CHEM261 Study Guide - Fractional Distillation, Coffee Bean, Fractionating Column

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Chemistry
• Course: CHEM261
• Professor: berzawski

Document Summary

Whisky is an alcoholic drink made of fermented malt or cereal grains that have been distilled then aged in oak barrels. The most important step of making whisky aroma and taste is the barrel aging process. Distillation the process of separating a mixture based on boiling points. This a very useful process for the purification of liquids. Distillation involves 3 steps: the vaporization of a liquid, the condensation of vapour, collection of a pure liquid component. In fractional distillation a fractionating column is placed in between the distillation flask and the distillation head. This column usually contains steel or copper sponge. The fractionating column enables improved separation by providing extra surface area surface area for condensation of the solvent vapors. This results in many vaporization- condensation cycles before collection cycles before collection of the pure liquid, which improves the separation. Fractional distillation requires patience because of a slow rate of distillation is needed for good separation.