Question

 Distillation is one of the important unit operations in chemical process. It is a process of separating a component from its liquid mixture, which involves heating and cooling process. There are various types of distillation methods, such as simple distillation, fractional distillation, steam distillation and vacuum distillation.

 Based on the above description, answer the following questions:

 Question 1

 Identify three (3) factors to be considered in selecting a suitable distillation process.

 Question 2

 Distillation may cause incomplete separation or partial separation of a component in a mixture.

 Outline the reason(s) for the above mentioned phenomenon..

 Question 3

 Identify the variables which need to be monitored, to ensure that the distillation process is effectively implemented.

 Ouestion 4

 Outline the reasons for applying the vacuum concept in vacuum distillation process.

 Question 5

 Analyze how does fractional distillation method is capable to separate crude oil into various products.

 Question 6

 Outline three (3) differences in the experimental setup between fractional distillation and steam distillation.

Answer 1

1. Boiling points of distillation components.
2. Required purity.
3. Steam sensitivity of components for steam distillation specifically.

2)

As distillation mixure heated the more volatile or low boiling component start to vaporise and its conc in vapor phase starts to increase as process proceeded.at the same time its liquid conce goes in decrease so boiling point of residual mixure increases causing high boiling component to vaporise and hence high boiling component also found in vapor causing partially separation.

3)

The variables are need to be monitored are

1) mole fraction of more volatile component in vapor and liquid flow.

2) feed flow , distillate flow , residual flow. And mole fraction of more volatile component in above flow.

4)

The vacuum distillation is used when componants having highr boiling points and it is very costly to provide such huge amount of energy for separation.

Also vacuum ensures their boiling points lowered causing separation at low temperature than Boiling points and saving energy and money.

The componants may get decomposed at high temp so it is beneficial separation tech for heat Sensitive materials.

5)

crude oil being mixure of various componants that are differ in boiling points . Their boiling point may renge between 20 to 500 degree Celcius. As distillation proceeds the mixure get heated and componants whose boiling point is low start to vaporise and hence get separated.

As mentioned earlier , boiling of mixure is goes on increase as Process proceeds the high boiling componants are also start to vaporise causing their separation.

6)

Fractional distillation	steam distillation
Heating is indirectly done so reboiler required	heating done by steam directly fed to mixure, so steam connection required
Reflux connection is required	reflux connection may not required.
Generally simple set up.	Exp set up is complicated due to steam connection additional that requires to make steam separate and add into mixure