White spirit distillation method and device

Abstract

The invention discloses a white spirit distillation method and device in the technical field of white spirit processing. The white spirit distillation method at least comprises the following steps: A, distilling fermented grains by adopting a steam upper-inlet and lower-outlet mode; and B, condensing the distilled steam. The traditional steam direction is changed, distillation is performed in an upper-inlet and lower-outlet mode, and the distillation rate of flavor substances, especially high-boiling-point substances, in fermented grains can be greatly increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of liquor processing, and in particular to a liquor distillation method and device. Background Art

[0002] The traditional baijiu distillation process regulates the concentration of flavor compounds by extracting the liquor in stages (e.g., head liquor, middle liquor, and tail liquor). This process hinges on the traditional solid-state distillation process (in a retort), where steam pressure is adjusted to adjust the temperature gradient within the retort, thereby controlling the distillation temperature and flow rate, ultimately achieving alcohol-water separation and flavor concentration.

[0003] During the alcohol-water separation (distillation) process of traditional liquor, it is difficult to achieve a harmonious and balanced flavor of the distillate liquor due to the limitations of the simple distillation process. Therefore, the distillate is "cut off the head and tail" to reduce the foreign flavor substances, but this also discards a large amount of useful flavor substances.

[0004] For example, during the initial stages of distillation, low-boiling-point esters (such as ethyl acetate) and aldehydes (such as acetaldehyde) evaporate with the head. If the distillation temperature is too high or the distillation time is too long, these substances may be lost due to excessive volatilization, resulting in a weak aroma. Some flavor compounds (such as terpenes) are sensitive to high temperatures and may be inactivated by thermal decomposition during the distillation process, affecting the complexity of the wine. High-boiling-point flavor compounds, such as higher fatty acid esters, some phenols, and flavonoids, can, when increased to a certain level, impart bitterness, off-flavors, and a greasy texture to the wine. Excessive temperatures can also impart a burnt bitterness. To achieve higher-quality wine, the method of "cutting off the head and tail" is often used. However, the high-boiling-point compounds are mostly found in the tail, which reduces the efficiency of these distillation processes. Furthermore, traditional distillation relies on manual judgment of the boundaries between the head, body, and tail, and differences in experience between winemakers can lead to fluctuations in flavor profiles.

[0005] In summary, the limited control methods available during the alcohol-water separation (distillation) process of traditional baijiu (white liquor) result in significant loss of many flavor compounds. Furthermore, the extraction of residual flavor compounds in the mash is far from adequate, leading to significant waste. Furthermore, due to the irrational distribution of most flavor compounds during the alcohol-water separation process, the distilled base liquor suffers from astringency and bitterness (e.g., excessive levels of fusel oil or furfural). These issues require subsequent aging and complex blending, leading to long and costly aging cycles, increased difficulty in subsequent blending, and the resulting unusable defects.

[0006] To improve the utilization of flavor compounds in the mash, Chinese invention patent publication number CN116103115A proposes a liquor distillation method and distiller using superheated steam. This patent utilizes the superheated steam's own pressure to pass through a diffuser at high speed, atomizing the dilute alcohol and liquor tailings to produce a mixed saturated vapor, which is then used to distill the mash. However, this method only improves the steam heat source; the distillation and liquor extraction methods remain traditional, simple distillation.

[0007] The aforementioned patents and applications are both improvements to traditional distillation methods. While they improve the distillation efficiency of high-boiling-point substances, due to the limitations of distillation and condensation theory, namely, the repeated heat exchange between the rising vapor and the liquid above, which causes low-boiling-point substances to accumulate above the vapor and be distilled, while high-boiling-point substances accumulate below the vapor and in the water at the bottom of the pot. Consequently, the distillation efficiency of high-boiling-point substances is very limited. Furthermore, with a single-stage condensation method, the more high-boiling-point substances are distilled, the stronger the unpleasant flavors and poorer the wine's balance. This poses significant challenges to wine design and blending, resulting in a large number of defective wines. The large amount of high-boiling-point substances distilled leads to an irrational distribution of flavor compounds, resulting in base wines with defects such as astringency, bitterness, and thinness. While the "head-to-tail" method can partially separate unpleasant flavors and mitigate this effect, it also reduces the efficiency of both low- and high-boiling-point flavor compounds. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to overcome the technical problems of low distillation rate and low utilization rate of high-boiling-point substances in the existing liquor distillation, the present invention provides a liquor distillation method and device.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is: The liquor distillation method comprises the following steps: A. The mash is distilled by steam flowing in from above and out from below; B. Condensing the distilled steam.

[0010] The invention changes the traditional steam direction and adopts the top-in and bottom-out distillation method to perform distillation, which can greatly improve the distillation rate of flavor substances in the mash, especially high-boiling point substances.

[0011] In some embodiments, step A is: distilling the mash by using pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam in a top-in and bottom-out manner.

[0012] In some embodiments, step B is: cooling the distilled steam step by step from high temperature to low temperature to obtain base wines with different compositions.

[0013] The present invention also discloses a liquor distillation device: The white wine distillation device includes a distillation tank and a condensation system. The distillation tank is provided with a steam inlet and a steam outlet. The condensation system is used to condense the steam discharged from the steam outlet. The steam inlet of the distillation tank is arranged above the distillation tank, and the steam outlet is arranged below the distillation tank.

[0014] In some embodiments, a steam generator is further included, wherein the outlet of the steam generator is connected to the distillation tank via a steam inlet, and the steam generator is used to input pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam into the distillation tank.

[0015] In some embodiments, a drain pipe is provided at the bottom of the distillation tank for draining the bottom pot water formed in the distillation tank; the drain pipe is connected to the oil-water separator.

[0016] In some embodiments, the distillation tank is a multi-layer structure, comprising a heating interlayer and a heat-insulating interlayer from the inside to the outside, and a heating device is disposed in the heating interlayer.

[0017] In some embodiments, multiple distillation tanks are included, and the multiple distillation tanks are connected in series or parallel. A material basket is provided in the distillation tank, and a steam gathering device is provided under the material basket to delay the contact time between steam and material.

[0018] In some embodiments, the distillation tank is further connected to a pressurized air pump for inputting inert gas into the distillation tank.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: Changing the traditional steam direction and adopting the top-in and bottom-out distillation method can greatly increase the distillation rate of flavor substances in the mash, especially high-boiling point substances; By introducing pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam, not only can the problem of insufficient heat exchange during mash compaction be solved, but it can also break through the boiling point limit at normal pressure and efficiently process high-boiling-point, non-volatile, and relatively high-temperature-resistant substances. The multi-stage condensation system can achieve fraction separation from pressure distillation, pressure condensation to vacuum condensation. According to the boiling point, flavor substances with high to low boiling points are collected in sequence. Different fraction segments can be combined as needed to form wines with different styles and characteristics. The inert gas introduced by a pressurized air pump can prevent the flavor substances from being oxidized. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the liquor distillation device provided by the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of the first distillation tank; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of the structure of the medium multi-stage condensation system; Figure 4 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure in which distillation tanks are arranged in parallel in another embodiment.

[0021] Marked in the figure are, 1-steam generator, 2-first distillation tank, 21-material basket, 22-steam gathering device, 3-second distillation tank, 4-oil-water separator, 5-condensate collection tank, 6-multi-stage condensation system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0024] Combine Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, the present invention provides a method and device for distilling liquor.

[0025] The liquor distillation method comprises the following steps: A. The mash is distilled by steam flowing in from above and out from below; B. Condensing the distilled steam.

[0026] The invention changes the traditional steam direction and adopts the top-in and bottom-out distillation method to perform distillation, which can greatly improve the distillation rate of flavor substances in the mash, especially high-boiling point substances.

[0027] Correspondingly, refer to Figure 1 The present invention discloses a liquor distillation device, which includes a distillation tank and a condensation system. The distillation tank is provided with a steam inlet and a steam outlet. The condensation system is used to condense the steam discharged from the steam outlet. The steam inlet of the distillation tank is arranged above the distillation tank, and the steam outlet is arranged below the distillation tank.

[0028] Furthermore, step A in the aforementioned liquor distillation method is: distilling the mash by using pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam in a top-in and bottom-out manner.

[0029] The pressurization here is relative to normal pressure. Pressurized superheated steam and pressurized saturated steam are superheated steam and saturated steam at a pressure of 0.1 MPa higher than normal pressure. The preferred pressure value in this solution is between 0.2 MPa and 0.5 MPa.

[0030] Correspondingly, the liquor distillation apparatus includes a steam generator 1, the outlet of which is connected to the distillation tank via a steam inlet. The steam generator 1 is used to input pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam into the distillation tank. In this embodiment, the steam generator 1 is a superheated steam generator, which is used to input pressurized superheated steam into the distillation tank.

[0031] When distillation is performed with steam flowing in from above and out from below, the mash may be compacted. By introducing pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam, not only can the problem of insufficient heat exchange caused by mash compaction be solved, but the boiling point limit at normal pressure can also be broken through, allowing for efficient processing of high-boiling-point, non-volatile and relatively high-temperature-resistant substances.

[0032] Specifically, the enhanced solubility of pressurized steam is utilized to volatilize the target substance along with the steam, thus achieving efficient separation. This method is suitable for extracting non-volatile components in wine, such as higher fatty acids and high molecular weight phenols.

[0033] Under pressure, the boiling point of water increases (for example, at 0.3 MPa, the boiling point of water is ≈ 134°C), and the water vapor carries more heat, which allows the mixture to be distilled at a temperature higher than the azeotropic point at normal pressure.

[0034] For organic substances that are immiscible with water, their vapor pressure increases with increasing temperature (for example, the vapor pressure of certain terpenes and aromatic compounds increases significantly at 120°C). Pressurized water vapor can "entrain" high-boiling point substances and evaporate them together (even if their boiling point is higher than that of water at normal pressure).

[0035] In addition, the solubility of some non-volatile, highly water-soluble and high-temperature resistant substances (such as some acids, esters, and flavonoid aglycones) may increase in pressurized water vapor, and the purity can be improved by combining separation technology.

[0036] Compared to traditional saturated steam distillation, superheated steam releases both sensible and latent heat sequentially over a short period of time, creating a larger temperature gradient across the distillation surface. This allows for a stronger transport of liquid components, particularly when separating low-concentration components, making it easier to extract low-content flavor compounds. The introduction of superheated steam can slightly alter the phase equilibrium of the system. For near-boiling mixtures, adjusting the superheat can optimize the separation efficiency of volatile components.

[0037] Due to its high heat content and rapid mass transfer, superheated steam quickly vaporizes volatile components in the mash and prevents excessive decomposition of heat-sensitive substances caused by localized overheating. Because superheated steam contains relatively little moisture, it also promotes the Maillard reaction during distillation, imparting a pleasant, caramelized flavor to the wine.

[0038] Furthermore, step B in the aforementioned liquor distillation method is: cooling the distilled steam step by step from high temperature to low temperature to obtain base liquors of different compositions.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, correspondingly, the condensation system in the liquor distillation device is a multi-stage condensation system 6, which includes a plurality of condensation tanks connected in sequence. The steam entering the condensation system passes through the plurality of condensation tanks in sequence, and the temperature or pressure of the condensation tanks is controlled to be lowered one by one, so that the plurality of condensation tanks can condense different base liquors.

[0040] In this embodiment, condensation is performed at room temperature during high-temperature conditions. After reaching saturated steam at atmospheric pressure, fractional condensation is performed using a refrigerant. The entire process achieves fractional condensation from a pressurized, high-temperature state to a vacuum state, separating high-boiling-point substances into volatile low-boiling-point substances. This significantly increases the distillation of flavor substances in the mash while also achieving effective separation, saving energy and increasing the utilization rate of the flavor substances in the mash with virtually no waste.

[0041] This system enables fraction separation from pressure distillation, pressure condensation, and vacuum condensation, collecting flavor compounds sequentially according to their boiling points. A single distillation yields a diverse range of base liquors, allowing for the combination of different fractions to create distinct styles and characteristics, solving the problem of irrational flavor distribution within distilled liquors.

[0042] In this embodiment, a drain pipe is provided at the bottom of the distillation tank for draining the bottom pot water formed in the distillation tank; the drain pipe is connected to the oil-water separator 4.

[0043] A drain pipe is provided to promptly drain the small amount of water generated in the distillation tank, preventing the pressurized superheated steam from becoming saturated steam. Furthermore, the oil-water separator 4 can recycle oil-soluble substances (such as long-chain fatty acids with 12 or more carbon atoms and their ethyl esters) and water-soluble, ultra-high-boiling-point substances, which can be used to produce special flavored wines. Examples include amino acids, peptides, oligosaccharides, and non-volatile organic acids. A condensate collection tank 5 is located below the oil-water separator 4 to collect the product.

[0044] In this embodiment, the distillation tank is a multi-layer structure, comprising a heating interlayer and a heat-insulating interlayer from the inside to the outside, and a heating device is arranged in the heating interlayer.

[0045] Specifically, the distillation tank in this embodiment has three layers, among which a heating interlayer and a heat-insulating interlayer are formed to ensure the distillation effect of the superheated steam; the heating interlayer can be heated by electric heating or oil bath.

[0046] In this embodiment, a material basket 21 is provided in the distillation tank, and a steam gathering device 22 is provided below the material basket 21 for delaying the contact time between steam and material to ensure the effect of distillation heat exchange and material exchange.

[0047] like Figure 2As shown, the steam gathering device 22 in this embodiment is a U-shaped hollow metal mesh, which gathers steam while preventing water leakage. Obviously, the steam gathering device 22 here should be open at the top and have a concave structure at the bottom to achieve the gathering effect. In this embodiment, the U-shaped metal mesh is preferred, but it is not limited to this. As long as the steam gathering effect can be achieved, it can be used.

[0048] In this embodiment, a plurality of distillation tanks are included, and the plurality of distillation tanks are connected in series or in parallel.

[0049] In this embodiment, multiple distillation tanks are connected in series. Figure 1 As shown, the steam inlet of each distillation tank is arranged above the distillation tank, and the steam outlet is arranged below the distillation tank; among two adjacent distillations, the steam outlet of the previous distillation tank is connected to the steam inlet of the next distillation tank; the steam outlet of the last distillation tank is connected to the condensation system.

[0050] By doing so, the waste heat can be fully utilized, and in practice different mashes can be placed in the two distillation tanks, which can also increase the variety of flavor substances in the wine body, making the wine more mellow and full-bodied.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, the distillations in this application are connected in series, including, from front to back, a first distillation tank 2 and a second distillation tank 3. The two distillations have the same structure, differing in the connection of the steam inlet and steam outlet. Specifically, the outlet of the superheated steam generator 1 is connected to the steam inlet of the first distillation tank 2, the steam outlet of the first distillation tank 2 is connected to the steam inlet of the second distillation tank 3, and the steam outlet of the second distillation tank 3 is connected to the first condenser of the multi-stage condensation system 6.

[0052] In some embodiments, a plurality of distillation tanks connected in parallel are included. Figure 4 As shown, the steam inlet of each distillation tank is located above the distillation tank, and the steam outlet is located below the distillation tank. The outlet of steam generator 1 is connected to multiple distillations through the steam inlet, and the steam outlet of each distillation tank is connected to the condensation system. Similarly, in practice, different mash can be placed in the two distillations, which can also increase the variety of body and flavor substances in the wine, making the wine more mellow and full-bodied.

[0053] Furthermore, an inert gas (such as nitrogen) can be introduced into the distillation tank via a pressurized gas pump before and during distillation to mitigate oxidation of flavor compounds. To ensure optimal cooling through progressive condensation, each condensation tank can be equipped with additional temperature control layers and online monitoring equipment for precise control.

[0054] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for distilling liquor, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: A. The mash is distilled by steam flowing in from above and out from below; B. Condensing the distilled steam.

2. The liquor distillation method according to claim 1, wherein: Step A is: The mash is distilled by using pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam in a top-in and bottom-out manner.

3. The liquor distillation method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that: Step B is: The distilled steam is cooled step by step from high temperature to low temperature to obtain base wines with different compositions.

4. A liquor distillation device comprising a distillation tank and a condensation system, wherein the distillation tank is provided with a steam inlet and a steam outlet, and the condensation system is used to condense the steam discharged from the steam outlet, characterized in that: The steam inlet of the distillation tank is arranged above the distillation tank, and the steam outlet is arranged below the distillation tank.

5. The liquor distillation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a steam generator (1), the outlet of the steam generator (1) is connected to the distillation tank through a steam inlet, and the steam generator (1) is used to input pressurized superheated steam or pressurized saturated steam into the distillation tank.

6. The liquor distillation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A drain pipe is provided at the bottom of the distillation tank for draining the bottom pot water formed in the distillation tank; the drain pipe is connected to the oil-water separator (4).

7. The liquor distillation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The distillation tank is a multi-layer structure, comprising a heating interlayer and a heat-insulating interlayer from the inside to the outside, and a heating device is arranged in the heating interlayer.

8. The liquor distillation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The invention comprises a plurality of distillation tanks connected in series or in parallel, wherein a material basket (21) is provided in the distillation tank, and a steam gathering device (22) is provided below the material basket (21) for delaying the contact time between the steam and the material.

9. The liquor distillation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The condensation system is a multi-stage condensation system (6), which includes a plurality of condensation tanks connected in sequence. The steam entering the condensation system passes through the plurality of condensation tanks in sequence. By controlling the temperature or pressure of the condensation tanks to be lowered one by one, the plurality of condensation tanks can condense different base wines.

10. The liquor distillation device according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that: The distillation tank is also connected to a pressurized air pump for inputting inert gas into the distillation tank.

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