6 Inch Copper Bubble Plate

Bubble plates are used to create more reflux in the column, ultimately creating multiple distillation cycles during one run. A distillation column is a phase change occurring over and over until it reaches the final condenser. The Bubble Cap is the main factor in creating the phase change. As your vapour rises out of the kettle and into your column, it is going to flow through the path of least resistance. The Bubble Cap is designed in 2 parts, the underside, which is basically a tube with windows at the top, and the mushroom top – designed with many arches around the edge. The vapour flows up the tube and through the windows where it is pushed back down towards the plate and typically out of the arches. As you continue through the run, a waterbed will develop on each plate, this is caused by the vapour being knocked down as it hits cooler temperatures of the plate or the column itself. As vapour passes through the bubble cap, it is pushed back towards the plate, where the vapour will condense, heating the water bed and creating a vapour of higher proof distillate. This happens on each plate you have, so if you are working on vodka and you have 3 plates – that’s 3 times distilled.

Check out this Video: How to use Bubble Plates in a still

Interesting read: Bubble Plate Column vs. Hybrid Column