Who needs a mash column? A continuous mash column is a distillery at home. What is this, how can you make it yourself according to the drawings? DIY mini bar column drawings

To make a strong alcoholic drink at home, you usually need two things.

Choose and prepare it correctly.
Have a reliable and efficient moonshine still to distill the resulting mash.

A distiller such as a mash column, in terms of the quality and purity of the resulting product, is between a steamer and a distillation column. The drink turns out cleaner and stronger than with the “classic” one, but the absolute purity of rectified alcohol cannot be achieved with a simple mash column. The maximum strength of the distillate obtained on a film (mash) column is 90-95 degrees. But this is more than enough even for cooking r.

How is the mash column constructed?

The mash (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 top quarter of the column. It is thanks to the dephlegmator in the column that it is possible to create the desired temperature regime and regulate it carefully.

The basic structure 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 occurs here: the liquid (condensate) is saturated with high-boiling impurities from the rising vapors, and the vapors themselves are saturated with low-boiling substances, evaporating them from the liquid. The liquid, called phlegm, flows back into the alembic. Hence the name - film column.

The thermometer at the top of the column must be calibrated, because it controls the distillation temperature to a greater extent.

Main types of mash columns

As such, there are only two types of mash columns: a regular mash column, described above, and a continuous mash column. If there are nozzles and fillers inside the column, then it can already be considered rectifying, and it cannot be called mash.

How is a continuous type mash column constructed? Its design differs significantly from a conventional film column, because keyword here it is continuous.

This column is designed for continuous distillation of large volumes of mash (from 100-120 l). In this case, the mash should not have small particles, should not be very thick and foamy, and should be uniform in composition. This is important because mash is supplied to a continuous column from above with a constant flow through a pump. And heat and mass transfer occurs on special contact plates. The mash travels the entire way from top to bottom in 12-15 seconds, so high-boiling impurities simply do not have time to evaporate, while alcohol the right temperature evaporates almost instantly, carried away into the selection by water vapor.

This technology is well applicable in industry, but it is not easy to implement at home: you need a special pump and volumes of mash that are astronomical by home standards. NBKs are mentioned quite rarely, since they are rarely used in everyday life, and there are only a few models for home use.

Progress never stands still. And even in the production of strong alcoholic drinks at home, technologies are improved every year. Primitive distillers were replaced by distillers with a dry steam chamber, and they, in turn, are gradually being replaced by mash and distillation columns. indicate that the mash column makes it possible to obtain a product of a higher degree of purification than when using a distiller with a steamer. This article is dedicated to mash (or film) columns.

The principle of operation of the mash column

At the heart of any work moonshine still lies the principle of distillation - the evaporation of a liquid followed by its condensation. In this way, a mixture of liquids with different boiling points is successfully separated into separate fractions. However, it is the quality of separation of these fractions that ultimately determines the quality of the resulting drink.

The mash column (film column, reinforced distiller) is more complex in structure than the steamer. Whereas the steamer simply comes into contact with the air environment, the column is equipped with an additional (strengthening) refrigerator, in addition to the usual (condensing) one.
Thanks to the feed cold water In the reinforcing column, the vapors rising from the cube are partially condensed, forming the so-called phlegm. This thick liquid, forming a film on the walls of the column, flows back into the distillation cube. That is why the mash column is often called a film column.
The flowing phlegm is enriched with high-boiling impurities rising towards it and carries these impurities with it into the cube. The remaining non-condensed alcohol vapors become stronger and take away the rising alcohol fractions with them. It turns out that in the column there is a more accurate separation of fractions than in the distillation cube. Thus, both the strength of the distillate at the outlet and its purification from tail fractions increases significantly.

When distilling using a column, there is no need to talk about such a thing as “splash carryover”, since all unnecessary components flow back into the cube. An important point Another factor is that the mash column has its own thermometer, which allows you to monitor the temperature of the vapor and accurately cut off fractions. This happens by adjusting the water supply to the reflux condenser (strengthening the refrigerator). The less cooling water, the less strengthening occurs, and the greater the distillate flow reaches the outlet of the cooling refrigerator. If you want to get a distillate of higher strength and purity, then more water is supplied to cool the reflux condenser. But distillation in this case will take a lot of time.

As you can see, the principle of operation of the mash column in a moonshine still is not so complicated. It is only important to get used to adjusting the water supply: visible temperature changes do not occur immediately. The system is inertial, so you need to regulate the water slowly, pausing for 20-30 seconds to establish a new equilibrium in the column. But it is precisely thanks to the precise regulation of the temperature regime due to the refrigerator that a more accurate selection of heads occurs on the reinforced column. Yes, and tails too.

As for, there are absolutely no restrictions here. The mash column is especially well suited for producing drinks that imply the absence of the flavoring and aromatic properties of the raw materials used for the mash.

Fundamental difference from a dry steamer

In a device with a steam steamer, some of the heads (and this is acetone, ethers, methanol - in a word, everything that boils at a temperature lower than alcohol) inevitably “slips” into the product. The steamer is in contact with the air in the room, and the temperature of this air is usually constant throughout the entire process and is high enough (for the comfort of the distiller himself). And since in this case it is difficult to create more significant difference temperatures, ethers and alcohols with a boiling point close to the boiling point of alcohol will inevitably end up in the product. The column allows you to accurately adjust the desired vapor temperature and maintain it for a long time.

In the case of tailings (fusel oils and heavy esters), cooling is even more preferable than reheating the steam (as happens in a steam boiler). And when working on a column with reinforcement, it is better to lower the temperature and not add a little alcohol than to let a “bouquet of tails” into the product, which will ruin the drink. It turns out that when working with a mash column, we have a choice: either maximum strengthening (here we regulate the temperature regime), or the maximum possible speed (we do not regulate anything, and we get the result as when working with a dry steamer).

Continuous mash column - what is the difference

There is also the concept of a continuous mash column. This unit allows you to distill large quantities of mash. The principle of operation of a continuous mash column is that the distillation process is ongoing, portions of mash are continuously fed into the system, and a pump is included in the package. The operation of such a column implies large production volumes (from 100 liters of mash) and the production of only liquids with a low boiling point (up to 76-78°C). Thus, there is no question of separating the head fraction here, and a second distillation will definitely be required. Whether such a unit is necessary at home is a controversial issue.

Advantages of using a mash column

The film (mash) column allows you to strictly follow the technology for producing strong alcohol at home, as well as carry out high-quality purification of the distillate from harmful impurities and fusel oils. Precise adjustment of the distillation temperature allows you to achieve high strength and purity of the drink, which is important when using it in. At proper operation a film column allows you to obtain a higher-quality distillate than when using a dry steamer. Well, in the case of using additional attachments (tsargs), such a column completely turns into a rectification column.

The operation of a continuous mash column is based on the same process of evaporation of alcohol followed by condensation. But here, as with other methods of producing moonshine, what is important is not the initial and final states - mash and alcohol (moonshine), but the process of converting one liquid into another.

The stages of distillation are the same as in conventional stills - evaporation/condensation. The difference lies in the principle of evaporation, which is also a full-fledged cleaning process. When using a column of this type, you can obtain an unlimited amount of raw alcohol, devoid of fusel. The volume of the product is limited only by the capacity of the mash vessel that is being processed.

Components

The continuous mash column system consists of:

mash tank;
pump for feeding raw materials;
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 clear - yes. But no one asks the question whether it is needed and what its practical result will be. Is the game worth the candle?

Column operating principle

The key word in the name of the column is continuous. This implies the operation of the installation at any time, provided that a certain volume of raw materials is available. 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 makes no practical sense.

Its action is based on the supply of liquid mash into the column pipe, where it interacts in countercurrent mode with water vapor heated to 100 C. As a result of heat exchange, the alcohol evaporates, and all high-boiling fractions flow into the receiver and are drained into the sewer.

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 supplied to the upper part of the heat exchanger, the design 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 regular boiler with heating elements or other heaters. The steam temperature at the outlet is 100 C. Its pressure in the heat exchanger pipe is determined by its diameter and height. The only requirement is that in the area where alcohol vapors are collected, their temperature should not exceed 76 C. This is regulated by the feed rate of the mash and its temperature.

The mash 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 operate at variable voltage. The amount of mash supplied to the column, and, consequently, the temperature of the outlet vapor, 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, areas of bubbling additionally appear - the percentage of alcohol content in the vapor increases and, ideally, reaches a maximum at the sampling point. High-boiling impurities remain in a liquid state.

The operating speed of a continuous mash column far exceeds the capabilities of a conventional distiller, not to mention distillation columns. But this point is offset by the need for re-distillation if your goal is to obtain a high-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 irreplaceable.

How to make it yourself

If you have decided on the intention of acquiring a continuous mash 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 functional and not too burdensome in price.

It should be noted that when making a column yourself, the lion's share of costs falls on the purchase of equipment. You will need to buy:

two containers for mash and water (evaporator);
pump for supplying mash (fountain or peristaltic);
pipe for the column (stainless steel or copper Ø 50-100 mm), 1.5-2 m high;
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, installation of fittings and clamps. In terms of labor intensity, a continuous column is among the leaders.

Some may be confused by the height of the column - up to 2 meters. But it should be remembered that even if there are 8-10 mesh filter partitions inside, with a shorter length the heat exchange will be very sluggish and most alcohol dissolved in the mash will go to waste. Recycling of phlegm is possible if you collect it in a separate container. But in this case, there is no need for the mash column itself - it is better to distill it in a regular distiller.

The column will require a copper or stainless steel pipe, the diameter of which is indicated above. A clamp or threaded connection is mounted in the lower part for mounting on the evaporator tank (steam generator). The upper part is replete with threaded or clamp outlets for:

mash supply;
vapor extraction (to the refrigerator);
thermometer;
connections with the atmosphere (required).

How to place them - the atmospheric outlet or valve is located 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 goes to evaporate the alcohol. It should be taken into account that the specific heat capacity of the mash is quite high and to process 1 liter into alcohol it is necessary to evaporate at least 0.5 -0.8 liters of water. The power of the steam generator heaters is selected to be at least 2.5-3 kW (if heating elements are used).

You should start pumping the mash only after the liquid has boiled in the evaporator. This determines increased energy consumption on continuous columns. Each start is accompanied by 10-15% of heat consumption to warm up the steam generator.

Conclusion

Continuous mash column - the installation is productive and efficient, but justifies itself only if processing is necessary large quantity raw materials. Even with 50-100 liters per session there is no need to start it.
The costs of making it yourself are justified only if you have metalworking skills and engineering knowledge in electrical and heating engineering at a professional level;
Difficulty of operation;
Bulky design - the more nodes, the higher the likelihood of breakdowns.
Lack of real diagrams on the Internet and literature. The drawings that are provided on the Internet are in most cases schematic and require adaptation.

When purchasing an industrially manufactured column, the cost is unreasonably high.

The question often arises, which is better: a distillation column or a moonshine still. There are many supporters of each device, but definitely with the RK you can get good moonshine, but vice versa it will not work. Rectification allows you to obtain 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, the pure product can be used for the production of homemade vodkas and all kinds of liqueurs and tinctures. You can get such a product at home using a mini-distillery. Today it is quite easy to purchase a home mini-distillery in specialized stores. It is also possible to make a real distillation column yourself 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 produce alcohol, packed columns are used; they have small dimensions and easily fit in height under conditions ordinary apartment. The productivity of such a device reaches 300-1000 ml per hour, which is quite enough for home needs.

Distillation column - operating principle. Used as a column nozzle various materials neutral to the action of alcohol - glass, stainless steel, ceramics. The main property of all nozzles is to wet and retain phlegm on its surface. That is, alcohol vapor from the distillation cube rushing up the column, condenses at the top and returns down, flowing down the nozzle. An exchange of components occurs, alcohols rise up the column, and water and heavier impurities flow back into the distillation cube. When a stable distillation column enters operating mode, a balance occurs between the supply of steam and the selection of alcohol. The temperature in the column is stabilized and during the entire rectification process it remains at the same level, not exceeding 0.1-0.3 degrees. It is possible to maintain this regime good insulation columns, supplying power determined for each column and maintaining the required pressure in the system

Distillation column design

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

Each home mini-distillery consists of:

Distillation cube;
Tsarga;
Nozzle;
Selection unit;
Dephlegmator;
Fridge;
Pasteurization drawer (optional);
Automation.

Drawing diagram distillation column

Distillation cube. In another way, an evaporation cube, raw (moonshine) is poured into it for rectification. The cube is also a strong base for the column; the weight of the column with the nozzle is quite large. For home use, a capacity of 15-50 liters is usually used. The cube can be universally suitable for distilling mash and alcohol; in this case, it is advisable to use a large capacity of 30-50 liters. When making a cube, stainless steel beer kegs of 30 and 50 liters or food kettles 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 stove with the ability to adjust the heating power. A thermometer is installed on the cube for internal monitoring of the still 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. The column for a home mini-distillery can be assembled from several connected parts (tsargs). It is better to make connections of all drawers using milk couplings or clamp connections. Such a system will be universal and can be used as a mash column for moonshine and a mini-distillery. For the drawer, a food grade stainless steel pipe with an internal diameter of 25-60 mm is used.

The distillation column for a moonshine still, which produces alcohol NDRF (under-rectified with a strength of 94-95°) can be made of copper. The diameter of the column must be selected approximately 25mm - 0.5 kW, 32mm - 1 kW, 38mm - 1.5 kW, 50mm - 2.5 kW. The length of the packed part of the distillation column should be 30-50 diameters, i.e. if the internal 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 no more than 1 mm.

The column requires careful thermal insulation. The insulation for pipes has proven itself well; the drawer can also be insulated using other methods by winding twine around the pipe and wrapping it with foil tape on top. The better the thermal insulation, the more stable the column will operate. 20-30 cm from the bottom of the nozzle should be made seat for a thermometer.

This can be done by soldering a tube of the required diameter to the drawer. Or weld a sleeve under the sensor or thermometer. Stainless steel and a high-quality argon welder are not always available, so a distillation column for alcohol can be soldered from copper fittings. It is very easy to solder a rectification column from plumbing fittings with your own hands; you can easily pick them up in specialized stores.

Nozzle. Today, the highest quality nozzle is considered to be SPN (spiral-prismatic 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 steel electrode for welding is soldered at the bottom of the drawer, and 2-3 cm of wire (nichrome) is placed on it. The SPN nozzle is not tightly poured on top and another wire wad is inserted on top.

The second most effective nozzle can be called the RPN - Panchenkov nozzle, it is a mesh of wire wound into wads the diameter of your pipe. There are also ceramic Rashiga rings and glass balls. The simplest attachment is a stainless steel sponge, but the effectiveness of such a filler is very low. For a pipe 1.3 meters long with a diameter of 35 mm, you will need 16-18 pieces. 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 is returned down the nozzle, and part is discharged outside through the selection unit. The design of the reflux condenser can be different. The simplest to manufacture is considered to be a jacket or direct-flow reflux condenser. 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 casing of such a reflux condenser can be made from an ordinary thermos. The diameter of the inner pipe is usually made the same as the packed column. At the top of any reflux condenser there is a TCA - a communication tube with the atmosphere.

Another option is a dimrot reflux condenser. It is a piece of pipe (a continuation of the drawer) in the middle of which there is a spiral of a thin tube with a diameter of 6-10 mm through which coolant circulates. For a column with a diameter of 50 mm, the dimrot is wound from a 6 mm tube 3 meters long. The reflux condenser is 25-35 cm long. This design has a larger contact area between steam and liquid and is considered more efficient.

And the third option is a shell-and-tube reflux condenser. Several thin tubes are welded into a large-diameter pipe in which vapor condensation occurs. The advantage of such a device is its versatility; it can also work as a distiller’s refrigerator. 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 packing part there is a distillate selection unit in the distillation column. Typically its design consists of one or two partitions and an alcohol sampling tube. The partitions are welded or soldered into the drawer at an angle. A needle valve with fine adjustment or a Hoffmann clamp is installed on the selection tube to limit or increase the selection of fractions.

Pasteurization drawer. The pasteurization tsar makes it possible to more efficiently purify commercial alcohol from the main fractions. Which are formed in the upper part of the distillation column and the reflux condenser throughout the entire distillation process. The alcohol pasteurization frame complicates the design of the distillation column and may not be installed as a separate element, but it allows you to significantly improve the quality of the alcohol. A slow selection of heads is also carried out during the selection of rectified alcohol from the pasteurization chamber.

Fridge. The alcohol at the outlet flows hot and in order to cool it, an additional refrigerator (before the cooler) is installed after the selection unit and the tap. You can purchase a ready-made glass refrigerator at medical equipment stores.
Or make homemade refrigerator made of tubes like a jacket 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 it goes to the reflux condenser. By adjusting the water flow 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 carry out rectification without constant human participation in the process. It prevents “tails” from getting into the commercial alcohol and allows you to select the head fractions into a separate container. The rectification control unit, abbreviated as (BUR), will turn on the cooling water at the desired temperature, reduce the power during extraction and automatically reduce the extraction at the end. After collecting the tails, turn off the heating and water. The simplest option automation, a start-stop installation with a valve that stops sampling when the temperature in the column rises; after stabilizing the temperature, sampling resumes. It is cheaper to assemble automation for a home mini-distillery using Chinese components or purchase it on specialized forums.

Among craftsmen, there has long been an ongoing debate about how necessary mash columns are and whether they justify the cost of purchasing them or making them yourself. Let's try to understand this issue.

Unlike a rectification column, a continuous mash column operates at high speed, providing very high-strength moonshine (almost alcohol) at the output. It, like the rectification one, eliminates fusel fumes from the final product.

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.

It is not suitable for the usual practice of moonshine brewing (from time to time, in small batches), since the product intended for processing (mash), the mash column requires at least 70 liters, and even better – 100-120.

Costs are required - either monetary or labor - in order to have such a device. The need for precise and correct regulation of temperature, water flow, etc. It is best to entrust it to electronics, which in other cases causes difficulties.

If funds allow, it is best to purchase finished column, providing continuous action, equipped with electronic control. This will eliminate additional adjustments and initial errors.

How does this work?

Let's look at the principle of operation of a mash 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) using a pump.
While in the column, he begins interact with water vapor heated to almost 100°C in countercurrent mode.
Happening heat exchange: alcohol evaporates, other components having high temperature boil, 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 determines the high amount of moonshine produced.
Are extracted from mash in a column with liquid withdrawal unnecessary components(fusel), at temperatures below 76°C. The temperature must be regulated by the speed at which the mash is supplied, as well as by its temperature.

The moonshine obtained in the mash column has already does not need to select either heads or tails– the final product is strong and free of unnecessary impurities.

Design features

The structure of a continuous-action mash column at the same time resembles distiller and rectifier. Consists of:

reflux condenser— the part that takes care of ridding moonshine of fusel vapors;
distiller - actually, a distillation device;
refrigerator– common or separate for the reflux condenser and for the distiller (read:);
pump, feeding mash into the column;
thermometers, and even better - temperature sensors.

How to do it yourself?

So that the continuous mash column with your own hands is not only functional, but its operation 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 Malyutka mash column below. It's not that difficult 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 high-quality selection of alcohol vapor, and a significant amount of it will go to waste.

A special feature of the Malyutka is that the condenser and reflux condenser are located in the same refrigerator, that is, they share the same container with running water. 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 the moonshine. You, of course, can get alcohol of average quality, but you want to be known as a real master of a quality product.

The Marisa mash column, or as it is also called, the Modernized one, will help with this. The refrigerators in it for the reflux condenser and distiller are separated and, with proper adjustment, it makes it possible to obtain rectified alcohol, free of unnecessary impurities, with a strength of up to 97%.

Required materials

After reviewing the diagrams for self-made Before starting work, you need to purchase devices and materials. You will need:

mash container with a capacity of 100 to 200 liters;
one or 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 no more than 100 mm made of stainless steel or copper with a height of 1.5 to 2 meters;
mash supply pump;
to control the mash column you need a voltage regulator of the LATR type;
thermometers (2 pcs.);
Heating element (if provided);
fittings, according to the drawing;
mesh filter partitions;
silicone hoses.

Naturally, for manufacturing to be possible, you also need to have tools and accessories for installation.

Now you have learned what a mash column is and how to use it to obtain moonshine with excellent (let’s be honest - unthinkable with other methods) indicators of strength and purity. Easy to make and enjoyable to use!