Primer: Distillation (3rd Edition)
Distillation remains one of the most widely used separation methods in the process and energy industries, providing reliable and flexible purification of complex mixtures. This primer introduces the principles behind vapor–liquid equilibrium and explains how those principles are applied in both batch and continuous systems. Topics include column internals, reboiler types, reflux control, and specialized techniques such as azeotropic and extractive distillation. Economic considerations, safety issues, and environmental controls are also discussed, with references to relevant industry standards.
Designed for engineers, operators, and technical professionals, the primer combines practical guidance with clear explanation. A concluding 10-question quiz supports training and professional development in distillation and general process operations.
Distillation is widely used in the energy and process industries to create purified products from mixed feed streams. It works by exploiting the differences in volatility between components. Applications range from crude-oil refining and natural-gas liquids recovery to the purification of solvents, monomers, and specialty chemicals. Although many other separation techniques are used, distillation remains the workhorse of industrial separation; it is reliable, flexible, and well understood.