Fractionation columns

In such a plant the gas stream passes through a series of fractionating columns in which liquids are heated at the bottom and partly vaporised, and gases are cooled and condensed at the top of the column. Gas flows up the column and liquid flows down through the column, coming into close contact at trays in the column. Lighter components are stripped to the top and heavier products stripped to the bottom of the tower. 

If, however, the impurities are themselves volatile liquids, then the separation of these impurities from the main bulk of the required substance is achieved by fractional distillation. If an ordinary distilling-flask, such as that shown in Fig. 2, p. 8, is used for this purpose, however, only a very partial separation of the liquid components of the crude mixture is usually obtained, unless there is a considerable difference in boiling-point between the impurities and the main component. T0 obtain a much sharper and more complete separation, a fractionating column is employed. 

Tliesc gliiss sections for fractionating columns may be purchased from Messrs. Quicktit Quartz, Ltd., Quickfit Works, Stone, Staffs, ST15 OBG. 

Experiment 6. Fractional Distillation of a Mixture of Benzene and Toluene. Fractionally distil about 40 ml. of a mixture of equal volumes of benzene and toluene, using the type of fractionating column shown in Fig. ii(b), in which about 18-20 cm. of the column are actually filled with glass sections, but in which the cotton-wool lagging is not used. Distil very slowlyy so that the total distillation occupies about hours. Shield the apparatus very carefully from draughts. Collect the fractions having the b.ps (a) 80-85°, ( ) 85-107°, (c) 107-111°. A sharp separation should be obtained, e.g.y these fractions should have volumes of about 19, 2, and 17 ml. respectively. 

When a more delicate fractional vacuum-distillation is required, the flask and column shown in Fig. ii(b), p. 26, may be used, the side-arm of the column being fitted directly into receiver C (Fig. 14). A rubber stopper must then be used to fit the flask on to the fractionating column, and it should also carry a capillary tube leading to the bottom of the flask, to provide the usual fine stream of bubbles to prevent bumping. 

Fractional Distillation. Fractional distillation on a semi-micro scale can be carried out satisfactorily with the fractionating column shown in Fig. 39. The column is 10 cm. long and is filled with pieces... 

Carefully refractionate the liquid of b.p. 150-160°, either by direct distillation from a small distilling-flask or (preferably) by using a short fractionating column, of the type shown in Fig. ii(b), p. 26. Almost pure bromobenzene is thus obtained, of... 

The pure quinaldine can now be isolated by either of the following methods, (a) Transfer the acetylated mixture to a Claisen flask (preferably having a short fractionating column below the side-arm) and distil the mixture slowly at water-pump pressure by heating the flask in an oil or silicone bath. The first fraction, of b.p. ca. 50715 mm., contains acetic acid and... 

In practice, it is usual to employ a fractionating column to reduce the... 

In certain circumstances it may be necessary to introduce a short fractionating column between the flask and the condenser the thermometer is then inserted at the top of the column. 

FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION. DISTILLATION WITH A FRACTIONATING COLUMN... 

An account of the elementary theory of fractional distillation is given in Section 1,4. Fractionating columns suitable for both elementary and advanced work will be described in the following pages. 

Reflux ratio. This is defined as the ratio between the number of moles of vapour returned as refluxed liquid to the fractionating column and the number of moles of final product (collected as distillate), both per unit time. The reflux ratio should be varied according to the difficulty of fractionation, rather than be maintained constant a high efficiency of separation requires a liigh reflux ratio. ... 

The efficient fractionating columns in general use may be divided into two main groups —... 

The merits of the above contact rings for laboratory fractionating columns appear to have been overlooked. 

Notes on the operation of a precision fractionating column. The following notes on the technique of conducting a fractionation under diminished pressure may be of value to the student their adaptation to fractionation at atmospheric pressure should not present any difficulty. 

If a bolt-head fiask is used and a rubber stopper is permissible, there is ample room for the insertion of a capillary tube and the fractionating column in the wide neck. 

A two-necked flask (compare Fig.//, 56, 13), with the wide neck for the fractionating column and the small neck for the capillary tube, is widely employed. 

Any of the fractionating columns previously described may be used. Precision fractionating columns, which And application under diminished pressure, are shown in Figs. II, 17, 2-4. 

Attention is directed to the fact that ether is highly inflammable and also extremely volatile (b.p. 35°), and great care should be taken that there is no naked flame in the vicinity of the liquid (see Section 11,14). Under no circumstances should ether be distilled over a bare flame, but always from a steam bath or an electrically-heated water bath (Fig.//, 5,1), and with a highly efficient double surface condenser. In the author s laboratory a special lead-covered bench is set aside for distillations with ether and other inflammable solvents. The author s ether still consists of an electrically-heated water bath (Fig. 11, 5, 1), fitted with the usual concentric copper rings two 10-inch double surface condensers (Davies type) are suitably supported on stands with heavy iron bases, and a bent adaptor is fitted to the second condenser furthermost from the water bath. The flask containing the ethereal solution is supported on the water bath, a short fractionating column or a simple bent still head is fitted into the neck of the flask, and the stUl head is connected to the condensers by a cork the recovered ether is collected in a vessel of appropriate size. 

Di-n-butyl ether. Technical n-butyl ether does not usually contain appreciable quantities of peroxides, unless it has been stored for a prolonged period. It should, however, be tested for peroxides, and, if the test is positive, the ether should be shaken with an acidified solution of a ferrous salt or with a solution of sodium sulphite (see under Diethyl ether). The ether is dried with anhydrous calcium chloride, and distilled through a fractionating column the portion, b.p. 140-141°, is collected. If a fraction of low boiling point is obtained, the presence of n-butyl... 

If it is desired to purify an inferior product, 1 litre of it is refiuxed for 6 hours with 85 ml. of acetic anhydride and then distilled through a fractionating column the liquid passing over at 56-57° is collected. The distillate is shaken with 20 g. of anhydrous potassium carbonate for 10 minutes, filtered and redistilled. The resulting methyl acetate has a purity of 99- 9 %. 

Pure pyridine may be prepared from technical coal-tar pyridine in the following manner. The technical pyridine is first dried over solid sodium hydroxide, distilled through an efficient fractionating column, and the fraction, b.p. 114 116° collected. Four hundred ml. of the redistilled p)rridine are added to a reagent prepared by dissolving 340 g. of anhydrous zinc chloride in a mixture of 210 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 1 litre of absolute ethyl alcohol. A crystalline precipitate of an addition compound (probable composition 2C5H5N,ZnCl2,HCl ) separates and some heat is evolved. When cold, this is collected by suction filtration and washed with a little absolute ethyl alcohol. The yield is about 680 g. It is recrystaUised from absolute ethyl alcohol to a constant m.p. (151-8°). The base is liberated by the addition of excess of concentrated... 

---