DISTILLATION

Chemistry laboratory Management

Techniques (TKU 1073)
 WHAT IS DISTILLATION?
 A method of separating homogenous mixture
into its component based on their boiling
points.
 A physical separation process and not a
chemical reaction.
 A process of heating a liquid until it boils,
capturing, cooling the resultant hot vapors
and collecting the condensed vapors.
 Simple

Steam
Type of Fractional
distillation

Vacuum
 STEAM
DISTILLATION
 WHAT IS STEAM DISTILLATION?
 Method for distilling compounds which are
heat sensitive.
 Purification of mixtures in which the
components are temperature or heat
sensitive
 By Raoult’s Law, some of the target
compound will vaporize.
 The vapor mixture is cooled and condensed.
THEORY OF STEAM
DISTILLATION

 Many organic compounds tend to decompose

at high sustained temperature

 By adding water or steam, the boiling points

of the compounds are depressed allowing
them to evaporate at lower temperature.
STEAM DISTILLATION
 PRODUCTS OF STEAM
DISTILLATION
 Essential oil
 Often used in perfumery and aromatherapy

 Herbal distillate
 Food processing and skin care
 GENERAL METHOD

 In the instrument setup, steam is introduced

by heating water, which allows the
compounds to boil at a lower temperature.

 The vapors are collected and condensed

HOW IT WORK IN PRODUCTION
OF ESSENTIAL OIL
 Botanical material is placed in the plant
chamber of the still.

 Pressurized steam is generated in a

separate chamber and circulated through
the plant material.  

 The heat of the steam forces the tiny

intercellular pockets that hold the essential
oils to open and release them.
 As they are released, the tiny droplets of
essential oil evaporate and, together with the
steam molecules, travel through a tube into
the still's condensation chamber.
 As the steam cools, it condenses into water. 
The essential oil forms a film on the surface
of the water.
 To separate the essential oil from the water,
the film is then decanted or skimmed off the
top.
 The remaining water, a by product of
distillation, is called floral water, distillate,
or hydrosol.
 SAFETY PRECAUTION
 The temperature of the steam need to be
carefully controlled just enough to force the
plant material to let go of the essential oil
yet not too hot as to burn the plant material
PICTURE OF STEAM
DISTILLATION
 The end...
Hopefully it is useful
to
all of you
 Prepared by:
Nor Saleha bt Misuan

Shahidah bt abdul Hamid

THANKS A LOT TO:
MRS FARIDAH
&
Not forgetting the
other partners