Refrakciós

Refrakciós is a term used in physical chemistry and chemical engineering to describe processes and products related to fractionation, i.e., the separation of a mixture into its constituent fractions based on differences in volatility or boiling points. The most common example is fractional distillation, which uses a distillation column with many theoretical plates to achieve multiple vapor-liquid equilibria. In operation, the mixture is heated; components with lower boiling points rise as vapor and rise higher in the column, while those with higher boiling points condense lower down. The condensed liquid (reflux) is returned to the column to improve separation, producing successive fractions such as naphtha, kerosene, diesel, heavy gas oil, and residuum in petroleum processing.

Refrakciós processes are used extensively in oil refining, chemical production, and the purification of essential oils and solvents. A fraction obtained under a specific boiling-point range is called a refrakció, and devices or procedures that yield these fractions are described as refrakciós (e.g., refrakciós desztilláció). The quality of separation depends on column design, number of theoretical plates, reflux ratio, and the presence of azeotropes, which can limit pure separation.

In summary, refrakciós refers to the practice and results of fractionating a mixture to obtain components with defined properties, most notably through fractional distillation. It is a central concept in refinery engineering and industrial chemistry.