Sciencemadness Discussion Board
Not logged in [Login ]
Go To Bottom

Printable Version  
 Pages:  1  2
Author: Subject: Beginner Distillation Projects
Magpie
lab constructor
*****




Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.

[*] posted on 21-8-2014 at 15:30


I don't know if a Vigreux column has enough "stages" to separate water and azeotropic ethanol. I was able to do this with an 8" long Hempel column packed with a ss scrub pad, however. I supposed it depends on the length of the Viqreux



The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
View user's profile View All Posts By User
aga
Forum Drunkard
*****




Posts: 7030
Registered: 25-3-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 22-8-2014 at 15:39


Quote: Originally posted by Magpie  
I don't know if a Vigreux column has enough "stages" to separate water and azeotropic ethanol. I was able to do this with an 8" long Hempel column packed with a ss scrub pad, however. I supposed it depends on the length of the Viqreux

wooo. Hempel Column.
more glassware to acquire ...




View user's profile View All Posts By User
blogfast25
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 10562
Registered: 3-2-2008
Location: Neverland
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 23-8-2014 at 04:47


Quote: Originally posted by Magpie  
I supposed it depends on the length of the Viqreux


Well, exactly. Column height, operating conditions like reflux ratio (ratio of reflux stream to product stream), internal surface area of the column and feedstock composition in terms of EtOH are the main variables that affect product composition.

There is no a priori reason to believe that in suitable conditions azeotropic EtOH cannot be achieved with a good Vigreux set up.

Hempel columns (packed columns) have their own set of problematics like potential column flooding for instance, which can limit the amount of reflux achievable.

[Edited on 23-8-2014 by blogfast25]




View user's profile View All Posts By User
Magpie
lab constructor
*****




Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.

[*] posted on 23-8-2014 at 14:13


Kt5000 seemed to be a beginner at distillation who was looking for advice. I assumed that he would not know what length of Vigreux that is necessary for this separation (I don't). My post was only meant as a warning that not just any fractionating set-up will separate azeotropic ethanol from water. I then gave the conditions that I used which provided a successful result. It's a data point for him to consider.

I know Vigreux columns have their place. I don't own one and admit a prejudice against using one for any challenging distillation, which I consider the above case to be as the boiling point difference is only 22°C (100-78). My college lab manual (Pavia et al) says the following regarding the Vigreux:

"Vigreux columns are popular in cases where only a small number of theoretical plates are required. They are not very efficient (a 20-cm column might have only 2.5 theoretical plates), but they allow for rapid distillation and have a small holdup (the amount of liquid retained by the column). A column packed with stainless steel sponge is a more effective fractionating column than a Vigreux, but not by a large margin."

[Edited on 23-8-2014 by Magpie]




The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
View user's profile View All Posts By User
aga
Forum Drunkard
*****




Posts: 7030
Registered: 25-3-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 23-8-2014 at 14:30


Chill Mags.
No attack going on.

Bloggers is just a bit blunt and grumpy cos a student sterilised the pet hampster ...
... in an autoclave.




View user's profile View All Posts By User
Magpie
lab constructor
*****




Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.

[*] posted on 23-8-2014 at 14:40


Shame on him...everyone knows that for a hampster you use a microwave oven.



The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
View user's profile View All Posts By User
aga
Forum Drunkard
*****




Posts: 7030
Registered: 25-3-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 23-8-2014 at 15:04


Some recipies are better than others.
Personally i favour Turnip Surprise.
Surprised everyone, including the hampster.




View user's profile View All Posts By User
Fantasma4500
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 1677
Registered: 12-12-2012
Location: Dysrope (aka europe)
Member Is Offline

Mood: dangerously practical

[*] posted on 24-8-2014 at 03:51


orange skin!
then pour the destillate into some tall thin glass container and add some food colouring, it should only colour the water making it relatively easy to seperate out the limonene, it should float on top
otherwise i recall some interesting compound was extracted from tomato paste




~25 drops = 1mL @dH2O viscocity - STP
Truth is ever growing - but without context theres barely any such.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility_table
http://www.trimen.pl/witek/calculators/stezenia.html
View user's profile View All Posts By User
confused
Hazard to Others
***




Posts: 244
Registered: 17-3-2013
Location: Singapore
Member Is Offline

Mood: tired

[*] posted on 24-8-2014 at 04:26


is there any way to test the water content after ethanol distillation?
View user's profile View All Posts By User
blogfast25
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 10562
Registered: 3-2-2008
Location: Neverland
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 24-8-2014 at 04:38


Quote: Originally posted by confused  
is there any way to test the water content after ethanol distillation?


Density of the ethanol goes up with water content, as the density of pure EtOH is 0.789 and that of water 1.000. Towards the high end of EtOH content that method becomes fairly insensitive though.

EtOH content in EtOH/water mixtures can be chemically determined by iodometry. Standardised acidified potassium dichromate is reduced by EtOH to Cr (III). The remaining potassium dichromate is used to oxidise iodide to iodine and the iodine titrated with standardised sodium thiosulphate. Quite laborious...

For very low levels of water Karl Fisher titrations would be called for.

[Edited on 24-8-2014 by blogfast25]




View user's profile View All Posts By User
kt5000
Hazard to Others
***




Posts: 133
Registered: 27-3-2013
Location: Southwest US
Member Is Offline

Mood: Final exams

[*] posted on 3-9-2014 at 19:09


Quote: Originally posted by aga  

Bloggers is just a bit blunt and grumpy cos a student sterilised the pet hampster ...
... in an autoclave.


I don't have an autoclave.. Microwave will have to do.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Texium
Administrator
********




Posts: 4516
Registered: 11-1-2014
Location: Salt Lake City
Member Is Offline

Mood: PhD candidate!

[*] posted on 3-9-2014 at 19:21


Quote: Originally posted by Antiswat  
otherwise i recall some interesting compound was extracted from tomato paste
I believe that this was the thread you were thinking of: Extraction of Lycopene
It does look interesting. It has a very nice color to it.




Come check out the Official Sciencemadness Wiki
They're not really active right now, but here's my YouTube channel and my blog.
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
 Pages:  1  2

  Go To Top