How does the Still Spirits Turbo 500 (aka T500) work?
How distillation in the Turbo 500 distillation system works:
- The wash is heated in the boiler to boiling point and kept at boiling point throughout the distillation process. The vapour boiled off from the wash rises up the column, in which the vapours of the heavier liquids (water and heavier undesirable molecules) condense and fall back down. This cycle of evaporation, rising and condensing is continuous and is described as refluxing.
- The temperature at the top of the Column will be lower than the base of the column, as the vapour becomes more concentrated with alcohol the temperature will drop. The higher the temperature at the top of the column, the lower the alcohol.
- The ceramic saddles in the column provide a large surface area to maximise the contact between the liquid and vapour flows in the column and accelerate the refluxing action. The Turbo 500 Still has been carefully engineered to provide a continuously compensating reflux rate.
- As the Distillation process progresses, the alcohol concentration in the wash reduces. To maintain high purity of Alcohol being produced, the refluxing ratio will increase to compensate and the alcohol production will slow.
- Towards the end of the distillation the Alcohol purity remains high, but output will slow until it stops altogether. At this point the water vapour will keep rising and condensing part way up the column, but nothing will reach the top of the column to pass into the Condenser. The Alcohol extraction is finished at that point.
- Time to switch off and move onto making some high quality Spirits and Liqueurs with your Alcohol and your favourite essences!
Please note: It’s illegal to distil alcohol for consumption in Australia without a license from the Customs & Excise Department.