Laboratory Operations Training Courses

Distillation

Distillation Courses

Laboratory Operations Training Courses

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

Many of the products we use every day are produced from raw materials. Distillation is a process often used to turn raw materials into finished products. Because distillation is involved in the production of so many products, it’s important plant operators understand how it works. In this interactive, online course we will begin by discussing the basic principles of distillation. We will define terms related to states of matter, heat and temperature, distillation, and pressure. We will also discuss some basic distillation processes, including separation of liquid mixtures, batch processes, and continuous distillation.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Define distillation
  • Explain how changes in the state of matter relate to the distillation process
  • Define terms related to heat, including sensible heat, initial boiling point, boiling range, final boiling point, and latent heat
  • Define terms related to pressure, including vapor pressure, external pressure, partial pressure, relative volatility
  • Explain the relationship between vapor pressure and the following: boiling point, temperature, and external pressure
  • Describe the basic operation of batch process systems and continuous distillation systems

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

What are the goals of a distillation system? Simply put, they are to maintain an optimum production rate and to meet specifications that are set for its products.

In this interactive, online course, you will examine various factors that must be controlled if a distillation system is to meet its goals, and you will see how control systems provide the control that’s needed.

During operation, different balances must be maintained and you must understand process temperatures, how they can affect the distillation process, and how they can be controlled. The final component is product composition; you will discover how the compositions of a distillation system’s products are controlled.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain what is meant by material balance, energy balance, steady-state operation, and a process disturbance
  • Identify typical variables and control loops for material balance and energy balance
  • Describe how a typical distillation tower control system responds to a process disturbance and to an increase in bottom temperature
  • Explain how the following conditions affect the composition of a distillation system’s overhead and bottoms products: increase in bottom temperature, decrease in bottom temperature, and change in external reflux
  • Describe the following, related to product composition: the difference between direct and indirect composition measurements and how a typical distillation tower is operated to maintain product specifications

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

How good are you at troubleshooting problems with distillation systems? This interactive online course is designed to familiarize participants with some of the problems that can occur during the operation of distillation systems. After completing this course, participants should be able to describe problems that can occur when the feed rate to a distillation column is incorrect, problems that can occur when the amount of reflux going back to the column is incorrect, and problems that can occur when the reboiler in a distillation system is operated improperly.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Discuss the role of feed rate in maintaining column equilibrium
  • Describe conditions that can lead to overloading, flooding, and puking
  • Explain what reflux is
  • Identify problems that occur when the reboiler is operated incorrectly
  • Define over-fractionation

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

Getting the desired products from any distillation system depends on being able to operate the system properly. This interactive online course will teach you the steps involved in preparing and starting up a distillation system. You will also learn the procedures for a short-term shutdown, long-term shutdown, and emergency shutdown of a continuous vacuum distillation system.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe the distillation process
  • List pre-startup checks commonly made on a vacuum distillation system
  • Describe what takes place during a distillation system startup procedure
  • Describe a typical short-term, long-term, and emergency shutdown procedure

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

How familiar are you with the process of distillation or the components of distillation towers? This interactive online course is designed to familiarize participants with the basic principles of operation of distillation towers, reboilers, and condensers. After completing the course, participants should be able to describe the difference between a binary tower and a multidraw tower and explain how a multidraw tower operates. They should also be able to explain why the physical dimensions of a tower can vary, and they should be able to explain why vacuum distillation and azeotropic distillation are used. In addition, participants should be able to explain how various types of reboilers and condensers are used in distillation systems.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between the following types of reboilers: forced vs. natural circulation and external vs. internal
  • Describe two ways that condensers can be categorized in overhead systems
  • Describe the major difference between a binary tower and a multidraw tower
  • Describe three factors that affect the physical dimensions of a distillation tower
  • Give three basic reasons why vacuum distillation is used
  • Explain what an azeotropic mixture is and identify two methods of azeotropic distillation

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Distillation is an important process in many plants. It is used to separate mixtures into various components. In some plants, distillation may be the final step in processing a material so that it meets product specifications. The heart of a distillation process is a distillation column, or tower. Depending on the needs of the plant, a distillation process may include conventional, azeotropic, extractive, or vacuum columns.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Topic I: Introduction 
    • Define the following terms: conventional distillation, thermal degradation, and azeotrope. 
    • Identify three types of distillation processes that may be used instead of conventional distillation. 
    • Identify similarities of azeotropic, extractive, vacuum, and conventional distillation columns.

 

  • Topic II: Azeotropic Columns, Part 1 
    • Describe why azeotropes make conventional distillation impossible. 
    • Define the following terms: minimum boiling point azeotrope and maximum boiling point azeotrope. 
    • Identify the major parts of a typical azeotropic distillation system and describe the basic process of azeotropic distillation. 
    • Describe the basic process of azeotropic distillation in systems that do not use solvents.

 

  • Topic III: Azeotropic Columns, Part 2 
    • Identify process variables important to the operation of a typical azeotropic distillation system and describe how they can be monitored and controlled.

 

  • Topic IV: Extractive Columns, Part 1 
    • Compare and contrast the use and behavior of an extractive solvent and an azeotropic solvent. 
    • Identify the major parts of a typical extractive distillation system and describe the basic process of extractive distillation.

 

  • Topic V: Extractive Columns, Part 2 
    • Identify process variables important to the operation of a typical extractive distillation system and describe how they can be monitored and controlled.

 

Topic VI: Vacuum Columns, Part 1 

    • State advantages of distilling material at a reduced pressure in a vacuum column. 
    • Identify the major parts of a typical vacuum distillation system and describe the basic process of vacuum distillation.

 

Topic VII: Vacuum Columns, Part 2 

    • Identify process variables important to the operation of a typical vacuum distillation system and describe how they can be monitored and controlled. 
    • Identify abnormal conditions that can affect the operation of a vacuum distillation system and describe how these conditions may be dealt with.