What is multi -component distillation?

Multi -component distillation is a chemical process in which the mixture of volatile compounds separates on the basis of their boiling. The process occurs in a distillation column, vertical stacking of magazines or phases on which components in their liquid and pair stages coexist. When the mixture moves on the column, high -boiling compounds focus on the lower phases, while low boiling compounds focus on higher phases. When the heat is applied to the liquid, the liquid temperature rises until it reaches the boiling point (BP). For BP, additional energy does not cause temperature increase; Rather, the molecules use it to escape from the liquid phase and become gas. As the liquid is cooked, it is also cooled from the absence of energy that maintains gas molecules in the gaseous phase. This cooling is buddled with some gas molecules for re -condensation into the liquid and release the energy of evaporation. The released energy is capable of re -heating the liquid. Under equilibrium conditions, the evaporation rate is equal to the degree of condensation.

In a multi -component distillation column, a equilibrium mixture is determined at each stage. At the bottom of the column there is a constant source of new energy supplied. This heat causes some gaseous phase molecules the most volatile compounds at each stage, the lowest BP, gets into the next phase. In this higher phase, the mixture will try to re -achieve balance. Molecules coming from below may have too high BP to evaporate at this stage, so that they accumulate in a liquid phase.

Finally, the liquid at each stage concentrates in one or more ingredients. Side currents can be taken on one or more phase. Liquid currents will be concentrated in one or more components and additional distillation steps may be required.

oil is usually distilled to fractions by multi -component distillation. A fraction is a number of similar compounds with close BP, which can be considered one compound. An example is gasoline. Low gas BP can be taken from the top of the columnCE and do not require further processing.

The construction of multi -component distillation requires comprehensive calculations. The column design parameters include the specification of the number of phases, the raw material phase, the phases in which the product flows are removed, and the heat to control the columns needed. Specialized multi -component distillation computer programs perform these calculations, but engineers still learn graphic solutions to understand the process.