It's no secret that the most important step in the process of making moonshine is its cleaning. This is also the most difficult part. And before preparing this drink for the first time, everyone who decides to try themselves in this business has several questions - how to carry out this process and make it as effective as possible, and at the end get a high-quality product without unnecessary impurities. An important aspect when choosing a cleaning method is often its low cost and ease of use.
There are many different “inventions” from folk craftsmen. Sometimes people use whatever they can get their hands on to improve the quality of their drinks. Such available means are, for example. But among them, the reflux condenser for a moonshine still rightfully stands apart.
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How to understand that we have a reflux condenser
So, in case of some confusion that tends to reign on the Internet, let’s immediately clarify some details. A reflux condenser, a steam steamer, a wet steamer, a submersible - all this is not the same thing. There is no fundamental difference in the way they work; they differ in the complexity of their design. In some versions of the reflux condenser, several steam chambers are its elements. This article is about a reflux condenser, but for a better understanding compare device for a moonshine still with a steamer:
- Lid.
- Thermometer.
- Connecting Tube.
- Fridge.
- Drain Tube.
- Reception Flask.
And not the most cleverly invented reflux condenser:
- The first steamboat.
- Second steamer.
- Drain fitting.
- Fridge.
- Drain pipe.
- Water supply tube.
As you can see, there is a difference. It’s not very significant, but it plays a certain role when choosing a cleaner. So, a reflux condenser is one of the parts of a moonshine still. It looks like a container for cooling vapors, some of which boil over and are sent back to the coil. If you have secured the reflux condenser correctly, it will be attached to it and the distillation cube with small diameter tubes.
If you compare the preparation of moonshine with a complex surgical operation, then a high content of fusel oils means inevitable death. The reflux condenser here plays the role of a defibrillator and helps save moonshine’s life. At the same time, the reflux condenser is an optional part of the moonshine still. By helping to minimize the amount of various impurities, such as fusel oils, it improves the quality of the resulting drink and increases its final strength. So whether to use it or not is at your discretion. But we would recommend doing this.
First of all, you need to understand the basic principles of its operation. Nothing complicated here. You only need to know that the boiling point of harmful impurities, most of which are fusel oils, is slightly lower than that of ethyl alcohol. And then the rest of the operation of a moonshine still using a reflux condenser becomes clear. The main advantages of using it are as follows:
- harmful impurities enter it first, condense immediately, but do not boil, because all the thermal energy is spent on evaporating the alcohol - this method is much more advanced than, which is better to strengthen the reflux method, and not use it separately;
- after this distillation, the initial mass of hazardous substances does not enter the final product due to the fact that the reflux condenser does not allow them to splash outside its walls;
- the amount of alcohol in brewed moonshine increases due to the return of bad residues to the distillation cube;
- increasing the strength of the resulting drink and the possibility of improving its taste through various fruit additives;
- reduction of unpleasant taste and odor due to the removal of fusel oils from the distillate.
Imagine something that is very unpleasant to you in appearance and has a repulsive smell. Something should come out that, in terms of the damage done to your sense of smell, is not a bit inferior to the resulting light brown liquid with a sharp, fetid odor. These are the very “waste” substances. Their output quantity, as well as the quantity of the drink itself, depends on what raw materials and design of the apparatus you used. The design, which involves the presence of a reflux condenser, reduces the amount of these wastes to the very minimum values (on average, with traditional fermentation they account for 300-400 ml for every 7 liters of final moonshine with a strength of 45 degrees).
What types of reflux condensers are there?
Moonshine brewing has a huge number of types of different reflux condensers. They differ from each other in a variety of parameters, only the principle of operation remains unchanged. All other functions change, vary and are configured: design, number of additional elements, method of application, shapes, sizes. It all depends on what characteristics the manufacturer ultimately wants to see in his device.
Even the material from which the reflux condenser can be made varies. Glass, tubes made of stainless steel (or, in Russian, “stainless steel”), copper or even titanium. Although, we note that the last two options, due to their predatory attempts on the pockets of buyers, are less common. Yes, and there is not much difference in this case. The most common models of reflux condensers are:
- Dimrota.
- Le Chatelier.
- Bunsen.
- Cylindrical with nozzle.
All of the listed types of reflux condensers greatly contribute to ensuring that the correct process of moonshine distillation is completed, which implies a qualitative improvement in the final product. The principle of operation is the same for all of them. Most of the differences come from the construction methods used for moonshine stills. Moonshine manufacturers prefer the Dimroth reflux condenser, a smaller copy of a distillation column. A distillation column is a rather capricious type of reflux condenser to manufacture, requiring some skills in handicrafts, but its manufacture does not take as much time and effort as a long search for the necessary materials.
Alchemists couldn't make the philosopher's stone, but you can make a reflux condenser with your own hands
Plus, you can do this in several ways. Each of them will not take you any time at all. So, here are the simplest ones:
Making your own Dimroth reflux condenser from a regular thermos.
Yes, yes, you heard right. Now you can boast that you know how to use a thermos not only to carry hot drinks in it, but also to make a reflux condenser with your own hands. You will need minimal knowledge of how to solder, file seams, and drill a few holes. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- carefully clean the bottom of the selected thermos. The size is selected according to your needs;
- we take out the inner flask and grind each discovered seam so that a visible gap appears;
- we mount a tube to the removed flask, it will provide ventilation;
- We fix the test tube at the bottom of the resulting vessel;
- solder the intake assembly to the neck;
- We prepare holes in the bushing and fix the tubes in them.
Do-it-yourself reflux condenser made of stainless steel.
All we need, something that is not so easy to immediately find at home, is a piece of stainless steel pipe. But, if you live in an apartment, then it’s easier to buy “stainless steel” somewhere - it will take an order of magnitude less time. Remember that the size of the still increases in proportion to the size of the settling tank. We will also need a skill from the frequently encountered category “I wish I could learn this too” - plumbing. The process is somewhat labor-intensive, as it requires at least a little experience working with a welding machine, and proceeds similarly to the previous image. The only difference is that it will be necessary to solder the parts of the structure together.
Least energy-consuming a method to make a reflux condenser for a moonshine still. Everything you need can be easily counted on the fingers of one hand. Let's check:
- a jar with a recommended volume of at least 750 ml, although even here its size is determined by the personal needs of each;
- nuts;
- fittings;
- glue.
Remember that all components must be able to withstand the temperature used during the distillation of moonshine. Please take a little time to clarify this point. Save a lot of nerves. The procedure for creating a reflux condenser is as follows:
- take a cover and make marks on it in the places where the fittings are mounted;
- taking into account their size, we mark their outlines;
- cut out holes;
- apply glue along their edges;
- fasten the nuts.
This article clearly reveals the importance of such a useful element of a moonshine still as a reflux condenser. Its design and operating principle are examined in detail, which ultimately makes it possible to discover many ways to make it yourself. In addition, the most popular of them were described along with other information that will be absolutely useful for anyone interested in moonshine brewing.
In this article, we told you how to make your own device for making pure moonshine. It is possible that one day we will publish a practical guide to creating a philosopher's stone. In the meantime, it is carefully kept secret, you can follow our new articles.
When making spirits, a home craftsman must correctly determine the desired end result. If speed and low cost of equipment are important to the master, the apparatus will be simple: a distillation cube and a refrigerator.
If he wants to get the highest quality product possible, purified from fusel oils and with a strength above 70 degrees, it is necessary to use various additional components: a steamer, a bubbler or a reflux condenser.
A reflux condenser is a device for additional purification of alcohol-containing steam. The steam that is formed in the distillation cube when the mash is heated contains not only alcohol, but also heavier impurities of fusel oils and water. If the steam is cooled, these heavy impurities condense, and this condensate is called reflux. The process of separating phlegm from steam is called reflux.
Definition from the Explanatory Dictionary of Foreign Words, ed. Krysina: “Dephlegmation [de], and, pl. no, w. [German Dephlegmation< лат. dē… от…, раз… + греч. phlegma мокрота, влага]. тех. Частичная конденсация смесей различных паров и газов с целью обогащения их низкокипящими компонентами.»
The phlegm also contains a certain amount of alcohol, therefore, with different designs of moonshine stills, it is possible to ensure the return of the phlegm to the distillation cube.
Mechanism of operation (why is it needed)
The classic circuit of a moonshine still, a cube-refrigerator, turns into a circuit of a cube-reflux condenser-dry steamer-refrigerator. The operating procedure of the system is as follows:
- The mash is heated in the cube, light fractions evaporate from it - alcohol, fusel oils, water.
- The steam is cooled in the reflux condenser. installed on the cube. Phlegm enters the cube. where it evaporates again.
- Steamer - empty container, through which steam passes. It is needed to separate mash splashes and the heaviest condensate. The reflux condenser can be installed here too. then the phlegm will be collected and utilized.
- Bubbler by purpose and design similar to a steam bath, the difference is that it is designed so that vapor passes through water, cooling and purifying. If the reflux condenser is installed on a bubbler, then the steam bubbling will pass through the reflux. not clean water.
- Alcohol in the refrigerator is complete condenses and collects in liquid form in the receiver.
Video review of a glass refrigerator:
Where is it installed?
The reflux condenser can also be installed on a steam tank or bubbler tank. Then the phlegm will not be collected in the cube, which will provide a purer product at the outlet, but some of the alcohol will remain in the reflux. In some sources, a reflux condenser is confused with a steam boiler, but these are still different devices.
The reflux condenser is installed:
- On the still. In this case, we get something like a distillation column.
- On a dry steamer. In this case, it must be equipped with a tap to drain the accumulated liquid.
- On the bubbler. In this case, it is better to make it transparent so that you can observe the steam bubbles passing through the phlegm. and also monitor the level of accumulated phlegm.
Cooler device for moonshine still:
For example, consider the Dimroth reflux condenser. This is classic laboratory equipment, usually made of heat-resistant double laboratory glass. It is a main tube wrapped in a glass coil. This design is placed in a flask that protects from mechanical damage.
The main tube is installed vertically on a cube or steam tank so that the phlegm flows down due to gravity. The steam passing through the main tube is cooled by cold water from the coil. For supply and return water, the coil must be equipped with fittings. Such systems are also called shell-and-tube systems.
We make it ourselves
In home brewing, not everyone uses reflux. But this leads to a deterioration in the quality of the resulting alcohol, or to the use of double distillation. In addition, the reflux condenser is easy to make and will last for quite a long time.
A home craftsman can make both a shell-and-tube and a jacket reflux condenser. A jacketed reflux condenser will use a simple water jacket instead of a coil. In any case, to make a reflux condenser, you will need soldering or welding skills.
Note: When choosing a material for a reflux condenser, you need to know that the main tube should be made of glass, food-grade stainless steel or copper.
These materials do not oxidize and do not change the taste of the resulting alcohol. A shirt or coil can be made from any other materials.
Watch the video on how to make a simple refrigerator for moonshine in 15 minutes:
- A shell-and-tube reflux condenser consists of a main tube and a coil wound on it. a simple stainless steel or copper tube can be used as the main tube.
- The length of the tube depends on the volume of production; for home brewing, an inch tube 25 cm long is enough.
- The diameter can be increased, the length can be decreased.
- The thinner and longer the tube, the longer the distillation will take, and the higher the degree of purification.
- But if the reflux condenser cools the steam too much, then you will not get any results at all - all the alcohols will flow back into the cube.
It is easy to make a shell-and-tube reflux condenser:
- A copper tube with a diameter of 6 mm is wound onto the main tube.
- Winding length - 15 - 20 cm.
- The tube is secured with plastic or clamp clamps; you can put a foam rubber or foam insulation of suitable diameter on this structure, which is used to insulate heating systems.
- Cooling water is supplied to the copper tube.
- That's it - the reflux condenser is ready.
A more efficient reflux condenser can be made from several small-diameter tubes placed in a jacket with running water. In this design, the steam has a large area of contact with the cold walls, which makes the reflux condenser more efficient.
This is done like this:
- Small diameter tubes are assembled into a cassette that looks like a revolver drum.
- If we use this analogy, then steam flows through the cartridge cases, and coolant circulates in the drum body.
- This design is difficult to manufacture; to assemble such a structure you need to use stainless steel welding or copper soldering.
What to replace it with?
If making or purchasing a reflux condenser is problematic, you can replace it with a simple bubbler.
- To do this, take a simple glass jar (preferably at least 1 liter) with a screw-on lid. Two holes are drilled in the lid - inlet and outlet.
- Tubes are inserted into the holes, while at the inlet the tube drops almost to the very bottom, and the outlet tube is located at the very lid.
- It is important to carefully seal the joint between the tubes and the lid. To do this, you can use cold welding or soldering.
- About one third of cold water is poured into the jar. The mechanism of operation of a bubbler is simple: steam under pressure passes through a tube and passes through the water column. At the same time, it cools, fusel oils condense and dissolve in water.
- Some of the alcohol also dissolves in water, but this is not a problem: during operation, the water is heated by hot steam, and the alcohol re-evaporates from the surface of the jar. It should be noted that a reflux condenser has a number of advantages over a bubbler, for example, the ability to adjust the intensity of the reflux process.
Watch the video where a Chinese moonshine cooler is disassembled, it was always interesting what it is made from at the factory:
Industrial devices
In the alcohol industry, the use of reflux condensers is a prerequisite. There are different types - direct and reverse action.
- Direct action - phlegm enters a separate tank and is no longer involved in the process.
- The opposite is true - phlegm is fed into the distillation cube, evaporates again and again, evaporating the remaining alcohol. In this case, special alcohol traps and ventilation systems are used.
The main purpose of the reflux condenser is to reduce the time and number of technological operations, and improve the initial quality of the product. The reflux condenser separates the steam into several fractions. The steam, passing through the blades and radiators, is swirled and cooled. Temperature control is carried out automatically using sensors and a controller.
As a result, after the device, the steam contains mainly alcohol and a small part of water - the alcohol strength can reach 70-90 degrees.
Conclusion
So, the use of intermediate refrigerators - reflux condensers - is necessary if you need to obtain higher quality alcohol at minimal cost.
The use of this device is mandatory if the quality of the mash is low, there are foreign odors or a high content of fusel oils is felt. At the same time, the simplest structures can be easily made with your own hands, or ordered from argon welders.
Dephlegmator: an important element of a moonshine still and its features
Moonshine still with steamer. There are other names for this unit: sump, sump. Let us choose the following designation, reflux condenser. It is the most accurate, and therefore will be used later in this article.
To better understand the features of the functioning of the reflux condenser, let us first turn to the theory. The final product, which can be created using distillation in a classic apparatus, is mash (raw alcohol). Its components include not only the necessary components, but also those impurities that need to be removed. Fatty acids, saturated alcohols, aldehydes - these and some ingredients are generally called fusel oils. They give the product an unpleasant taste and smell, and change its color.
Their separation can be done taking into account the following factors:
The boiling point of ethyl alcohol, 78°C, is less than the corresponding parameter of the impurities listed above.
Fusel oils can evaporate in fairly large quantities at the specified temperature.
In practice, these features are used as follows. The reflux condenser creates conditions suitable for condensation. It must be remembered that during this process there is a constant supply of heat with new portions of steam, which leads to re-evaporation of ethyl alcohol. However, for other fractions this temperature level is not enough, so they linger in this container and accumulate in its lower part.
A moonshine still creates steam that contains ethyl alcohol and various foreign impurities.
When it enters a container with a certain pressure, a slight decrease in temperature occurs due to the transfer of heat to the walls of the device and its further removal into the surrounding atmosphere.
Condensation forms on the internal surfaces of the reflux condenser tank. The steam pressure in the working volume drops.
Unnecessary fractions, whose boiling point is higher, accumulate in the lower part of the container. Subsequently they are removed from it.
The boiling of ethyl alcohol continues. This component, along with the steam, exits into another hole. Next, through the tube, the steam with ethyl alcohol enters the coil, where it condenses.
Alambiki moonshine stills
As you can see, the principle of operation of the reflux condenser is quite simple, but at the same time, this technology, which is not difficult to implement, allows you to obtain a fairly high quality of purification, quite comparable to classical double distillation. The attentive reader has already noticed that when carrying out work operations we do not use any additional heating or time-consuming procedures. In fact, after appropriate configuration, the entire process occurs independently, without user intervention. He only needs to periodically empty the storage tank of the reflux condenser and remove the fusel oils collected there.
We emphasize that the presence of such an element in the overall system automatically blocks the accidental entry of mash into the finished product, which can happen during work operations, under strong heating, for example. In order for such a “fuse” to perform this function flawlessly, it will be enough to place the input tube 8-10 mm lower than the output tube.
It is also worthwhile to deal with heat dissipation. In this case, it plays a particularly important role. Such a process will depend on the thickness of the walls of the container, their area, the thermal conductivity of the material from which they are made, external and internal temperatures. It should be taken into account that the temperature inside the container will not change significantly when using different heating powers. In practice, this means that when boiling mash with one or two kilowatts of electricity supplied to the heating element, the temperature of the steam will be approximately the same.
On the other hand, we must not forget that under the same conditions the pressure will change significantly (with more intense boiling of the mash). Thus, the amount of heat passing per unit time through a limited volume will be different. His losses will also be different. If we talk about practical significance, it should be noted that with lower power it will be possible to obtain lower pressure, and, consequently, more intense condensation of unnecessary fractions boiling at high temperatures.
In each specific case, it will be necessary to adjust the reflux condenser to the characteristics that a certain moonshine still has. Quite often, transparent glass jars are used to create such an element. They are inexpensive and come in different sizes. With their help, visual inspection is facilitated. If a sufficiently large amount of fusel oil accumulates, this waste can be quickly removed.
A standard tin lid is suitable for making the upper part of the reflux condenser. The input and output tubes are soldered to it. It will be enough to simply ensure the necessary tightness at the junction of the lid and the jar. To improve heat transfer, you can use external airflow into the container using an appropriate fan or other equipment. Some users create special cooling systems using coils. Such designs are more complex, but they allow for more efficient removal of excess heat.
When using this technology, a wide field of activity opens up for the implementation of a variety of projects:
The dephlegmator can be created using single copper tubes (for inlet and outlet), each of which is fixed to the lid using threaded connections. For better tightness, you should use a special plumbing tape designed for the appropriate temperature range.
To experiment with decreasing pressure, you can try different numbers of tubes. After obtaining the desired result, high-quality sealing will be ensured by filling the assembly with the required amount of solder.
If the moonshine still is small in size and particularly high productivity is not required, then you can choose an appropriate jar, not large.
It is clear that each specific option will have different results. However, we can give approximate figures that were obtained as a result of the experiments:
The strength of the final product is from 42° to 47°.
The amount of moonshine obtained is 6 liters.
The amount of collected fusel oils is from 250 to 350 ml.
The waste from this production is a mixture with an unpleasant odor. It must be promptly disposed of in the sewer system. There is no need to think that the reflux condenser is a redundant element. It is not expensive, but at the same time very effective. Its use is highly appreciated by amateurs and professionals. Of course, this device alone is not capable of providing an ideal result on its own. It will be obtained only when using high-quality starting products. Careful preparation of the mash will be required with precise adherence to the required conditions. No less important are the designs of the devices, the materials from which they are made, and the correct selection of algorithms for working with them.
To prepare the highest quality drinks, many moonshine stills have a reflux condenser. Domovar company specialists spoke in more detail about why this functional element is needed and what it represents.
Key functions of reflux condensers
In most models, the steamer is made in the form of a glass container. It is necessary to prevent mash from getting into the final product. As the moonshine heats up, the fusel oils inevitably evaporate. Due to their penetration into the finished drink, its taste and smell are greatly affected.
The purpose of the steamer is to allow fusel oil vapor to mix with relatively pure alcohol, cool and condense. Heavy fractions are characterized by an increased boiling point. Due to this, they accumulate in the reflux condenser.
The purchase of this block is economically justified. Thanks to this capacity, the same quality can be achieved in one distillation as in a double distillation. The alcohol is pure and safe. It does not contain fusel oils and other harmful impurities. Making alcohol requires less time and resources.
In addition, the reflux condenser protects the product from exposure to mash. It remains in the sump without ending up in the moonshine.
Steamers are also used to reduce the heating area and remove excess thermal energy from the apparatus.
How it works
To better understand how a reflux condenser works, you need to consider the technology of moonshine brewing in stages:
- The moonshine still creates steam containing ethyl alcohol and foreign impurities.
- The steam enters the steam chamber, where its temperature decreases. Excess heat is transferred to the walls of the device, after which it is removed to the external environment.
- Those fractions with a higher boiling point settle in the lower part of the container. Once the procedure is complete, they must be removed.
- Ethyl alcohol continues to boil and escapes along with steam through another hole. As a result of steam entering the coil, it condenses.
The finished drink is cleaned of fatty acids, saturated alcohols, aldehydes and other ingredients that spoil its taste, color and smell.
Dephlegmator device
The product is a cylinder with two bottoms, in one of which holes are drilled and thin-walled tubes are reinforced. The space between them and the cylinder walls is filled with alcohol vapor coming from the distillation column. The space between the bottom, to which the tubes are connected, and the blind bottom is filled with water flowing through the top of the cylinder. Alcohol vapor accumulates in the interpipe space and is discharged through its lowest point, entering a curved U-shaped pipe.
Where can I buy a dephlegmator inexpensively and with a guarantee?
The Domovar company sells these and other accessories for making alcohol yourself at home. Products are supplied from trusted manufacturers. All products are accompanied by instructions and other accompanying documentation.
You can buy a reflux condenser on our website at.
Analyzing search engine queries that bring visitors to my blog, I came to the conclusion that the essence of the operation of the reflux condenser and the film column itself is not completely clear to everyone. Accordingly, it differs from a conventional apparatus on the one hand and from a recolumn on the other.
Let's try to understand in more detail what's going on here. Let's start with the terms. As Wikipedia tells us:
Rectification(from Latin rectus - straight and facio - I do) is the process of separating binary or multicomponent mixtures due to countercurrent mass and heat exchange between steam and liquid. Rectification can be carried out periodically or continuously. Rectification is carried out in tower column devices equipped with contact devices (plates or packing), rectification columns.
Distillation (lat. distillatio - dripping) - distillation, evaporation of liquid followed by cooling and condensation of vapor.
From a comparative analysis of these terms, it is clear that in one case there is a direct passage of steam to the cooler/condenser (distillation), and in the second case, part of the condensed steam returns back in the form of a liquid, reacts repeatedly with the newly formed steam (rectification) and only then it goes to the capacitor. The result of this repeated re-evaporation is a qualitative separation of the mixture into its constituent parts (and a significant strengthening of the product while reducing overall productivity). Those. as a result of rectification we get a set of different products (separately alcohol, water, fusel oil), and as a result of distillation we get a more or less homogeneous product (alcohol, water and fusel oil together). Let me remind you that the term “fusel oil” is collective and denotes a certain complex of substances and compounds that are part of distillates/rectified alcohol-containing raw materials in addition to water and alcohol itself (see). In addition to components harmful to health, fusel also contains flavoring and aromatic components, the presence of which in the finished product is often welcomed.
Thus, the separator of the concepts of distillation and rectification is “countercurrent mass and heat exchange between steam and liquid” . How and when does it occur? Or, in other words:
What is a reflux condenser?A reflux condenser is essentially a refrigerator/condenser, which can be structurally designed according to different designs. Its main purpose is to condense part of the passing vapor flow into liquid (which is called phlegm) and direct this liquid back into the cube towards the flow of steam. When it encounters steam, phlegm heats up and all/partially turns back into steam. And again it condenses with a reflux condenser and again flows into the cube, and so on and so on. It is important to understand a number of conditions that maximize the benefits of such a design:
1. For maximum efficient re-evaporation, the thickness of the reflux flow/layer should be minimal and the flow area should be maximum. Therefore, in hollow pipes, reflux should flow evenly in a thin layer along the inner wall of the pipe, forming a film - hence the name “film”. If you use a column filled with any packing with a developed surface, you can significantly increase the contact area of the phlegm that envelops the packing and steam - hence the name “packed”
2. To form a stable film, the pipe must stand strictly vertically - hence the “column”. With even a slight tilt of the column, the reflux tends to form a trickle on one side of the inner surface of the pipe and the film stops forming.
3. The column (or rather, the part of it in which the contact of reflux and steam occurs) must have a height sufficient to stabilize the processes of heat and mass transfer of steam/reflux. At least 50 diameters. Due to stabilized heat and mass transfer and with a sufficient height of the column, a zone distribution of fractions according to the evaporation temperature is formed in it (i.e., the separation itself). The lowest-boiling fractions occupy the upper part of the column because they evaporate faster and more easily, while the higher-boiling fractions roll lower. Accordingly, low-boiling ones are the first to be selected, and then those following by boiling point, etc. We get a well-separated product, selected into different containers according to boiling point.
Why are columns divided into mash and rectification columns?
Firstly, to obtain rectified alcohol (RU), the separation ability of a film column is not enough - a packed column is needed.
Secondly, if you use mash as a raw material for a packed column, and not raw alcohol (CR) of the first straight-through distillation, the packing will very quickly become dirty and stop working normally.
So it turns out that the mash column is film, and the rectification column is packed.
However, the reflux condenser is an integral part of both structures.
P.S. In what I wrote later there are illustrations showing how a jacket dephlegmator of a film column works.
How to make a reflux condenser yourself You can look at the mash column in section 2.
As always, I welcome questions, comments and criticism.
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