Donna Mae R.

Galaez BS ChE 4 February 7, 2017

Different Types of Distillation

Distillation is a widely used method for separating the component substances from a
liquid mixture by selective evaporation and condensation. To separate a mixture of liquids, the
liquid can be heated to force components, which have different boiling points, into the gas phase.

Simple Distillation

The vapor is immediately channeled into a condenser. Consequently, the distillate is not pure but
rather its composition is identical to the composition of the vapors at the given temperature and
pressure.

Fractional Distillation

It is used in order to separate the components by repeated vaporization-condensation cycles

within a packed fractionating column. This separation, by successive distillations, is also referred
to as rectification.

Hydrodistillation:

Water Distillation

The material is completely immersed in water, which is boiled by applying heat by direct fire,
steam jacket, closed steam jacket, closed steam coil or open steam coil. The main
characteristic of this process is that there is direct contact between boiling water and plant
material.

Water And Steam Distillation

The steam can be generated either in a satellite boiler or within the still, although separated
from the plant material.

Direct Steam Distillation

As the name suggests, direct steam distillation is the process of distilling plant material with
steam generated outside the still in a satellite steam generator generally referred to as a boiler.

Vacuum Distillation

Some compounds have very high boiling points. To boil such compounds, it is often better to
lower the pressure at which such compounds are boiled instead of increasing the temperature.
Donna Mae R. Galaez BS ChE 4 February 7, 2017

This technique is referred to as vacuum distillation and it is commonly found in the laboratory in
the form of the rotary evaporator.

Air-Sensitive Vacuum Distillation

Some compounds have high boiling points as well as being air sensitive. A simple vacuum
distillation system can be used, whereby the vacuum is replaced with an inert gas after the
distillation is complete.

Short Path Distillation

It is a distillation technique that involves the distillate travelling a short distance, often only a
few centimeters, and is normally done at reduced pressure.

Zone Distillation

It is a distillation process in long container with partial melting of refined matter in moving
liquid zone and condensation of vapor in the solid phase at condensate pulling in cold area.

Azeotropic Distillation

Owing to the intermolecular attractions between molecules in the mixture, mixtures may have a
higher or lower boiling point than either of their components. A mixture of this kind is called an
azeotrope. When the liquids in the azeotrope evaporate, the vapor has the same composition as
the mixture, so azeotropes cannot be distilled using simple distillation techniques.

Extractive Distillation

A solvent that will mix freely with one component but not the other is added to the mixture. The
new mixture can then be separated by distillation.

Reactive Distillation

A chemical that will react with one agent but not to the other is added, creating a new mixture
that can be separated by distillation. Finally, adding ionic salts may alter the volatilities of the
compounds in the mix in such a way that they can be distilled.

Catalytic Distillation

The process by which the reactants are catalyzed while being distilled to continuously separate
the products from the reactants. This method is used to assist equilibrium reactions to reach
completion.
Donna Mae R. Galaez BS ChE 4 February 7, 2017

Based on the amount of compound fed to the columns:

Batch Column Method

The feed to the column is provided in batch-wise manner. The distillation process gets carried
out when a batch of feed is introduced to the column.

Continuous Column Method

The feed to the column is introduced continuously without any interruptions. A continuous
operation is used commonly in the industrial applications.

References:

Distillation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 7, 2017, from http://byjus.com/chemistry/distillation/

John, B. (n.d.). Types of Distillation. Retrieved February 7, 2017, from Sciencing:

http://sciencing.com/types-distillation-6924000.html

Sandhyarani, N. (2016, August 22). The Various Types of Distillation That are Worth Knowing. Retrieved
February 7, 2017, from Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-distillation.html

Extraction Methods of Natural Essential Oils. Retrieved January 8, 2017, from:

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/horticulture/extraction_methods_natural_essential_oil.pdf