Distillation is a technique used to separate mixtures by selective boiling and condensation. It involves heating a liquid mixture until certain components boil off and are then condensed. There are several distillation processes used in the laboratory, including simple distillation for mixtures with large boiling point differences, fractional distillation for mixtures with similar boiling points using multiple stages, steam distillation to isolate heat-sensitive materials, and vacuum distillation for very high boiling points. Other specialized processes include air-sensitive vacuum distillation, short path distillation for unstable substances, and zone distillation using partial melting.

1. Tupaz, Ishi Pearl C. BMLS 1-E
LABORATORY ASSIGNMENT 5
CHEMISTRY 1
1. What is Distillation? When is this process applicable.
 Distillation refers to the selective boiling of a part in a liquid mixture and
subsequent condensation of it. It is a technique of separation that can either
be used to increase the concentration in the mixture of a specific component
or to extract (almost) pure components from the mixture. The process takes
place in a column, and two heat exchangers. Distillation has an important role
in many water purification techniques. Many desalination plants incorporate
this method in order to obtain drinking water from seawater. It has also
numerous applications, such as in lead-acid batteries and low-volume
humidifiers. Distillation is also employed on an industrial scale to purify the
liquid products obtained from chemical synthesis.
2. What are the different distillation process employed in the laboratory?
Differentiate each process.
 Simple Distillation
 Simple distillation requires the liquid mixture being heated to the boiling
point and the resulting vapors being condensed immediately. This
approach is only appropriate for mixtures where the boiling points of the
liquids vary significantly (25oC minimum difference). Raoult 's rule
governs the pureness of the distillate (the purified liquid).
 Fractional Distillation
 Fractional distillation is also used to isolate liquid mixtures that have
boiling points that are identical. This includes several stages of
vaporization-condensation (which occurs in a fractional column). This
form is known as rectification, too.

2.  Steam Distillation
 Steam distillation is commonly used in a mixture to isolate heat-sensitive
materials. This is achieved in order to vaporize some of it by moving
steamthrough the mixture (which is slightlyheated). A high heat-transfer
rate is set by the system without the need for high temperatures. To
provide the appropriate distillate, the resulting vapor is condensed. In
order to get essential oils and herbal distillates from many aromatic
flowers / herbs, the steam distillation process is used.
 Vacuum Distillation
 Vacuum distillation is suitable with very high boiling points for separating
mixtures of liquids. Heating to high temperatures is an inefficient
procedure to boil these compounds. The strain of the surroundings is
then reduced instead. To obtain high-purity samples of compounds that
decompose at high temperatures, the vacuum distillation method is also
used.
 Air-Sensitive Vacuum Distillation
 The vacuum distillation method is carried out for substances that are
sensitive to air and react easily with it, but once the process is complete,
the vacuum must be replaced with an inert gas. Such a method is also
known as air-sensitive vacuum distillation.
 Short Path Distillation
 To purify a small amount of a substance that is unstable at high
temperatures, short path distillation is used. This is achieved under
reduced pressure levels andnormally includes the distillatemoving a very
limited distance before being collected. In this process, the reduced
distance traveled by the distillate also reduces the wastage along the
apparatus walls.

3.  Zone Distillation
 The zone distillation process requires a substance partial melting and the
condensation of the resulting vapors to produce a pure distillate. With
the assistance of a zone heater, this is achieved in a long container.