on the capacity of the vessel for the mash that is being processed.
Components
The continuous mash column system consists of:
- tank for mash;
- raw material supply pump;
- electronic regulator or LATR;
- evaporator (steam generator);
- piping systems;
- contact column;
- thermometers.
Many users ask - is a continuous do-it-yourself mash column real? The answer is unequivocal - yes. But no one asks whether it is needed and what is the practical result of it. Is the game worth the candle?
How the column works
The key word in the name of the column is continuous. This implies the operability of the installation at any time, in the presence of a certain amount of raw materials. This is where the catch lies - do you always have 100-200 or more liters of ready-made mash suitable for distillation in stock? Otherwise, using a continuous column does not make any practical sense.
Its action is based on the supply of liquid mash to the column pipe, where it interacts in countercurrent mode with water vapor heated to 100 C. As a result of heat transfer, the alcohol evaporates, and all high-boiling fractions flow into the receiver and drain into the sewer.
The continuous supply of mash implies a large amount of it and the extraction of only low-boiling components from it, at temperatures up to 76 C. That is, the extraction of “heads” is impossible in principle. The resulting product must be distilled again.
How the installation works
Braga from the tank is fed into the upper part of the heat exchanger, the device of which will be discussed below, and flows down the walls. Along the way, the liquid encounters sieve partitions, which slow down its movement and increase the area of contact with the steam rising from below.
The steam generator is a conventional boiler with heating elements or other heaters. The outlet steam temperature is 100 C. Its pressure in the heat exchanger pipe is determined by its diameter and height. The only requirement is that in the alcohol vapor extraction zone, their temperature should not exceed 76 C. This is regulated by the mash feed rate and its temperature.
Braga is supplied using liquid pumps; pumps from reverse osmosis filters or compact fountains can be used in the do-it-yourself column. The main requirement is that they can work with a variable voltage. The amount of mash fed into the column, and, consequently, the outlet vapor temperature, depends on the pump power at the moment.
Water vapor heats the flowing mash and evaporates alcohol vapor from it. On the horizontal mesh bridges, bubbling centers additionally appear - the percentage of alcohol in the vapor increases and, ideally, reaches a maximum at the sampling point. High-boiling impurities remain in the liquid state.
The speed of operation of a continuous beer column far exceeds the capabilities of a conventional distiller, not to mention distillation columns. But this moment is leveled by the need for re-distillation, if your goal is to get a quality drink.
If it is necessary to process a large amount of mash (up to 70 l / h) into medium quality alcohol - a continuous mash column is indispensable.
How to do it yourself
If you nevertheless decided on the intention to acquire a continuous action beer column and have a certain financial resource, then it is best to buy it. There are good options in online stores, for example, Doctor Guber or HD / 3-60, they are quite efficient and not too burdensome in price.
It should be noted that with the independent manufacture of the column, the lion's share of the costs falls on the purchase of equipment. You will need to buy:
- two containers, for mash and water (evaporator);
- mash pump (fountain or peristaltic);
- pipe for the column (stainless steel or copper Ø 50-100 mm), height 1.5-2 m;
- LATR or other voltage regulator;
- two thermometers;
- silicone hoses;
- flow-through refrigerator assembly, or materials for its manufacture.
In addition, tools are needed for the manufacture of the column, the installation of fittings and clamps. In terms of labor intensity, the continuous column is among the leaders.
Someone may be confused by the height of the column - up to 2 meters. But it should be remembered that even with 8-10 mesh filter partitions inside, with a shorter length, heat transfer will be very sluggish and most of the alcohol dissolved in the mash will go to waste. Phlegm can be recycled if you collect it in a separate container. But in this case, there is no need for the beer column itself - it is better to overtake on a conventional distiller.
The column will require a copper or stainless steel pipe, the diameter of which is indicated above. In the lower part, a clamp or threaded connection is mounted for mounting on the evaporator tank (steam generator). The upper part is replete with threaded or clamped outlets for:
- serving mash;
- vapor extraction (to the refrigerator);
- thermometer;
- connection with the atmosphere (required).
How to place them - the atmospheric outlet or valve is above all, the thermometer socket is mounted opposite the outlet to the refrigerator, the mash supply is just below the atmospheric valve.
The column is not cooled, on the contrary, it must be insulated so that all the heat from the rising steam is spent on the evaporation of alcohol. It should be noted that the specific heat capacity of the mash is quite high, and for processing 1 liter into alcohol, at least 0.5-0.8 liters of water must be evaporated. The power of the steam generator heaters is selected at least 2.5-3 kW (if heating elements are used).
It is necessary to start pumping the mash about only after the liquid boils in the evaporator. This determines the increased energy consumption in continuous columns. Each start is accompanied by 10-15% of heat consumption for warming up the steam generator.
Conclusion
- A continuous beer column is a productive and efficient installation, but it justifies itself only if it is necessary to process a large amount of raw materials. Even with 50-100 liters per session, there is no need to run it.
- The cost of making it yourself is justified only if you have locksmith skills and engineering knowledge in electrical and thermal engineering at the professional level;
- The complexity of operation;
- Cumbersome design - the more nodes, the higher the likelihood of breakdowns.
- Lack of real schemes on the Internet and literature. The drawings that are provided on the Internet are in most cases schematic and require adaptation.
When buying a column of industrial production - unjustifiably high cost.
To get a strong alcoholic drink at home, two things are usually needed.
- Choose and cook it right.
- Have a reliable and efficient moonshine still to overtake the resulting mash.
Such a distiller as a beer column, in terms of quality and purity of the resulting product, is between a dry steamer and a distillation column. The drink turns out cleaner and stronger than on the “classic”, but the absolute purity of rectified alcohol cannot be achieved on a simple beer column. The maximum strength of the distillate obtained on the film (mash) column is 90-95 degrees. But this is more than enough even for the preparation of r.
How the beer column is arranged
The wash (or film) column is a hollow vertical tube with a diameter (d) of 25-50 mm and a height of 30 * d, the upper part of which is necessarily equipped with a cooling “jacket” - a reflux condenser. It is usually mounted in the upper quarter of the column. It is thanks to the reflux condenser in the column that it is possible to create the desired temperature regime and finely regulate it.
The principal arrangement of the mash column is shown in the figure:
Hot vapors rising from the distillation cube partially condense on the walls of the column. Heat and mass transfer also takes place here: the liquid (condensate) is saturated with heavy-boiling impurities from the rising vapors, and the vapors themselves are saturated with light-boiling substances, evaporating them from the liquid. The liquid, called phlegm, flows back into the distillation cube as a film. Hence the name - film column.
The thermometer in the upper part of the column must be calibrated, because it is used to control the distillation temperature to a greater extent.
The main types of mash columns
As such, there are only two types of mash columns: the usual mash column, described above, and the continuous mash column. If inside the column there are nozzles and fillers, then it can already be considered distillation, and it cannot be called mash.
How is a continuous beer column arranged? In its design, there are significant differences from a conventional film column, because the key word here is continuous.
Such a column is designed for continuous distillation of large volumes of mash (from 100-120 l). At the same time, the mash should not have small particles, should not be very thick and foamy, should be homogeneous in composition. This is important because the mash is supplied to the continuous column from above in a constant flow by means of a pump. And heat and mass transfer occurs on special contact plates. Braga overcomes all the way from top to bottom in 12-15 seconds, so heavy-boiling impurities simply do not have time to evaporate, while alcohol at the desired temperature evaporates almost instantly, being carried away by water vapor.
This technology is well applicable in industry, but at home it is not easy to implement: you need a special pump and astronomical volumes of mash by home standards. NBKs are rarely mentioned, since they are rarely used in everyday life, and there are only a few models for home use.
There has long been a debate among craftsmen about how much beer columns are needed and whether they justify the cost of acquiring them or making them yourself. Let's try to understand this issue.
Unlike a distillation column, a continuous mash column operates at high speed, providing moonshine of very high strength (almost alcohol) at the outlet. She, like the rectification, rids the final product of fusel vapors.
Some disadvantages
What is a disadvantage for some is an advantage for others. However, before purchasing or making such a device (preferably from copper with your own hands), you should know something.
For the usual practice of home brewing (from time to time, in small batches), it is not suitable, since the product intended for processing (mash), the mash column requires at least 70 liters, and even better - 100-120.
Costs are necessary - either monetary or labor in order to have such a device. The need for accurate and correct regulation of temperature, water flow, etc. it is best to entrust the electronics, which in other cases causes difficulties.
If funds permit, it is best to purchase finished column providing continuous action, equipped with electronic control. This will eliminate additional adjustments and initial errors.
How it works?
Let's consider the principle of operation of the beer column so that you can finally understand: do you want such equipment for yourself?
- Braga is supplied to the heat receiver (upper part of the column pipe) with a pump.
- Being in a column, begins interact with water vapor heated to almost 100 ° C in countercurrent mode.
- going on heat exchange: alcohol evaporates, other components having a high boiling point flow down and are removed.
- On jumpers made of mesh material, located horizontally, arises focal bubbling. Because of this, the percentage of alcohol in the vapor increases. This is what causes the high resulting moonshine.
- are retrieved from mash in a column with liquid selection unnecessary components(sivukha), at temperatures below 76°C. The temperature must be regulated using the speed at which the mash is supplied, as well as its temperature.
The moonshine obtained in the beer column is already does not need to select either heads or tails– the final product is strong and clean from unnecessary impurities.
Design features
According to the device, the continuous action beer column at the same time resembles distiller and rectifier. Comprises:
- dephlegmator- a part that takes care of getting rid of moonshine from fusel fumes;
distiller - in fact, a distillation device; - refrigerator- common or separate for the reflux condenser, and for the distiller (read:);
- pump feeding the mash into the column;
- thermometers, and even better - temperature sensors.
How to do it yourself?
So that a continuous do-it-yourself mash column is not just active, but its work is trouble-free, there are many nuances to consider c, including frequency of use and production volumes.
You can see a drawing of the popular bast column Malyutka below. It's not that hard to implement. The name itself already speaks of its compact size. However, it is worth knowing that "compact" does not mean low.
Column height should not be lower than 1.5 meters, better - about 2 meters. With a lower design, it will not provide a high-quality selection of alcohol vapor, and a significant amount of it will go to waste.
A feature of the Baby is that the condenser and reflux condenser are located in the same refrigerator, that is, the container with running water is the same for them. This, of course, saves costs and partially - materials.
However, this design has a drawback - it is quite difficult to regulate the reflux process and you may be dissatisfied with the quality and strength of moonshine. Of course, you can get medium quality alcohol, but you want to be known as a true master of a quality product.
This will help the beer column of Maris, or as it is also called - Modernized. Refrigerators in it for the reflux condenser and distiller are separated and it makes it possible, with proper adjustment, to obtain rectified alcohol, free from unnecessary impurities, with a strength of up to 97%.
Necessary materials
After reviewing the schemes for self-production, before starting work, it is necessary to purchase devices and materials. You will need:
- container for mash with a capacity of 100 to 200 liters;
- one - two containers for arranging refrigerators, depending on the chosen design or materials that allow you to make it yourself;
- a pipe with a diameter of at least 50 and not more than 100 mm made of stainless steel or copper with a height of 1.5 to 2 meters;
- mash pump;
- to control the beer column, a voltage regulator of the LATR type is needed;
- thermometers (2 pcs.);
- heating element (if provided);
- fitting, according to the drawing;
- screen partitions-filters;
- silicone hoses.
Naturally, in order for manufacturing to be possible, you must also have tools and fixtures for installation.
Now you have learned what a beer column is and how to use it to get moonshine with excellent (let's be honest - unthinkable with other methods) indicators of strength and purity. Easy to make and fun to use!
Hi all!
A couple of weeks ago, I came across a very interesting equipment for moonshiners - beer column. It is also called a film column or a fortified distiller. One of my acquaintances, a distiller, bought it and kindly offered to test this unit.
What is the outcome you ask? My colleague makes excellent 88-degree moonshine, and now I know what to answer 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 drive moonshine on it.
What is a wash (film) column
Now I will briefly describe what the mash column is for, and in the next chapter I will analyze in more detail the principle of its operation.
So, a film column is equipment that allows you to get very strong and clean moonshine. Up to 90 degrees! And at the same time, the equipment is quite simple in design and use, and its price is relatively small. It is installed directly on the distillation cube.
In appearance, the mash column resembles an ordinary once-through distiller. In fact, the way it is, the only difference is that another refrigerator is installed on the pipe ascending from the cube. The so-called dephlegmator or partial condenser.
This is where the whole point lies. But more on that in the next chapter.
The principle of operation of the film column
To make it clearer, I drew a simple scheme of work.
So, as I said, the column is placed directly on the distillation cube. The heated vapors of moonshine from the cube enter the partial (in Russian - partial) condenser. There, part of the vapor condenses and settles on the walls of the cooler, while the other part goes further.
Therefore, the first cooler is called partial, because. it does not condense all the vapor.
The liquid that has settled on the walls of the cooler is called phlegm. Hence the other name of the partial cooler - dephlegmator.
As you remember, moonshine consists of various impurities, which are conditionally divided into three main groups - “heads”, “body” and “tails”. The heads evaporate at a lower temperature than the rest of the groups. The body is at a higher temperature than the heads, while the tails are the highest boiling fraction. We drink, as we know, only the body, and cut off everything else. This race is called fractional.
So, cooling moonshine vapors in a reflux condenser, we separate them and pass lower-boiling components on, and everything else condenses on the walls of the cooler and flows back into the cube with a film.
Hence the second name of the column - film.
At the same time, the alcohol-containing vapor rising in the side of the partial condenser constantly interacts with the phlegm flowing towards it. There is a process of heat and mass transfer - steam snatches low-boiling components from phlegm and gives it high-boiling ones (fusel oils and water). Hence such a frenzied strengthening - up to 90 degrees of the final product!
By regulating the temperature in the dephlegmator with water, we can quite qualitatively divide moonshine into fractions and cut off unnecessary parts of it. 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 the “tails” in the phlegm.
But in order to clearly cut off the heads with tails and get a clean and strong moonshine with a column, you need to work correctly. Luckily, this is pretty easy to learn.
How to work on the beer column
- First race.
Well, everything is simple. Our column will work only as a distiller, the dephlegmator 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 do not know why this is done - read the article double fractional distillation.
- Second race.
Goal selection
We start heating the cube. When the temperature in the cube approaches 75 degrees, we supply water to both coolers. Moreover, so much water must be supplied 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 operation is called "working for yourself." It should last 25-30 minutes. During this time, the head factions will concentrate in the tsar.
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 speed of 2-3 drops per second. It is worth noting that the response time of the column to a change in the 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, subtract more. Or added.
And so, at a speed of 2-3 drops per second, we select the heads. They are usually selected for smell, but if your moonshine experience does not yet allow you to do this, then use the standard proportion - 50 ml per kilogram of sugar in Braga.
When the heads are over, we change the container and begin the selection of the body.
body selection
Slowly reduce the water supply to the dephlegmator. Moonshine starts to come out faster. The less water you supply, the faster the process starts. But at the same time, the strength and purity of the distillate falls.
Here choose for yourself - either faster to the detriment of the degree of purification and degrees, or stronger and cleaner, but longer.
A compromise solution, in my opinion, is the speed at which moonshine goes in a thin stream.
Now it's time to pay attention to the thermometer installed above the film column. At this point, a certain temperature should be fixed on it. I can’t say which one you will have, because. it depends on the strength of your raw alcohol poured into the apparatus.
But here's what you need to remember. If you have chosen the correct selection mode, then the temperature should be kept at this level. If it grows, even if very slowly (by 1-1.5 degrees), but constantly, then we are supplying too much heat and the moonshine is of inadequate quality. Therefore, either increase the water supply, or reduce the heating.
Now, when we have adjusted the column and strong moonshine flows from the second straight-through, and the temperature of the alcohol-containing steam leaving the column is constant (ranges 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 dephlegmator again. The temperature will return to its previous value, but the amount of moonshine coming out will decrease.
In this mode, we select the body to the tails. For experienced moonshiners, their appearance will be prompted by their own nose. For beginners, I recommend proceeding to the selection of tails when the temperature in the cube (in the cube, and not above the column!) Rise to 93ºС.
Tailings selection
If you are collecting 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 PK produced by Moonshine and Vodka. It has been slightly modified compared to the factory design - the dephlegmator 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 also came to taste.
I will list perhaps the advantages that I noted
- The heads are concentrated, with a pungent odor. The line when they end and the body begins is well felt. It's the same with tails. Therefore, moonshine can be clearly divided into fractions and a very high-quality product can be obtained.
- The strength of the distillate reaches 80-90%. Of course, you won’t get alcohol, for this you need more serious equipment, but we didn’t set such a goal either.
- Fruit and berry mash do not lose their taste and aroma.
- sugar moonshine is softer and more palatable
- Simplicity of design, relatively low price and ease of use.
In general, I made conclusions for myself - for sugar moonshine, a mash column is required. And it is very desirable for fruit and berry.
Such equipment allows to produce a product of very decent quality. Personally, I have already decided that I will order myself such a column. True, after the New Year holidays, when the family budget will be restored.
Update: In February, I did buy a column. Her photo in the previous section.
All for now.
The evolution from grandmother's serpentine to home distillation columns followed bizarre paths, spawning many dead-end branches and "monsters", but sometimes useful hybrid designs were developed. One of these devices was the beer 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 beer column
What did not suit the good old serpentine? First, poor performance. Secondly, even with fractional distillation, the distillate contains a significant amount of harmful impurities. A distillation column (RC) copes with these shortcomings, but has its own problems: expensive equipment, after rectification, the drink does not have the smell of the feedstock, and a distiller is still needed for the first distillation.
The advent of once-through and shell-and-tube refrigerators solved the performance problem. These designs of coolers made it possible to distill the mash into raw alcohol relatively quickly, and an empty pipe was added to the design to overcome splashing. So the distiller of the new generation has acquired a finished form.
Example of a once-through refrigerator 
Example of a shell and tube cooler The pipe served as a dry steamer - not allowing splashes from the cube, which are formed in wild phlegm, to fall into the selection. Such a distiller easily coped with any heating power available in everyday life. A small fortification of the product also appeared in order to enhance this, as previously considered, a useful property - a reflux condenser was used, which gave rise to a whole family of distillers with fortification, related by the common name: “mash column”.
Attention! The continuous beer column (NBK), despite the similar name, has a completely different purpose and principle of operation.
Film mash column
The main scheme was the BC with a shirt reflux condenser, shown in the figure.
An example of a film column in assembled form Available materials, ease of manufacture and strengthening of moonshine up to 90-91% contributed to the growth in popularity of such a scheme. With operating experience, the main requirements were formulated.
A film mash column was considered good if:
- the diameter was 25-28 mm, and the height was 30 to 50 times the inner diameter;
- there was a sufficiently powerful and well-controlled dephlegmator capable of extinguishing the working heating power;
- there was a fine adjustment of the flow of cooling water to the dephlegmator using a needle valve;
- implemented a separate water supply to the refrigerator and dephlegmator;
- a thermometer is installed above the reflux condenser in the steam pipe;
- there was a sufficiently productive refrigerator to work with full heating power both in the second and in the first stage.
Working with the film column was not easy and required the owner's constant attention. During the first distillation, the dephlegmator was not turned on so as not to increase the boiling time of the mash, but during the second distillation, the dephlegmator was already working, making it possible to select the “heads” drop by drop and strengthen the “body” up to 90%. True, it was not always possible to achieve the intended goals with the help of a reflux condenser, then heating was used, which eventually became the main one for the BC. However, the product obtained as a result of distillation on film BC seemed to enthusiasts to be much better than moonshine after fractional distillation on a conventional apparatus.
Euphoria can be explained by the fact that the high strength masks the unpleasant smell of the drink. True, after dilution with water up to 40-45%, all the shortcomings of the distillate manifested themselves in full in a couple of days. Users consoled themselves with the fact that they did not seek to obtain alcohol, but wanted to drink well-purified moonshine with the aromas of the raw materials.
Film column disadvantages
"Strong does not mean clean"- this simple idea did not immediately capture the minds of moonshiners, but there were sensible skeptics who gave the product for analysis. The results were amazing: laboratory testing showed that the removal of impurities on this equipment is a myth.
Moreover, if the film column still somehow allowed to select the “heads”, then there was almost more fusel in the selection than in the feedstock. This made me think and understand how harmful impurities get into the selection, then determine the reasons and try to overcome them.
1. Sensitivity to water pressure. Even a slight decrease in the flow of water in the dephlegmator is enough for all intermediate harmful impurities accumulated in the pipe to instantly slip into the selection. It is enough to open the faucet in the bathroom or flush the toilet so that the water pressure in the system drops, and the drop-by-drop selection of “heads” turns into a vigorous stream.
Rational proposals fell like a cornucopia: stabilization with the help of pressure regulators, water supply through an intermediate tank under the ceiling or an aquarium pump, autonomous cooling systems, etc. In general, things that are very useful and applicable not only for BC.
It seemed that the problem was solved, but in addition to stabilizing the flow of supplied water, it was also required to control the reflux ratio with its help, and this is very inconvenient due to the large inertia of the system.
2. Small holding and separating ability. Trying to fit coils or a couple of washcloths into the column improved things a little, but not enough to solve the whole cleaning problem. As a result, the “heads” were selected carelessly, and even despite the drop-by-drop selection, the necessary esters responsible for aroma were also removed along with harmful substances.
Due to the impossibility of concentrating the "heads" in the selection zone in large quantities due to the practically absent holding capacity, it was necessary to select them in excess, losing a significant part of the alcohol. The transition to the selection of the "body" by increasing the heating power instantly sent intermediate impurities accumulated in the pipe to the selection.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that during the selection of the "body" the separation fell to 2-3 plates and could not hold up the sivukh. When the temperature in the cube approached 90-92 °C, if they did not switch to the selection of "tails" in time, the remains of the fusel oil flew into the receiving tank, leaving only water in the "tails".
Even in the best samples of moonshine obtained on film columns, the content of fusel oils is at least 1-2 thousand mg per liter, more often much more. 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 fuselage.
The emergence of the modern brew column
The solution to the problem of cleaning from fusel oils matured quickly - you need to fill the drawer with a nozzle. As a result, the BC has turned into a mini RK (distillation column) with the same rules and requirements for equipment. The differences remained only in the versatility of the design, which allows the use of BC for the distillation of mash. Also used is the traditional for BK selection by steam, although many distillers appreciated the convenience of liquid selection and installed it on their columns, while others began experiments with selection by steam to the dephlegmator.
Example of a beer column After that, the BC in the classic form of a film column with a selection of steam above the dephlegmator solemnly marched to the museum of the history of moonshine, where it took pride of place. You can object: "Full is for sale!". The answer is simple: you never know dealers and collectors of antiques who sell and bribe not only obsolete things, but also their fakes.
Requirements for a good mash column
In most cases, a modern BC has a column with a diameter of 40-50 mm and a height of 75 to 100 cm, as well as a cube of 20-30 liters, liquid extraction and automation. In general, this meets the standards and requirements for the Republic of Kazakhstan, but the main thing remained for the beer column: the versatility of the design and the desire to obtain a well-purified distillate with the taste and aroma of the feedstock, which can be drunk immediately without a long correction-aging in oak barrels.
However, during operation, ordinary users had a problem: using standard rectification technologies during the distillation of mash, they received not the expected well-purified and fortified distillate, but dirty alcohol, which they called NDRF semi-contemptuously - under-rectified. It seemed that the evolution of the development of beer columns had reached a dead end.
Then BK fans began experiments on the use of low reflux numbers in the distillation of raw alcohol. Everything fell into place. Smaller volumes of still bulk and short sides, which do not allow pure alcohol to be obtained on the BC, have become a strong point for the production of distillate. The high side of the RK has a separating ability that is excessive for the distillate, cutting off not only the superfluous, but also the useful.
The low side of the BC made it possible to implement the technology of a balanced reduction in the concentration of all impurities in the product with the removal of some that are definitely not needed. This was facilitated by the use of larger nozzles. So, for 50 mm BC, SPN 4 x 4 x 0.28 is used instead of 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.25 in the Republic of Kazakhstan. For certain tasks, tray columns and copper rings as packings have proven themselves well, but this is a topic for a separate article.
How to work on the beer column
Beginners often complain that, despite their best efforts, they end up with pure alcohol on the beer column, and not a tasty drink. There is no universal technology, since many of the nuances of distillation depend on the design of the apparatus, however, following the basic rules, you can make a fragrant and well-purified distillate on the BC.
1. BC and RK are devices that implement heat and mass transfer technologies, so the requirements for preparing equipment for operation are almost the same for them. In order to confidently 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 rate of "body" selection. We proceed from the fact that the reflux number should not exceed 2. For example, if the operating heating power for a 50 mm column is 1700 W, then approximately 4.93 x 1.7 = 8.3 liters of liquid per hour evaporate from the cube. We must take away a third, and return two-thirds with phlegm back to the column and cube. This means that the planned selection rate is 2.8 liters per hour, and the reflux ratio is (8.3 -2.8) / 2.8 = 2. Greater accuracy is not required.
3. A long and dull selection of “heads”, adopted during rectification, removes not only aldehydes, but also esters responsible for the aroma of the drink. Therefore, "heads" should be selected no more than 2-3% of the AC (absolute alcohol) in bulk. The rate should be approximately 25-300 ml/hour (about 10% of the "body" withdrawal rate).
4. We set the starting speed of the “body” selection equal to the planned one (in our example, 2.8 l / h). And after the start of the selection, we adjust it so that the yield strength is 90-91% with a bulk strength of 40%.
No more speed change! By the end of the “body” selection, the speed will drop anyway, and the strength in the stream will decrease to 87-88% (with a residual strength of raw alcohol in a cube of 5%). The speed compared to rectification is enormous, but this is precisely what allows medium esters and a moderate portion of higher alcohols to pass into the receiving container. You need to finish the selection of the "body" at a bottom temperature of no higher than 95 ° C.
5. If we distill grain raw materials, then we select the “tails” fractionally (2-3 portions of 100-150 ml each) at a speed two to three times less than the starting one when selecting the “body”. "Tails" will go the next day for blending or for further processing in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The main thing is not to be afraid of a high selection rate: if it is lowered, then the output will no longer be a good distillate, but poorly purified alcohol, which is quite suitable for a barrel - impurities are not completely removed, but only “slightly combed”, freed from excess fusel oil and aldehydes.
If the goal is a distillate for consumption without long exposure, then you can experiment with adjusting the reflux ratio, remembering that the higher the reflux ratio, the greater the degree of purification and approximation to alcohol.
For the distillation of sugar raw materials, only the maximum purification from all impurities and the distillation technology adopted in the Republic of Kazakhstan are suitable. If the bulk volume does not exceed 15-20 volumes of the packing in the column, this SPN packing of the size corresponding to the diameter of the column, and the column itself is at least 1 meter high, there is a chance to get quite decent alcohol from raw sugar alcohol on BC.
P.S. Thanks for preparing the material for the article to the user from our forum.
