Continuous Distillation

Continuous distillation is a process used to separate a mixture into its individual components continuously, rather than in batches. It involves heating the mixture so that different components vaporize at different rates due to their boiling points. The vapor rises through a special column where it cools and condenses at various levels, allowing the purified components to be collected separately as they condense. This method is efficient for large-scale operations, such as refining crude oil into fuels and chemicals, because it keeps the feedstock and products flowing steadily without interruption.