DISTILLATION PROCESS

Distillation is a process used to separate a mixture of two (or more)

components into its virgin state by heating the mixture to a temperature
between their respective boiling points.

For example, at atmospheric pressure, water boils at 212F and ethanol

boils at about 176F. If the mixture of water and ethanol is heated to about
195F, the ethanol will boil and change into vapor which is then collected
and condensed. The water will separate and remain as a liquid.

A fractionating distillation column is used to make this process more

efficient. See
the picture
below to better
understand
how columns
work.

The distillation
column is
made up of a
series of stacked plates. A liquid feed
containing the mixture of two or more liquids
enters the column at one or more points. The
liquid flows over the plates, and vapor
bubbles up through the liquid via holes in the
plates. As liquid travels down the column, the
vapor comes in contact with it several times
due to the multiple plates - a critical process
in distillation columns. The liquid and vapor
phases are brought into contact because as
one molecule of higher boiling material
converts from vapor to liquid phase by energy
release, another molecule of the low boiling
material utilizes the free energy to convert
from liquid to vapor phase.

The base of the distillation column contains a large volume of liquid consisting mostly of the liquid with
higher boiling point (in our example, this would be water). Out of the base flows some of this liquid, some
of which is heated in the re boiler and returned to the column. This is called the boil up.
 Photo of crude oil fractionating column.
Demonstrates the stacked plates
Internals for packed column

Some vapor escapes from the top of the column and is returned to a liquid state in the condenser. Some
of this liquid is returned to the column as reflux, and the remainder is the top product or distillate. Vapor
and liquid phases on a given plate approach thermal pressure and composition equilibrium to an extent
depending upon the efficiency of the plate.

In essence, the hot mixture is pumped into the bottom. The tower acts as a heat exchanger, removing
heat from the vapors as they rise. Some of them condense back into liquids and fall back down the
column.

The temperature gradually decreases as you go up the column. Different groups of hydrocarbons
condense at different heights - the heaviest at the bottom, the lightest at the top. The final product is in its
virgin state.