Distillation is the oldest and the most universal process of chemical technology and other branches of industry incorporating

separation of mixtures. This process separates two or more components into an overhead distillate and bottoms. The bottoms product is almost exclusively liquid, while the distillate may be liquid or a vapor or both. The separation process requires three things. First, a second phase must be formed so that both liquid and vapor phases are present and can contact each other on each stage within a separation column. Secondly, the components have different volatilities so that they will partition between the two phases to different extent. Lastly, the two phases can be separated by gravity or other mechanical means. (Warren,1993).

Stripping is a physical separation process where one or more components are removed from a liquid stream by a vapor stream. In industrial applications the liquid and vapor streams can have co-current or countercurrent flows. Stripping is usually carried out in either a packed or trayed column. The tray column has down comers for transporting a liquid between neighboring trays. The liquid transport happens in each down comer through a plurality of discharge apertures onto a loaded tray. Liquid flows out of the discharge apertures in the form of jets that merge into a regionally different flow field on striking the loaded tray. The flow field has transverse apparatus of the flow speed with respect to a longitudinal main flow direction. Direction elements are set beneath the discharge apertures and at spacing from the loaded tray which each guide the impulse of liquid analogous to the divergent flow field. Tray and plate column is divided into three different design, which is bubble cap tray, valve tray and sieve tray.

A bubble cap tray has riser or chimney fitted over each hole, and a cap that covers the riser. The cap is mounted so that there is a space between riser and cap to allow the passage of vapour. Vapour rises through the chimney and is directed downward by the cap, finally discharging through slots in the cap, and finally bubbling through the liquid on the tray.

Physical properties

This distillation process is to separate the saturated liquid mixture of ethyl alcohol and water. Ethyl alcohol and water have their different chemical and physical properties. Table BLAH BLAh shown the physical properties of ethyl alcohol and water

Physical properties Molecular weight Color Physical state Melting point

Ethyl alcohol 46.06844 g/mol colorless Liquid 114 C, 159 K, -173 F

water 18.0153 g/mol colorless Liquid 0 C, 32 F, 273.15 K

Boiling point

78.37 C, 352 K, 173 F

99.98 C, 211.97 F, 373.13 K

Acidity

15.9

15.74 ~3536

Viscosity

0.0012 Pa s (at 20 C), 0.001074 Pa s 0.001 Pas at 20 C (at 25 C)

Specific gravity Vapor pressure

0.790 59.3 mm Hg @ 20 C

1 2.3 kPa (@ 20C)

Chemical propertie

Distillation has substantial advantages over other processes applied in order to separate a mixture, such as extraction, crystallization, semipermeable membranes, etc. As a rule, it is the most cost-effective process, so it may be used for mixtures with very diverse properties. This process is based on the fact that the composition of the boiling liquid and that of the vapor over it differ. Thus, if the boiling temperature is low (e.g., air separation), it is necessary to use low-temperature refrigerants and conduct the process at a higher pressure. If it is high (e.g., in separation of heavy oil fractions or metals), high-temperature heat carriers or fire preheating have to be used and the process is run under vacuum.