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Chemistry · Glossary

What is Steam distillation?

Definition 7.18 University Chemistry — Year 2 · Chapter 7 — Binary Liquid–Vapour Diagrams and Distillation

Steam distillation is the distillation of a liquid immiscible with water by blowing steam through it: the mixture boils below the boiling point of both liquids, and the distillate separates into two layers.

Toluene and water, immiscible: the vapour pressures of each liquid and their sum. The two layers boil together at 84.3 C, below water (100 C) and toluene (110.6 C); the distillate carries 4.1 g of toluene per gram of water.
Toluene and water, immiscible: the vapour pressures of each liquid and their sum. The two layers boil together at 84.3∘C84.3{}^{\circ}\mathrm{C}, below water (100∘C100{}^{\circ}\mathrm{C}) and toluene (110.6∘C110.6{}^{\circ}\mathrm{C}); the distillate carries 4.1 g of toluene per gram of water.
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