Simple distillation is a method of separating components from their liquid mixtures based on the difference in their boiling points. In this method, the mixture to be separated is heated and then cooled using a water condenser. The condensed vapours are then collected from the outlet of the condenser tube. The component with higher vapour pressure has a lower boiling point, so it evaporates and gets collected before the higher boiling component.  In this way, different components are collected at different boiling temperatures.

When the mixture’s components differ widely in their boiling points (more than 25 °C), this method is most suitable for their separation. The liquid obtained after condensation is called distillate and can be easily collected in a beaker or conical flask

Simple Distillation

The above-shown setup of simple distillation consists of a distillation flask in which the mixture to be separated is kept for boiling. A condenser is attached to the arm of the distillation column, which helps collect the components at different boiling temperatures by cooling.

What are the steps of simple distillation?

Carrying out simple distillation involves the following steps:

• Place the mixture to be separated in the distillation flask.
• Attach a thermometer to the cork and place it inside the distillation flask.
• A condenser is attached to the side arm of the distillation flask, sloped downward. Keep a beaker at the outlet of the condenser.
• Start heating the mixture slowly and observe the temperature on the thermometer as the first component starts to boil.
• The component with lower vapour pressure boils first, and its vapours get condensed as they reach the condenser. 
• Condenser cools the vapours, and distillate is collected.
• As the first component evaporates, the mixture in the distillation flask requires more and more heating since the mixture now contains more of the higher boiling component.
• The heating continues to evaporate the next component.
•  Observe the temperature at which the second component starts to boil.
• The vapours are condensed and collected in a separate beaker.

What are the different types of distillation?

1. Simple distillation: Simple distillation is used to separate the components of the mixture which have large differences in their boiling points (more than 25 °C). The mixture is heated, and the components are separated as they boil at different temperatures. 
2. Steam Distillation: Steam distillation is preferred for separating mixtures in which components are heat sensitive and decompose on direct heating. Steam is used to heat the liquid mixture
3. Vacuum Distillation: Vacuum distillation is used when the boiling point of components present in the mixture is very high. A vacuum is created in the distillation flask, which decreases the boiling point of the component and thus, separation is achieved at a low temperature.
4. Fractional Distillation: A fractional distillation is used when the components of the mixture to be separated have a boiling point difference of 10 K -15 K amongst them. The mixture is separated using a “Fractionating Column” attached to the distillation flask.

What is fractional distillation?

Fractional distillation.

What is the difference between simple distillation and fractional distillation?

Simple Distillation	Fractional Distillation
It is used to separate components from the miscible mixture with large differences in their boiling points.	It separates components from the miscible mixture, which has similar boiling points.
Vapours formed when the liquid is heated are directly condensed in the water.	Vapours formed get first condensed and evaporated again inside the fractionating column and then reach the water condenser.
Liquids with higher vapour pressure are collected first, and then the lower boiling liquids.	Liquid with a lower boiling point is collected first, and the liquids with higher vapour pressure reach the condenser.
Example: A mixture of acetone (b.p. 329K) and water (b.p. 373K) can be separated using simple distillation	Example: A mixture of acetone (b.p. 329K) and methanol (b.p. 337.7K) is separated using fractional Distillation

Applications and examples of distillation process <Brief in 200-250 words>

There are various applications of distillation process such as:

Producing Gasoline: Many components of crude oil are not suitable to be used as fuel and hence to separate the crude oil into various components, distillation is very useful. This is one of the largest known industrial applications of distillation.

Purification of water: Various harmful minerals and other impurities can be removed from the water. This is used in many industrial applications like the production of distilled water.

Recycling Oils: Overtime reusage of oils can contaminate them with water and other impurities; this oil can be purified using fractional distillation.

Synthesis of essential oils: Steam distillation of flowers is useful in producing essential oils and water-based distillate. This is industrially used in the production of various perfumes.

Production of various alcoholic beverages: Fermented material during ethanol production can be concentrated and purified using distillation. Various beverages can be prepared depending on the aroma and concentration of ethanol during distillation

Treating oil spillage in the sea: Fractional distillation is used to treat the oil spillage in the sea. This is used in the separation of the oil from spillage into various useful crude oils.

Simple Distillation Experiment

Experiment Title – 

Simple Distillation Experiment

Experiment Description – 

Simple distillation is a method for separating a mixture of two miscible liquids based on the  difference in their boiling points. Let us perform a simple distillation experiment.

Aim of Experiment – 

To separate a mixture of two miscible liquids by simple distillation

Apparatus and Material Required – 

Apparatus

Distillation flask 

Laboratory thermometer (-10 °C to 110 °C) 

Condenser

Two beakers (250 mL)

Tripod stand

Wire gauze

Single bore cork

Burner

Iron stand

Materials

Mixture of water and acetone 

Procedure – 

• Place the tripod stand followed by the wire gauze over the burner. 
• The distillation flask should be kept on the tripod stand and clamped to an iron stand.
• Now, seal the flask using a single bored cork. Insert a laboratory thermometer into the bore of the cork to measure the temperature while boiling the liquid.
• Insert the distillation flask arm into a condenser attached to an iron stand.
• The inlets and outlets of the condenser should be properly attached to water pipes.
• Place an empty beaker below the open end of the condenser.
• Heat the mixture of acetone and water slowly and carefully monitor the temperature rise.
• Observe and note the temperature at which the first component of the mixture distils out; that is, the vapours get cooled and collected in a beaker kept at the other end of the condenser.  
• Continue heating and observe and note the temperature at which the second component distils out.

Precautions – 

• The thermometer bulb should be at the arm of the distillation flask to prevent any erroneous reading. 
• The heating should be carried out uniformly unless a particular component gets separated completely.
• The distillation flask should be sealed tightly using the cork to prevent the escape of vapours.
• The condenser should be supplied with a continuous flow of cold water. 
  
  

FAQs on simple distillation experiment