Both normal distillation and vacuum distillation are methods used to separate compounds based on their boiling points. However, they differ significantly in the pressure conditions under which they are carried out.
4 Key Points to Understand the Difference Between Normal Distillation and Vacuum Distillation
1. Pressure Conditions
Normal distillation, also known as atmospheric distillation, is conducted at atmospheric pressure conditions.
Vacuum distillation, on the other hand, is conducted at vacuum pressure conditions, where a reduced pressure is maintained within the distillation column.
2. Heating and Separation Process
In normal distillation, the mixture of different liquids is heated in a flask connected to a distillation column. The column contains various sections that enhance the separation of the liquids based on their boiling points.
The vapor of the liquids is then passed through a condenser to cool them back to a liquid state, which can be collected.
Vacuum distillation lowers the boiling points of the compounds, allowing them to be separated with less heat and a shorter duration of exposure to heat.
3. Suitability for Different Compounds
Normal distillation is widely used for separating a wide variety of compounds, but it requires heating the materials, which can degrade or decompose sensitive compounds.
Vacuum distillation is particularly useful for separating compounds with higher boiling points that tend to decompose at their normal boiling temperatures.
4. Combination with Other Methods
Vacuum distillation is often used in combination with steam distillation for the separation of aromatic compounds.
When combined with fractional distillation, vacuum distillation allows for easy separation of components in a mixture.
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