Ranera, John Andrew A.

Date Performed: Feb 4, 2016

Solomon, Joshua Daniel F.

Date Submitted: Feb 11, 2016

Surla, Sheena I.
Group No. 11
Experiment No. 1
Distillation of Alcoholic Beverages
Introduction
In this experiment, the group should be able to achieve the following objectives: (1) to
separate the components of alcoholic beverages using distillation, , (2) to calculate the percent
ethanol in the Premio Fruity Chilean Red Wine, and (3) compare and contrast the efficiency
between simple and fractional distillation techniques.
Distillation is a method used to purify a compound by separating it from its less-volatile
component. Simple distillation refers to the simple separation of a solid and a liquid by
evaporating the liquid and collecting it after it passes through a condenser to be changed into a
liquid state. Fractional distillation uses a method of continuous distillation to separate mixtures
of liquids with similar boiling points.
The organic teaching labs employ distillation routinely, both for the identification and the
purification of organic compounds. The boiling point of a compound, determined by distillation,
is well-defined and thus is one of the physical properties of a compound by which it can be
identified. Distillation is used to purify a compound by separating it from a non-volatile or lessvolatile material. Because different compounds often have different boiling points, the
components often separate from a mixture when the mixture is distilled.
The boiling point is the temperature at which the vapour pressure of the liquid phase of a
compound equals the external pressure acting on the surface of the liquid. The external pressure
is usually the atmospheric pressure. For instance, consider a liquid heated in an open flask. The
vapor pressure of the liquid will increase as the temperature of the liquid increases, and when the

vapor pressure equals the atmospheric pressure, the liquid will boil. Different compounds boil at
different temperatures because each has a different, characteristic vapor pressure: compounds
with higher vapor pressures will boil at lower temperatures.
Boiling points are usually measured by recording the boiling point (or boiling range) on a
thermometer while performing a distillation. This method is used whenever there is enough of
the compound to perform a distillation. The distillation method of boiling point determination
measures the temperature of the vapors above the liquid. Since these vapors are in equilibrium
with the boiling liquid, they are the same temperature as the boiling liquid.
Methodology
All the glass wares that are needed to perform fractional distillation were arranged. The
apparatus for fractional distillation was assembled.
15 mL of the alcoholic beverage was placed on the distilling flask, and pieces of boiling
chips were placed too. The water in the condenser was turned on. The distilling flask was
heated until the first drop of the distillate reached the graduated cylinder.
The temperature was recorded on the first drop. Readings were taken after every 0.2 mL
of distillate collected. The temperature and the volume of the distillate were recorded during the
entire distillation. The temperature of the first drop corresponds to zero volume. The percent loss
and percent ethanol were calculated. The following formulas were used to determine the percent
loss and percent ethanol:

Percent Ethanol =

Percent Loss =

V alcohol
x 100
V sample

V sample (V distillate +V remaining )

x 100
V sample

Figure 1: Distillation Setup Actual

Figure 2: Distillation Setup Proper

Results and Discussion

Sample: Premio Fruity Chilean Red Wine
Volume of sample: 15 mL
Temperature

Volume in the Graduated Cylinder (mL)

58

1st Drop

67

0.4 mL

72

0.6 mL

74

0.8 mL

76

1.0 mL

80

1.2 mL

86

1.4 mL

93

1.6 mL

97

1.8 mL

98

2.0 mL

98

2.2 mL

98

2.6 mL

98.5

3.3 mL

98.7

3.6 mL

99

4.0 mL

99

4.8 mL

99

5.6 mL

99

6.8 mL

99

7.9 mL
Table 1: Temperature and Volume as Temperature increases

Figure 3: Temperature as a function of Volume

Figure 3 shows the temperature as a function of volume for fractional distillation. In
fractional distillation, the first drop in the graduated cylinder occurred when the temperature
was at 58. The temperature was 67 when it reached 0.4 mL. The temperature was increased to
72 when it reached 0.6 mL. The temperature was 74 when it reached 0.8 mL. The volume
increased to 1.0 mL when the temperature was at 76. It was 80C when it reached 1.2 mL. The
temperature began to slowly increase. At 86 the volume was 1.4 mL. It increased to 93 as it
reached 1.6 mL. The temperature increased to 97 when it reached 1.8 mL. The temperature
remained the same at 98 from 2.0 to 2.6 mL of the distillate. The temperature at this point
almost stopped from increasing. It increased to 98.5 when the distillate was 3.3 mL. The
temperature was 98.7 when the distillate was 3.6 mL. The temperature increased for the last
time to 99 ranging from 4.0 to 8.9 mL in volume.
Calculations for fractional distillation:
Percent Ethanol =

8.9
x 100 =59.33
15

Percent Loss =

15( 8.9+2.2)
x 100 =26
15

Figure 4: The volume of remaining sample

Figure 5: The volume of the distillate

Conclusion
This experiment was done to separate the components of alcoholic beverages using
distillation, to calculate the percent ethanol in the Premio Fruity Chilean Red Wine, and compare
and contrast the efficiency between simple and fractional distillation.
Throughout the experiment, the students completely separate the ethanol and other
liquids from the wine that was used using the fractional distillation. Using the results of the
experiment, the students calculated the percentage of the alcohol content of a commercial
alcoholic beverage by distillation process. Comparing the efficiency of simple and fractional
distillation, Simple distillation is a process in which a liquid solution can be separated into
volatile and non-volatile components. But separation of components is not very efficient by this
method. Repeated distillations may be avoided by fractional distillation. Compounds

with

similar boiling points, especially those that interact very strongly with one another, are not
effectively separated by simple distillation but require a modification, which is the fractional
distillation, using fractional distillation is a much better option compared to simple distillation
especially if handling liquids with close boiling point difference. Fractional distillation gives a
much better separation of liquids since there is repetition of the vaporization and condensation
process.

References
1. Distillation.
(n.d.).
Retrieved
February
10,
2016,
from
http://orgchem.colorado.edu/Technique/Procedures/Distillation/Distillation.html
2. Chem 211 - Techniques. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2016, from
http://academics.wellesley.edu/Chemistry/chem211lab/Orgo_Lab_Manual/Appendix/Tec
hniques/FractionalDistill/fractional_distill.html
3. Wired
Chemist.
(n.d.).
Retrieved
February
10,
2016,
from
http://www.wiredchemist.com/chemistry/instructional/laboratory-tutorials/distillation