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Q8.20:
What is the difference between distillation, distillation under reduced pressure and steam distillation ?

Solution :

1. Definitions and Operational Parameters

The selection of a separation technique depends on the thermal stability of the substances and the difference in their boiling points.

Technique Mechanism Primary Application
Simple Distillation Vaporization followed by condensation. Liquids with large differences in boiling points ($> 20\,K$) and stable at their boiling points.
Reduced Pressure Distillation Reduction of external pressure to lower the boiling point of the liquid. Liquids that decompose at or below their normal boiling points.
Steam Distillation Distillation of a mixture of water and an organic substance (immiscible). Substances volatile in steam and immiscible with water.

2. Comparative Analysis of Mechanisms

Step 1: Simple Distillation (Atmospheric Pressure)

This process relies on the principle that if two liquids have widely different boiling points, the more volatile component will vaporize first upon heating [Per Raoult's Law]. The vapor is then cooled to liquid form.

Step 2: Distillation Under Reduced Pressure (Vacuum Distillation)

Liquids boil when their vapor pressure equals the external atmospheric pressure. By employing a vacuum pump to decrease the pressure above the liquid, the vapor pressure required for boiling is reached at a significantly lower temperature [Clausius-Clapeyron Relation].
Equation: $ln\left(\frac{P_2}{P_1}\right) = \frac{\Delta H_{vap}}{R} \left(\frac{1}{T_1} - \frac{1}{T_2}\right)$

Step 3: Steam Distillation

This technique is applied when the compound is steam-volatile and insoluble in water. The total vapor pressure ($P_{total}$) of the system is the sum of the vapor pressure of water ($P_{H_2O}$) and the organic compound ($P_{org}$):
$P_{total} = P_{H_2O} + P_{org}$
Since $P_{total} = \text{Atmospheric Pressure}$, the mixture boils at a temperature lower than the boiling point of either pure water or the pure organic liquid [Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures].

3. Visual Representation of Boiling Point Relationships

Temperature (T) Vapor Pressure Normal Liquid Reduced Pressure Patm

Summary of Differentiators

  • Simple Distillation: Used for purification of liquids boiling at high temperatures without decomposition.
  • Reduced Pressure: Vital for thermally sensitive substances (e.g., Glycerol boiling at $563\,K$ at $760\,mm$ vs. $453\,K$ at $12\,mm$).
  • Steam Distillation: Essential for separating organic compounds that decompose before reaching their normal boiling point but are stable in the presence of steam (e.g., Aniline, Essential oils).

Final Solution: The core difference lies in the thermodynamic state of the boiling process: Simple distillation uses atmospheric pressure, reduced pressure distillation lowers the boiling point by decreasing ambient pressure to prevent thermal decomposition, and steam distillation uses the partial pressure of water vapor to distill substances at temperatures below $373\,K$.


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