What means Distillation?
Distillation, also known as classical distillation, is the process of selectively boiling and condensation to separate components or substances from a liquid mixture. Dry distillation is a process of heating of solid materials to create gaseous products. ALAQUA is a US company that is a distillation equipment supplier along with other processing equipment suppliers. Distillation can produce a nearly full separation or a partial separation that raises the concentration of specific components in a mixture. The method, in either scenario, takes advantage of variations in the relative volatility of the mixture’s constituents. Distillation is a unit operation with almost universal importance in industrial applications, however, it is a physical separation process rather than a chemical reaction. However, there appears to be a lot of misunderstanding and uncertainty about the benefits of continuous distillation, how it works, how expensive it is, and so on, but it is much less complicated than one might expect. The constant tag denotes that the equipment is never turned off. That also entails working a second or third shift merely to keep the machine running. However, this is to be expected when a distillery is ramping up output. Selecting the proper distillation method is very important. Making this decision without adequate information can be challenging if you are unfamiliar with the two types of distillation procedures. Usually, there are two types of distillation equipment to select is between batch and continuous distillation techniques. Because both of these approaches have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, it’s critical to learn more about each one before deciding which is best for you. Basically, Batch and continuous distillation vary as batch distillation is done in batches, whereas continuous distillation is done continuously. The quality of the alcohol will be enhanced by using a still configuration. Because there is a bigger surface area for the vapour to form, a fractionating column on top of the distillation flask improves the alcohol significantly. Small subsystems in certain distillation apparatus will hold boiling liquid mixtures in separate plates. The process of steam distillation is used to make heat-sensitive chemicals. Thanks to the steam control valve, the temperature of the steam allow for a fast rate of heat transfer without a high heat transfer. Some of the target compounds will vaporize, and the resulting vapour will be cooled and condensed. Steam distillation is a common method for those who want to make their own essential oils because the vapour usually has a coating of water and oil in it.
POT STILL DISTILLATION: HOW A POT STILL
Time for a thought experiment: a time machine has been built. Naturally, a whiskey-crazed connoisseur uses it to bring back a famous distiller such as John Jameson or Elijah Craig to the present day. Of course, they’d be asked to distill some whiskey, perhaps at a local craft distillery. Think they could do it? The answer is “most likely” and they could probably do it without too much trouble. The reason is that despite the proliferation of smartphones, genetic engineering, and putting people in space, the human species has yet to markedly improve on the technology of pot still distillation. Except for the continuous still invented in the late 1700s, the basic pot still design used by so many distillers across the globe would be fairly recognizable to distillers from centuries ago. Pot stills are used to make many of the world’s great spirit styles, such as single malt scotch, cognac, many rums, and most mezcal. Conversely, large industrial column stills make the bulk of the alcohol produced on Earth. But the rudimentarily reliable pot still remains king in some important circles. The function of the pot still starts fittingly enough inside the pot. The pot is the large tub-like base that the rest of the components of the still attach themselves to. This is where the liquid to be distilled starts its transformative journey. The pot may be heated through a variety of means. This includes a steam jacket lining the outside walls of the pot or even a steam coil inside the pot itself. Traditionally, a direct flame from a burner is placed underneath the pot. This is common in cognac production and some scotch distillers stand by this method. Minor mechanical advances aside, the components described above have been in use with pot still distillation for generations. Improvements on the design of the pot still have been iterative at best and there’s good reason for that: pot stills make good spirits rather easily. Don’t mess with success as they say.
ADVANTAGES OF CLEAN-IN-PLACE (CIP) SYSTEMS
Clean-in-Place (CIP) is a process allowing a complete system to be cleaned without dismantling it or the manual involvement of the operator. It includes several activities that combine to properly clean all or part of a process system without having to take the system apart. CIP systems pump cleaning, rinsing, and sanitizing solutions through the same piping path as the product to eliminate product soil from internal surfaces. CIP systems vary widely in configuration, capacity, quality, and level of automation. They also vary by industry. Differences in product characteristics and regulatory considerations between various industries impact the design of a CIP system. The number of CIP applications for food, dairy, and beverage process systems has grown significantly in recent years. In most food, dairy and beverage systems, the surface finish for product contact areas tends to be the standard sanitary surface finish of 32Ra minimum. This is rougher than the finishes required in the pharmaceutical world, but it is smooth enough to allow most product residues to release easily. Some of the main economic benefits of installing a CIP system
More Production Time: Less production time lost to cleaning, more time spent making product.
Product Quality: Reliable and repeatable cleaning leads to sustainable product quality and consistency, fewer product recalls, and higher brand confidence.
Employee Efficiency: More labor time spent on productive, profitable activities.
Utility Savings: Water and energy usage reduced through repeatable cycle control.
