PRESENTED BY:

ANAS SALEEM
Distillation

Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based

on differences in their boiling points.
 Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical
separation process, and not a chemical reaction.
History:

Distillation has been around for a long time. Earliest

references are to Maria the Jewess who invented many
types of stills and reflux condensers. Common Middle
Ages and Renaissance uses of distillation included the
manufacture of brandy and other spirits from wine.
Another early use was the manufacture of perfumes
and essences. Other early users of distillation include
the Alchemists. Of course, the history of distillation
does not end there. Today we use it for more than just
spirits.
Principle of Distillation:

Its operation is based on differences in boiling points

between the components being separated. The lighter
components move up the column and the heavier
components fall down. When the relative volatility
between the components being separated is high,
distillation tends to be cheaper than other separation
methods.
Description:

 Distillation is a widely used method for separating

mixtures based on differences in the conditions
required to change the phase of components of the
mixture. To separate a mixture of liquids, the liquid
can be heated to force components, which have
different boiling points, into the gas phase. The gas is
then condensed back into liquid form and collected.
Cont…..
Distillation is based on
the fact that the vapor
of a boiling mixture will
be richer in the
components that have
lower boiling points.
Therefore, when this
vapor is cooled and
condensed, the
condensate will contain
more volatile
components. At the
same time, the original
mixture will contain
more of the less volatile
material
Application of Distillation
It has a number of applications.
 It is used to separate crude oil into more fractions for specific uses such as transport, 
power generation and heating.
 Water is distilled to remove impurities, such as salt from seawater.
 Air is distilled to separate its components notably oxygen, nitrogen, and argon for industrial
use.
 Distillation of fermented solutions has been used since ancient times to produce 
distilled beverages with higher alcohol content. The premises where distillation is carried out,
especially distillation of alcohol are known as a distillery.’’
 Many industries use distillation for critical separations in making useful products. These
industries include petroleum refining, beverages, chemical processing, petrochemicals, and
natural gas processing.
 Distillation is used for many commercial processes, such as production of gasoline, distilled
water, xylene, alcohol, paraffin, kerosene, and many other liquids
TYPES OF DISTILLATION

There are many types of distillation c, each designed to

perform specific types of separations, and each design
differs in terms of complexity.
 Batch distillation
 Continuous distillation
CONT…..
 Batch :
In batch operation, the feed to the column is introduced
batch-wise. That is, the column is charged with a 'batch'
and then the distillation process is carried out. When the
desired task is achieved, a next batch of feed is introduced.
 Continuous :
In contrast, continuous columns process a continuous
feed stream. No interruptions occur unless there is a
problem with the column or surrounding process units.
They are capable of handling high throughputs and are the
more common of the two types.
BATCH
DISTILLATION
Batch distillation: Batch
distillation refers to the
use of distillation in
batches, meaning that a
mixture is distilled to
separate it into its
component fractions
before the distillation
still is again charged
with more mixture and
the process is repeated. 
Main components of Batch distillation
Distillation columns are made up of several components,
each of which is used either to transfer heat energy or
enhance material transfer. A typical distillation contains
several major components:
 a vertical shell where the separation of liquid components
is carried out
 column internals such
as trays/plates and/or packings which are used to
enhance component separations
 a reboiler to provide the necessary vaporization for the
distillation process
CONT……
 a condenser to cool and condense the vapor leaving the
top of the column
 a reflux drum to hold the condensed vapor from the top
of the column so that liquid (reflux) can be recycled back
to the column…….
Cont….
The vertical shell houses
the column internals
and together with the
condenser and reboiler,
constitute a distillation
column. A schematic of
a typical distillation unit
with a single feed and
two product streams is
shown
Basic Operation and Terminology

 The liquid mixture that is to be

processed is known as the feed and
this is introduced usually
somewhere near the middle of the
column to a tray known as the feed
tray. The feed tray divides the
column into a top
(enriching or rectification) section
and a bottom (stripping) section.
The feed flows down the column
where it is collected at the bottom
in the reboiler.
cont….
Heat is supplied to the reboiler to generate vapour. The source
of heat input can be any suitable fluid, although in most
chemical plants this is normally steam. In refineries, the heating
source may be the output streams of other columns.  The
vapour raised in the reboiler is re-introduced into the unit at
the bottom of the column. The liquid removed from the
reboiler is known as the bottoms product or simply, bottoms.
The vapor moves up the column, and as it exits the top of the
unit, it is cooled by a condenser. The condensed liquid is stored
in a holding vessel known as there flux drum. Some of this
liquid is recycled back to the top of the column and this is
called the reflux. The condensed liquid that is removed from
the system is known as the distillate or top product.
Cont….

Thus, there are internal

flows of vapor and liquid
within the column as well
as external flows of feeds
and product streams, into
and out of the column.’
Factors

 The performance of a distillation column is determined by

many factors, for example:
 feed conditions:
 state of feed
 composition of feed
 trace elements that can severely affect the VLE of liquid
mixtures
 Internal liquid and fluid flow conditions:
 State of trays
 weather conditions
Why to Use Batch Distillation:
 There may be several reasons for running a batch process such as this:
 Small capacity doesn’t warrant continuous operation.
 Separation is to be done only occasionally.
 Separation is preparative to produce a new product.
 Upstream operations are batch wise or feedstock’s vary with time or from batch to
batch.
 Feed materials are not appropriate for a continuous flow system.
 Batch processes are economical for small volumes.
 Batch processes are flexible in accommodating changes in product formulation.
 Batch processes are flexible in changing production rate allow the use of standardized
multi-purpose equipment for the production of a variety of products from the same
plant are best if equipment needs regular cleaning because of fouling or needs regular
sterilization.
 Batch process allow better product integrity: each batch of product can be clearly
identified in terms of the feeds involved and conditions of processing. This is
particularly important in industries such as pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs.
 
Advantages of Batch Distillation:

 Batch distillation is often preferable to continuous distillation where relatively small

quantities of material are to be handled at regularly scheduled periods. It is often more
economical for small volumes productions.
 Probably the most outstanding attribute if batch distillation is its flexibility. Little change is
required when switching from one mixture to another. It is flexible in accommodating
changes in product formulation, changes in production rate, changes in feed composition, etc.
Batch distillation allows the use of standardized multi-purpose equipment for the production
of a variety of products from the same plant. They are preferred when the equipment needs
regular cleaning because of fouling or regular sterilization.
 Batch distillation may be preferable for processing temperature-sensitive materials, because
distillation pressure can be lowered as the MVC are removed, thus maintaining lower still pot
temperature within the constraint of the condenser temperature. The minimum pressure in
continuous distillation is constrained by the temperature required to condense the lowest-
boiling component, resulting in higher operating temperature.
 Another important factor favoring the use of batch distillation is that it permits better product
integrity to be achieved: each batch of product can be clearly identified in terms of the feeds
involved and conditions of processing. This is particularly important in industries such as
pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs.
Disadvantages of batch distillation:
 A disadvantage of batch distillation is the long time
the mixture is exposed to high temperatures. This
increases the risk of thermal degradation or
decomposition of the substances. Furthermore,
energy requirement is generally higher in batch
distillation than in continuous distillation.
Applications:

 Batch distillation has always been an important part of the

production of seasonal, or low capacity and high-
purity chemicals.
 It is a very frequent separation process in the pharmaceutical
industry and in wastewater treatment units.
 In batch distillation, the composition of the source material,
the vapors of the distilling compounds and the distillate change
during the distillation.
 In batch distillation, a still is charged (supplied) with a batch of
feed mixture, which is then separated into its component
fractions which are collected sequentially from most volatile to
less volatile, with removed at the end. The still can then be
recharged and the process repeated.