What is distillation column

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A distillation column is a piece of equipment used in chemical processes to separate mixtures into their individual components.

Distillation columns use the principle of vapor-liquid equilibrium to separate components based on their boiling points.
They consist of a vertical column with multiple trays or packing material to facilitate the separation process.
The feed mixture is introduced at the bottom of the column, and as it rises, the components with lower boiling points vaporize and ascend while the higher boiling point components remain as liquid.
At each tray or packing, there is a partial condenser that cools the rising vapor, causing it to condense and separate into liquid and vapor phases.
The liquid phase flows down to the next tray, while the vapor phase continues to rise.
This process is repeated at each tray, allowing for the separation of different components based on their volatility.
The separated components are collected at different levels of the column and can be further processed or used as desired.
Distillation columns are widely used in industries such as petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing, and alcohol production.

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