Shroff S.R.

Rotary
Institute of
Chemical
Technology

Topic:- Types of distillation

Subject:- MTO-ll

Prepared by- Dave Harit

Contents

Types of distillation:-

1) Steam distillation
2) Extractive distillation
3) Azeotropic distillation
4) Batch distillation
Steam distillation

Steam distillation is a distillation process with

open steam. It is a process in which steam is
direct contact with distilling system. It can be
carried out batch wise or continuously.
Steam distillation is possible –
- When material to be distilled doesn’t react with
steam.
- When desired product- volatile or non volatile
residue is practically insoluble in water.
Steam distillation

 With steam distillation it is possible to separate substance

at a temperature lower than their normal boiling points.
 In Steam distillation the liquid is distilled by admitting
steam directly into the liquid in a distillation still.
 Example of Steam distillation include concentration and
purification of essential oils for perfumery, deodorization of
fats and oils and purification of long chain fatty acids.
Steam distillation

 Steam distillation is commonly used

- Separation of a high boiling material from a solution.
- Separation and purification of hazardous and flammable
substances like turpentine.
- Separation of a thermally unstable substance from a
mixture.
- Separation of volatile impurities from waste water.
Azeotropic distillation

An azeotrope is constant boiling mixture.

Azeotrope is a liquid mixture with an equilibrium
vapor of the same composition as liquid.
Azeotropic distillation is a distillation technique
wherein a third component is added to a binary
mixture to effect the complete separation by
forming an azeotrope with one or both of the
feed components and removing the azeotrope
thus forming usually as an overhead product.
 Azeotropic distillation
A binary azeotropic system containing ethanol and
water forms an minimum boiling azeotrope at 96% by
weight ethanol.
In this process mixture containing 96% alcohol is fed
to first column, benzene is used as an entrainer forms
low boiling azeotrope which is removed as top
product and nearly pure alcohol is taken out as
bottom product.
The overhead from the first column is condensed,
phase separation is achieved in a decanter.
 Azeotropic distillation
The benzene rich phase from the decanter is return to the first
column and water rich phase is sent to second distillation
column.
The overhead from the second column containing benzene is a
major proportion is fed back to the first column, while the
aqueous solution of alcohol is taken out as bottom product.
It is then fed to third column which gives an alcohol-water
azeotrope as overhead product and pure water as bottom
product.
Thus net effect is to obtain pure alcohol and pure water from
alcohol-water azeotrope.
Extractive distillation

 Extractive distillation refers to the distillation process

wherein a high boiling solvent is added to alter the relative
volatilities of the constituents of a feed mixture.
 It is necessary to alter the relative volatility of the original
constituents because of similarity of the vapor pressures of
the constituents or the presence of an azeotrope.
Extractive distillation

 The solvent selected is less than volatile than either of two

constituents and so as to maintain a high concentration of
the solvent throughout the column it is usually introduced
a few stages below the top stage.
 Example
- Separation of toluene and isooctane using phenol as
extractive solvent.
 Batch distillation
 In Batch distillation the feed is charged to the stillpot to which heat is
supplied continuously through a steam jacket.
 As the mixture boils it generates a vapor richer in more volatiles. But as
boiling continues concentration of more volatile in the liquid decreases.
 The vapor is led to a condenser and condensate or top product is collected
in a receiver.
 Batch distillation
 At the beginning the condensate will be pretty rich in the more volatiles but
the concentration will decreases as condensate keeps on accumulating in
the receiver.

 The condensate is usually withdrawn intermittently having products or cuts

of different concentration.
Batch distillation

 It is used when feed rate is not large enough to justify the

installation of a continuous distillation unit.

 It may also be used when the continuous greatly differ in

volatility.