distilare

Distilare is a verb that denotes the act of distillation, the process of purifying or concentrating a liquid by heating it to form vapors and then condensing those vapors back into a liquid. The term is cognate with distill, and derives from Latin distillare, through historical forms in various Romance languages. In many languages the standard spelling closely resembles distillare, while distilare may appear as a variant in certain texts or dialects.

In practice, distillation relies on differences in boiling points among the components of a mixture. A liquid is heated until it vaporizes, the vapor is directed to a condenser where it cools and reverts to a liquid, and the condensed liquid is collected. This basic approach can be adapted to separate or purify substances by controlling temperature, pressure, and the columns or steps the vapor must traverse.

Several distillation methods are commonly used. Simple distillation separates liquids with sufficiently large differences in boiling points. Fractional distillation uses a fractionating column to improve separation of closely boiling components. Steam distillation introduces steam to carry the vapor, enabling processing at lower temperatures and minimizing thermal decomposition. Vacuum distillation lowers ambient pressure to reduce boiling points, useful for heat-sensitive materials.

Applications of distilare, or distillation, include purification of solvents and chemicals, production of alcoholic beverages, extraction of essential oils and fragrances, and various refining processes in the petrochemical industry. The technique is foundational in laboratories and manufacturing, reflecting its central role in separating and concentrating liquid components.