DIY distillation column - detailed description and diagram. How to make a distillation column - calculation of system parameters We make our own distillation column for moonshine

“Dear Evgeniy.
Previously, we completed the devices glass jars, very often banks were broken during delivery and the devices arrived scratched, this caused great inconvenience to both parties. ...
I don’t think that finding a screw can is more difficult than fixing possible problems with unsuccessful delivery...»

Administrator,
Ufa

“The Alkovar classic distiller is shown in the photo with a can, but is supplied without a can. Is it really so difficult to include a jar in the package so that buyers don't have to look for a screw jar? The device is not cheap, a bank of m ... It can be provided in the kit, but this creates inconvenience.
When pouring the used product out of the apparatus, not everything pours out, since the edges of the cube are rounded, you have to distort it, this is also a minus.»

Eugene,
Kirov

“Dear Alexander Ivanov, we apologize for the inconvenience.
We have been producing this copper device for more than 4 years. Over the course of 4 years, several hundred of these devices were sold. For all the time we received only 2 under ... general messages, one of them is yours. The first request was from a person who supplied 3 kW of heating to this device. We assume that you also heat at 3 kW. If you heat it at 1.5 - maximum 2 kW, everything should work properly.»

Administrator.,
Ufa

“Hello to everyone who has an eye on (copper fafarite). A beautiful thing but nothing more. The reflux condenser is working, probably the coil is 12 m in. 2l. - don’t even dream about it. 200 or 250g. he will give it to you and no pain ... her. So be patient. And the reason for the lack of a normal condenser (refrigerator)»

Ivanov Alexander Ivanovich,
Samara

“Nice store, I like it. And their products are normal. Next time I want to try your molasses.”

In order to understand the essence of the processes occurring inside the distillation column, we recommend that you refer to alcohol columns. It reveals the theory of producing ethanol, the quality of which is close to maximum.

Today we will talk about the design of a home rectifier and how this device can be made with your own hands.

Before you begin creating a distillation (packed) column (RC), you need to purchase suitable material. It should be noted right away that all kinds of non-ferrous metals should be deliberately excluded from the design of the device: no copper alloys, no food-grade aluminum and similar materials. Only stainless steel is a chemically inert alloy that is not subject to corrosion and does not emit toxic impurities during the rectification process.

On the pages of FORUMHOUSE you can find a lot of advice regarding the use of copper in the design of rectifiers and distillers. But if you read, you can find even more people who disagree with such opinions. The explanation is quite simple: hot alcohol is a very strong solvent. Therefore, contact of hot alcohol-containing liquids with any non-ferrous metals is extremely undesirable and even dangerous to health.

beutiflet User FORUMHOUSE

Only glass, silicone and stainless steel.

Working scheme of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The figure shows a diagram of a standard RK, once you understand it, you can assemble a home rectifier yourself.

Let's look at the main design elements in more detail.

Alembic

Any metal container made of stainless steel and having a suitable volume can be used as a distillation cube.

As for volume: some people use a regular pressure cooker (with built-in heating), while others have slightly higher requirements. In general, everyone focuses on their own needs.

viktor50 User FORUMHOUSE

The pressure cooker is too small, you need a capacity of at least 15-20 liters. The rectification process takes quite a long time and getting a liter in half a day is not kosher.

As for heating the column: the simplest (but not very practical) option is to install the distillation cube on an electric or gas stove. The fact is that the column has a relatively large height, so it will be better if alembic will sit on the floor (not on the stove).

Electric heating allows you to install the cube directly on the floor, which makes the design of the RK less cumbersome and the entire installation as convenient to use as possible.

Timothy1

We need to switch from gas to electricity - it’s easier to regulate, and the height is added! I cut the heating elements into the flask, connected the voltage regulator from the TV and off we went.

Be that as it may, when heating the feedstock, smooth adjustment of the power of the heating element must be ensured. Otherwise, the whole idea will be doomed to failure.

Many users, in an attempt to improve the design of the RK, equip the device with automatic control systems, as well as complex regulators. But if you are used to controlling the process yourself (and in the case of a homemade distillation column at first you will not be able to do otherwise), then installing an automatic control system is not an extreme necessity. Until you have sufficient experience in the field of home rectification, a simple power regulator included in the circuit of one of the existing electric heaters will be quite sufficient.

Timothy1

I have three heating elements from a Soviet kettle - 1.25 sq. LATR, shown in the photo, perfectly regulates one heating element.

The rectification process in this case is carried out using one (adjustable) heating element. The remaining 2 are needed exclusively for heating.

If you have already had time to thoroughly enjoy the visual perception of the process, and lack of time does not allow you to constantly be near a working RK, then the automation system integrated into the design of the device will allow you to control the process, requiring minimal human intervention. Automation allows you to select the contents of the distillation cube, preventing tail fractions from entering the “body” of the product. There are ready-made technical solutions that can be purchased in specialized stores. Such systems, reacting to temperature changes, at the right moment shut off the distillate selection unit or, conversely, open access to cold water to the dephlegmator.

Rectification drawer

The rectification frame includes several components:

1. Pipe with insulation and nozzle.
2. Dephlegmator with distillate selection unit, water jacket and thermometer.
3. Connection for communication with the atmosphere.

Considering that alcohol vapor is very flammable, the hole for communication with the atmosphere (which is necessarily created at the top of the distillation column) must be equipped with a fitting and a rubber tube. The end of the tube should be lowered into a container of water. This will help prevent the spread of vapors indoors and their ignition.

Let's consider the design of the listed nodes.

Pipe (packed column)

The process of heat and mass transfer occurs in the lower pipe of the distillation column. A special filler is placed in its internal space, increasing the contact area between hot steam and cooling phlegm. When making a column yourself, it is easiest to use dishwashing sponges made of stainless steel as a filler (nozzle). Sometimes a special twisted wire (also made of stainless steel) is used.

If you use metal wool as a filler, then the quality of their manufacture should first be checked. To do this, you need to cut off a piece of a washcloth and boil it in a solution of table salt. If the washcloths contain another alloy instead of stainless steel, the products will not be able to withstand such a test and will quickly rust. It is imperative to cut the washcloth. After all, if it has a protective coating, then only in this way can its internal structure be exposed.

The packing density should correspond to the indicator - 250-280 g of packing per liter of internal volume of the packed column.

The quality of separation of boiling fractions directly depends on the size of the packed pipe. Having considered the practical experience of FORUMHOUSE users, we can conclude that the minimum pipe diameter should be 32 mm. In general, the higher the pipe, the better the separation of fractions. The optimal pipe height should correspond to 40-60 of its diameters (minimum 20). The outside of the pipe should be insulated with a layer of protective material.

belor44 User FORUMHOUSE

A metal mesh is installed in the inner cavity of the pipe (top and bottom) to hold the filler.

belor44

In my column for NDRF, the filler is washcloths. At the same time, there are nets from a tea strainer. The pressure is stable. A meter-long column with a diameter of 35 mm produces an under-rectified product with a strength of 96% at a rate of 950 ml per hour. There are no choke points.

The bottom and top of the distillation pipe are usually equipped with threads, which allow the unit to be connected to the distillation cube and to the reflux condenser.

Dephlegmator

The main purpose of a reflux condenser is the condensation and separation of light fractions that have a lower boiling point (relative to reflux). In practice, the reflux condenser can have different designs. The simplest to manufacture is a direct-flow (jacket) type reflux condenser, or, as it is also called, a refrigerator-condenser. It consists of two pipes of different diameters, between which there is a cooling jacket with running water.

In essence, a direct-flow dephlegmator is a stainless steel pipe that is welded into another pipe made of the same material (only of a larger diameter). Externally, the device looks like in the image.

The photo shows that the reflux condenser has two fittings (for supplying and discharging coolant) and a tube for communicating with the atmosphere (above). At the same time, at the bottom of the reflux condenser there is a fitting for selecting distillate.

To avoid the appearance of foreign impurities and odors in the final product, it is recommended to use only silicone tubes for sampling the distillate.

The reflux condenser body can be made from stainless steel pipes or from an ordinary food thermos and an additional inner pipe. The diameter of the inner pipe is usually equal to the diameter of the packed column. If you do not have access to argon welding, then you can fasten structural elements using an ordinary soldering iron.

The distillate selection unit, located at the very bottom of the reflux condenser, is a shaped washer welded into the inner tube of the device.

In the sampling unit, it is necessary to make holes in advance for the thermometer (if you plan to use it) and for the sampling tube.

The need to introduce thermometers into the design of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a controversial issue. “Experienced” people often do without thermometers at all. At the same time, there are distillers who, on the contrary, measure the temperature where it needs to be done, and where it is not at all necessary. For example, installing a thermometer in the body of the distillation cube only allows you to monitor the heating process. That is, by watching it, you can roughly figure out how much time is left before the column boils.

But there are two structural units in the Republic of Kazakhstan where temperature control brings tangible practical benefits. This is the outlet pipe of the reflux condenser and the reflux condenser sampling unit (instead of the reflux condenser sampling unit, you can use the space between the packed column and the reflux condenser to install a thermometer).

If the temperature of the running water drops below 45°C at the outlet of the reflux condenser, then the separation of fractions will not occur very effectively (due to supercooling of the reflux). If the temperature is above 55°C, then during the selection of the “body”, “tails” will break into the selection tube.

Monitoring the temperature in the selection unit allows you to determine the temperature of the steam at the outlet of the packed column, and at the same time gives an understanding of which fraction is being separated at the current time. For example, if the steam temperature in the selection unit is in the range of – 77.5-81.5 ° C (depending on atmospheric pressure), then only the “body” of the product will enter the distillate selection tube.

Siberiafish User FORUMHOUSE

The temperature during the distillation process was kept in the range of 78.8-81.3. Before finishing, she began to jump.

The inner end of the thermometer tube, soldered into the column, must be plugged.

In order for the reflux condenser to be cooled evenly on all sides, a screw spiral can be soldered into the cooling jacket, which will set the correct direction of the cooling flow.

And here is the design of the reflux condenser suggested by one of the users of our portal.

Timothy1 User FORUMHOUSE

I wound two meters of corrugation into the def - it removes 3 liters per hour!

The design of this device is as follows.

In most cases, the corrugation, which allows running water to pass through, is wrapped around the inner pipe of the reflux condenser (it is not shown in the figure). But this approach does not always allow achieving effective heat transfer. The feasibility of introducing such a design can only be determined by practical means.

In practice, you can find dephlegmators of a wide variety of designs (including horizontal devices). We have described only the most common ones.

Dephlegmator dimensions

The main quantity that determines the dimensions of the device is the area of ​​contact of the steam with the cooled surface. This value is often determined empirically. It depends on the power supplied to the column and on the temperature of the coolant.

Timothy1

The distillation column I made two weeks ago produces 1200 ml of alcohol per hour. More is possible, but cooling is not enough! Input power during acceleration is 3.5 kW, during hauling – 1.25 kW.

The product output is always proportional to the input power. For example, if the power supplied to the cube (during the rectification process) is 700 W, then the maximum productivity of the column will be 700 ml/hour (in practice, with such power we have 300-500 ml/hour). The area of ​​the reflux condenser with such productivity should be equal to 200-300 cm². This area is possessed by the internal pipe of the reflux condenser, which has a length of 300 mm and a thickness of 32 mm.

Doobik User FORUMHOUSE

The speed of distillation primarily depends on the heating force. If the stove can boil 1 liter of mash per hour, then no matter what the device is, you will never get 2 liters per hour. The purer and stronger the product, the slower the distillation. The device itself can slow down the process only in one case - low power of the dephlegmator, i.e. when it is necessary to reduce the heating for normal operation of the device. The larger the diameter, the larger the heat transfer area, and the better the heat removal.

From all of the above, we can conclude that it is better to have a reflux condenser with dimensions exceeding the calculated ones. After all, excess cooling area will never lead to the cessation of condensate formation, and, consequently, to the cessation of rectification.

By the way, on the Internet you can find a calculator for calculating a dephlegmator, which will help you navigate the dimensions of the device being manufactured.

Fridge

As a refrigerator for the sample distillate, you can use a laboratory cooler, which is usually purchased at a laboratory glassware store.

In this case, the device can be made independently - according to the principle of a shirt-type reflux condenser (only the refrigerator will be much smaller in size). To do this, again, you should use stainless steel tubes of small diameter. The length of the refrigerator should be approximately equal to the length of the reflux condenser.

In order to regulate the rate of distillate selection or stop (start) selection in a timely manner, the distillate selection tube should be equipped with a tap or clamp (for example, from a dropper). The location of the clamp is indicated on the general diagram of the RK.

The cooling cavities of the refrigerator and reflux condenser are connected to each other in the following sequence: bottom of the refrigerator - refrigerator - top of the refrigerator - top of the reflux condenser - reflux condenser - bottom of the reflux condenser - sewerage. Simply put, a series connection of pipes is used, and water is supplied to the reflux condenser already slightly heated.

The temperature of the cooling water in the reflux condenser, as we already know, must correspond to certain values ​​(approximately 45-55°C). And additional taps for regulating the water flow will help us achieve the required indicators. The valve from the gas welding torch regulates the flow most subtly.

Sequence of distillate distillation

Let's consider the sequence of work with our distillation column. First of all, we dilute the raw alcohol (obtained after preliminary distillation of the mash) with tap water to a strength of 30%...40% (there is no consensus on this indicator, but the lower it is, the less the likelihood of an accidental fire). Then we pour it into the distillation cube and collect distillation column and adjust it to the distillation tank.

The column, under no circumstances, should deviate from the vertical level. Otherwise, the quality of the final product will noticeably suffer.

After the RK is installed, you can begin heating the contents of the cube. The distillate tap must be closed. At the moment when the temperature of the steam in the dephlegmator begins to rise sharply, it is necessary to reduce the power supplied to the column to a minimum (the temperature at this moment can quickly reach 70-78 ° C, which is associated with a sharp rise of vapor through the packed part of the column). The device should be left in this position for 30 minutes. This is necessary for the RC to warm up and for the process of heat and mass transfer to begin inside it. The temperature in the upper part of the Republic of Kazakhstan may drop.

After the specified time, we turn on the water supply to the refrigerator (and to the reflux condenser) and begin selecting the “heads”. We repeat once again that you cannot drink “heads”!

The end of the selection of “heads” can be determined by several signs: temperature stabilization around 78°C and a change in the organoleptic characteristics of the selected distillate (the distillate begins to smell like alcohol).

After selecting the “heads”, you can begin selecting the “body”: increase the power of the column and adjust the temperature of the water in the reflux condenser (45°C - 55°C).

We enjoy the process until the “tails” are cut off. The beginning of condensation of the tail fractions can be judged by the increase in temperature in the reflux condenser (to approximately 85°C) and the appearance of fusel odor in the sampled distillate. At this point we will consider the rectification process complete. The tailing fractions can be selected for use in subsequent distillations, or they can simply be disposed of. It's up to you to decide.

If you are familiar with in practice, then we invite you to take part in the discussion of issues related to this fascinating topic. If you are used to eating equally sophisticated snacks along with exquisite drinks, then this article will teach you how to endlessly surprise your guests unusual taste prepared dishes.

Quickly navigate to the article

At the next stage, you can work on the heating element of the entire device. For this you can use a regular boiler. Having retreated some distance from the end of the wire, so that it is enough to reach the device, you need to cut off a part, you will have to screw everything back afterwards. The ends of the cord from the boiler must be threaded so that when the lid is closed, the element is inside the body. After stripping the wires, they need to be connected back

It is important to take care of high-quality insulation.

The boiler should not touch the bottom; it is advisable that it be completely covered with liquid during operation. Into the same hole through which the boiler cord passes, you need to insert the long end of the coil for the apparatus. The remaining gaps between the tube and the cord must be filled with pieces of cotton wool, making it quite tight. It is important to achieve the best sealing possible.

The resulting structure made of cotton wool must be filled with superglue, which is made on a cyanoacrylic base. This will allow you to obtain the most airtight connection using composite materials. After the glue hardens, you will be able to get a tight, strong connection. All that remains is to make something like a casing for the fan so that the air washes over the fins of the heat exchanger, represented by a coil.

To make the casing, you can use Tetra-Pak packaging. If you are making a moonshine still, then you can use the technology presented in the article. You need to cut a rectangle from the packaging, the width of which will correspond to the dimensions of the fan. These elements will be used to cover the fan on 3 sides. The end of the coil needs to be brought to the fourth side in order to drain the moonshine. In the remaining side wall you need to make a hole for this part of the tube and glue it with the superglue used earlier. The walls can be glued together with tape. When it is necessary to ensure maximum safety, it should be covered with a transparent protective screen.

At this point we can assume that the mash column is ready. You can use a computer power supply as a power source for the fan. To turn it on without using the motherboard, you need to connect the black wire with the green one. Experts use more compact 12-volt sources, which you can find yourself.

Calculation of parameters and selection of materials

Before you begin assembling the column, you should decide on the dimensions and other characteristics of the apparatus.

1. Tsar heightIf previously distillation columns were multi-meter structures, today home distillers use compact options - about 1.5 meters long. Main principle which should be used to guide the calculation of dimensions is as follows: the height of the pipe should be equal to approximately 50 of its diameters. Slight deviations in one direction or the other are allowed. However, the length of the drawer cannot be less than 1 meter. Otherwise, some of the fusel oils will be selected, and difficulties will arise with the separation of fractions. Increasing the height of the column over 1.5 meters does not significantly affect the quality of the product, but lengthens the hauling time. In addition, placing such a structure at home will be problematic. Optimal pipe dimensions: length – 1.3-1.4 m, diameter – 3–5 cm.
2. Material and wall thickness The ideal option for the drawer is food-grade stainless steel: it does not in any way affect the composition of the drinks. Copper will also work. The optimal wall thickness is in the range of 1–2 mm. More is possible, but it will make the structure heavier and increase costs without bringing much benefit. In addition, it is worth remembering that you will have to make holes in the walls.
3. Type and parameters of nozzles The easiest way to use household stainless steel sponges as a contact element is to use them to clean dishes. To check the quality of the metal, you can soak the product in a salt solution and leave it in it for a day: a good product will not rust. Alternative options are glass beads, stones of certain types, and metal shavings. The packing density is 250–270 g of contact element per 1 liter of column volume.
4. Volume of the cube The distillation container is filled 2/3, and the amount of alcohol-containing liquid should correspond to 10–20 volumes of the nozzle. For a column with a diameter of 5 cm, it is optimal to use a tank of 40–80 l, for a width of 4 cm – 30–50 l.
5. Heat source: Gas, electric or induction cooker is not recommended. The first option is dangerous, the others do not allow for uniform heat supply. The best option is electric heating using heating elements, which can be installed into the cube yourself. The power of the elements depends on the volume of the cube: for 50 liters at least 4 kW is required, for 40 liters - at least 3 kW, etc.
6. Type of thermal insulation material It must withstand high temperatures and be chemically inert. Typically, foam rubber 3–5 mm thick, fluoroplastic or silicone (but not rubber!) gaskets are used.
7. Joining optionIf threaded connections are used, sealant may be required. It is better to give preference to putting elements on top of each other.

Design selection

The size and design of the device depends on a number of factors:

1. Required performance. with higher productivity, the padded drawer will be higher and wider - the pair passes more. The cooler and extraction unit must also provide sufficient efficiency. The minimum length of the drawer is 1.5 meters, it is better to make it collapsible from three bends - 1 meter, 0.2 meters, 0.5 meters. this will allow the device to be used for both distillation and rectification.
2. Possible sizes. Often home distillation columns are limited in size due to ceiling height. Shifting the dimrot refrigerator in the upper part of the apparatus, or placing it perpendicular to the drawer (Thor's hammer) will help save space.
3. Access to metalworking technologies. A stainless steel device will last a long time and will not oxidize alcohol, but to connect the parts you will need argon welding or stainless steel electrodes. Cooking stainless steel is difficult. If possible, you can use laboratory heat-resistant glass, but it is too fragile. An excellent option for the DIYer is copper. It can be easily soldered with a gas torch and is commercially available a large number of
4. Volume of refilled raw materials. The larger the cube used, the higher the productivity should be. Evaporation of alcohol occurs at 75 - 80 °C; lowering the temperature will reduce the speed of the process.
5. Budget. With a minimum budget, you should consider a simple but effective design with mechanical adjustments. If the budget is not tight, the device is supplemented with precision needle taps, additional components and automatic control.

Column) is a device for the production of “under-rectified”, that is, strong and relatively pure moonshine. The resulting product is better than distillate, but does not reach the level of rectified product. About its difference from ordinary moonshine and distillation apparatus you can read it here -.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blueprints

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

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

Drawing with dimensions and names of parts.
Made of copper.
With a drawer of 22 mm.
Visual diagram.

Step-by-step instructions for making a reinforcing column

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

The whole process can be divided into several parts:

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

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

Copper column

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

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

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

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

How does a distillation column work?

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

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

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

What causes continuous rectification?

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

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

Manufacturing of a distillation column

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to assemble a distillation column

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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