The liquid in the upper compartment is thus constantly enriched and the vapor therefrom passes out through pipe T into condensing coils f where it is condensed into spirit and passes off by F.
Fig. 14.—Compound Direct Fire Still.
The funnel tube Y acts also as a means of warning the attendant as to the condition of the mash. If it is too high in level and the pressure of vapor in the heater C too great, liquid will be forced out of Y; if on the contrary, the mash sinks below the level of the pipe then vapor will escape and the heater needs refilling.
Fig. [14] shows a simple form of compound direct fire still as manufactured by the Geo. L. Squier Mfg. Co., of Buffalo, N. Y.
Cellier-Blumenthal carrying this principle further devised an apparatus which has become the basis of all subsequent improvements; indeed, every successive invention has differed from this arrangement merely in detail, the general principles being in every case the same. The chief defect in the simple stills was that they were intermittent that is required the operations to be suspended when they were recharged, while that of Cellier-Blumenthal is continuous; that is to say, the liquid for distillation is introduced at one end of the arrangement, and the alcoholic products are received continuously, and of a constant degree of concentration, at the other. The saving of time and fuel resulting from the use of his still is enormous. In the case of the simple stills, the fuel consumed amounted to a weight nearly three times that of the spirit yielded by it; whereas, the Cellier-Blumenthal apparatus reduces the amount to one-quarter of the weight of alcohol produced. Fig. [15] shows the whole arrangement, and Figs. [16] to [17] represent different parts of it in detail.
Fig. 15.—Cellier-Blumenthal Still.