Distillation: Separating by Boiling Point

Distillation boils a mixture and condenses the vapor, concentrating the more volatile component. Fractionating columns repeat the process over and over along their height. Whisky stills, crude oil refineries, and water desalination all run on the same principle. Azeotropes set the stubborn limits, like the 95 percent ceiling of ethanol and water..

.