Introduction of Distillation
•Definition: Separation technique based on boiling point differences.
• Principle: Lower boiling components vaporize first, condensed separately.
• Importance: Widely used in chemical, petrochemical, and pharma
industries.
3.
Types of Distillation
•Simple Distillation – Large boiling point difference.
• Fractional Distillation – Close boiling components.
• Steam Distillation – Heat-sensitive materials.
• Vacuum Distillation – For high boiling liquids at low temp.
• Azeotropic Distillation – Breaking azeotropes with entrainer.
• Extractive Distillation – Solvent added to change volatility.
4.
Process Description
• BasicFlow Diagram: Mixture → Heating → Vaporization → Condensation
→ Collection.
• Steps:
• 1. Heating of mixture.
• 2. Vaporization of volatile components.
• 3. Condensation of vapors.
• 4. Collection of pure fractions.
5.
Industrial Equipment
• DistillationColumn – Tall tower for separation.
• Reboiler – Heats the mixture and supplies vapors.
• Condenser – Cools vapors into liquid.
• Trays & Packing – Increase surface area for vapor-liquid contact.
6.
Applications of Distillation
•Petroleum Industry – Crude oil separation into fractions.
• Alcohol Purification – Ethanol production.
• Water Distillation – For pharma and labs.
• Chemical Separation – Solvent recovery and purification.
7.
Advantages & Limitations
•Advantages:
• ✔ High purity separation.
• ✔ Simple & well-established method.
• ✔ Applicable at lab and industrial scale.
• Limitations:
• ✘ High energy consumption.
• ✘ Not suitable for unstable substances.
• ✘ Limited for close boiling mixtures.
8.
Case Study /Example
• Crude Oil Refinery Distillation Tower – Separation into LPG, petrol, diesel,
kerosene.
• Laboratory Ethanol Distillation – Purification using fractional distillation.
9.
Conclusion
• Distillation isthe most important separation process.
• Provides pure products and efficient separation.
• Backbone of petroleum refining, pharma, and chemical industries.
10.
References / Sources
•McCabe, Smith & Harriott – Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering.
• Coulson & Richardson’s Chemical Engineering.
• Industrial case studies – Refineries, Pharma plants.
