Distillation Column
Distillation Column
Distillation is a process that can be used to separate a pure liquid from a mixture of liquids. It works when the liquids have different boiling points. 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 packing’s which are used to enhance component separations
A reboiler to provide the necessary vaporisation for the distillation process
A condenser to cool and condense the vapour leaving the top of the column
A reflux drum to hold the condensed vapour from the top of the column so that liquid (reflux) can be recycled back to the column
The vertical shell houses the column internals and together with the condenser and reboiler, constitutes a distillation column.