Question

Are fractional and micro distillation the same thing? Are simple and macro distillation the same?

please explain all 4

Answer 1

Yes it is same.

Simple Distillation
The apparatus for a simple distillation is a sealed system, which means nothing is open to the air, and consists of a heat source, a still pot containing the liquid to be distilled, an air- or water-cooled condensing line, and a vessel for the distillate. The mixture is heated and the liquid with the lower boiling point is vaporized and then condensed and drips into the final vessel. The simple distillation process works best for liquids with very different boiling points.

Fractional Distillation

When the boiling points of the two liquids in the mixture are close, generally a difference of less than 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), fractional distillation is more efficient. Fractional distillation completes several simple distillations in one apparatus. In fractional distillation the mixture is boiled in a fractionating column, a long tube that allows the liquid to vaporize and condense several times as it hits cooler air every time it makes its way further up the column. Fractionating columns are often packed with metal wire, metal ribbon or glass beads that give extra condensing surfaces to refine the distillation process. This ensures that the vapor reaching the final condenser is as pure as possible. Crude oil is separated into its various components by fractional distillation.

The difference between simple and fractional distillation is the number of times that the liquid is vaporized and condensed. Simple distillation condenses the liquid once, so the boiling points of the two liquids must be far apart to make it efficient. The number of simple distillations in a fractional distillation apparatus depend on the length and efficiency of the fractionating column. The process is the same; the difference is mainly one of iteration.