Chapter 13 - Distillation

Abstract

This chapter describes the distillation, a separation operation based on differences in volatility. If a mixture containing substances that differ in their volatility is brought to ebullition, the composition of the vapors released will be different from that of the boiling liquid. After condensation, the vapors constitute the distillate. The remaining liquid is called residue or bottoms. One of the oldest separation processes, distillation is of central importance in the chemical process industry. In the food sector, its main application is in the production of ethanol and alcoholic beverages from fermented liquids. Other food-related applications include the recovery, fractionation, and concentration of volatile aromas as well as recovery of organic solvents (desolventation) in the production of edible oils by solvent extraction and removal of undesirable odorous substances (e.g., deodorization of cream). Distillation may be carried out as a batch or as a continuous process.