fraktionierungssäule

Fraktionierungssäule, also known as a fractionating column or distillation column, is a piece of chemical engineering equipment used in the separation of mixtures into their component parts, or fractions. This separation is achieved through repeated vaporization and condensation cycles. The process relies on the principle that different components of a mixture have different boiling points. A fraktionierungssäule is designed to facilitate this repeated exchange of heat between rising vapor and falling liquid, leading to a progressively purer separation as one moves up the column.

Typically, a fraktionierungssäule consists of a vertical cylinder containing a series of plates or packing material. The mixture is heated in a reboiler at the bottom, producing vapor that rises through the column. As the vapor ascends, it encounters cooler surfaces, causing components with higher boiling points to condense and trickle back down. Simultaneously, cooler liquid flowing down the column is heated by the rising vapor, causing components with lower boiling points to vaporize and join the upward flow. This continuous process enriches the vapor with more volatile components towards the top of the column and the liquid with less volatile components towards the bottom. The separated fractions can then be collected from different points along the column. Fraktionierungssäulen are fundamental in industries such as petroleum refining, chemical synthesis, and the production of alcoholic beverages.