Fractional distillation of ethanol

Fractional distillation is the separation of a mixture into its component parts, or fractions. Chemical compounds are separated by heating them to a temperature at which one or more fractions of the mixture will vaporize. It uses distillation to fractionate. Generally the component parts have boiling points that differ by less than 25 °C from each other under a pressure of one atmosphere. If the difference in boiling points is greater than 25 °C, a simple distillation is typically used.

Consider the distillation of a mixture of water and ethanol. Ethanol boils at 78.4 °C while water boils at 100 °C. So, by heating the mixture, the most volatile component (ethanol) will concentrate to a greater degree in the vapor leaving the liquid. Some mixtures form azeotropes, where the mixture boils at a lower temperature than either component. In this example, a mixture of 96% ethanol and 4% water boils at 78.2 °C; the mixture is more volatile than pure ethanol. For this reason, ethanol cannot be completely purified by direct fractional distillation of ethanol-water mixtures.

" . . . . And as always, thanks for watching. "

[KamalSharma-fknb]

Thanks for demonstrating that experiment. I wanted to have a look at it but there weren't much videos showing the actual apparatus and experiment. You did this very clearly and it was very cool. Thanks👍😃

[truckerenoch]

How is "fractional" distillation? Where is the fractionating column? How do you know that liquor is only ethanol and water? Because, even though most of the methanol is removed by the distillery, a fraction of methanol still remains.
I'm not saying this isn't "fractional", I'm just wondering how this is not just simple distillation?

[hepcat]

Hi:
You had the water flow in your condenser backwards. It should flow from bottom to top, to avoid air pockets.

[TeacherFlash]

I don't get it... Where is the fractional column here?

[LiborTinka]

The boiling flask on stove and flame tests around hot ethanol vapours made me a bit nervous. Anyway, nicely made video. It would be nice to explain how your setup differs from simple distillation (e.g. explain how the column allows for a reflux).

[dustinbarks]

Perhaps im blind or maybe i missed it but wheres the fractionating column or is the over sized meth pipe supposed to be a fractionating column?

[ManiacalSurgeon]

It might be good to note that due to the difference of over 75’C between your two components within the mixture, it’s ideal to use fractional distillation over simple distillation.

[micahjuliannetrinidad]

What is the expected odor if you did five fractions in different test tubes?

[massmanute]

It's better to flow the cooling water from the bottom up instead of the top down in the column.

[paha]

Ok, first of all the purpose of a fractional distillation column is to have multiple disks or plates (if memory serves) to allow repeated condensation and vaporization as your liquids(in this case alcohol and water) make their way up the column. This is acting like mini distillations all the way to the top. There are no plates or maybe 1in your apparatus if you include the thing at the top of the column (I don't recall using one of those). Secondly, I know Bacardi 151 burns quite nicely (I used to know this girl who would breathe fire and that is what she would use- I think she would even dilute it) and that is ~75% alcohol and I am pretty sure that the 120 proof (60%) alcohols burn as well. You need an alcohol hydrometer or a gas chromatograph (there are probably a dozen techniques) to determine the concentration of alcohol. Burning it is not one...though burning would let you know it is greater than a certain percentage...what I don't know. Oh, the water in your condenser is running the wrong way... that is the reason there is air in the tube. You better be careful or you might hurt yourself or others.

[prestonhanson]

Really shouldn't be sparking matches around combustible gasses your generating. Kinda the same idea of not smoking at the gas pump

[XxdjforrestxX]

You should have the condenser water flow from the bottom up

[ramkrishnatiwari]

One serious doubt why alcohol does not catch fire since it is highly in flamable

[MrLoonzy]

Your flow through the condenser is the wrong way round you should be flowing against gravity otherwise it never fills.... quite strange you don't know this really.