Conclusion:

In this lab the binary batch distillation of a methanol-water solution was investigated. A 10 wt%

methanol solution was distilled in a distillation column while being run at total reflux. During the

initial phase of this lab known methanol-water solutions were created and their indices of

refraction were measured using a refractometer. Using this data a calibration curve was created

whichwas used to determine the methanol percent in samples taken during the lab. During the

second phase of the lab the 10 wt% methanol solution was allowed to reach equilibrium in the

distillation column and then both liquid and vapor samples were taken from each tray and

measured with the refractometer. It should be noted that although the objective of this

experiment was to obtain samples once the column was running in steady state, because of a leak

at the top of the unit steady state was never totally achieved (this is discussed in further depth in

the discussion section).

The data gathered to create the calibration curve nicely fit a parabolic trend. When compared

with the curve of actual refractive index data for methanol-water solutions the two functions

were very similar only varying in the lowest order term. This data was used to determine the

composition of samples taken during distillation.

After analyzing the data a weight percent of 78 was obtained for the top tray methanol vapor and

a weight percent of 95 was measured for the top tray methanol liquid. There is clearly error

present in these data points because the weight percent of methanol should be higher in the vapor

than in the liquid (cause for these errors is discussed in the discussion section). However, when

looking at the liquid sample it is shown that a high purity methanol sample is reached on the top

tray of the distillation column. As anticipated the distillate measured at the top of the column
should be very rich in methanol. This was due to methanol’s much lower boiling point than

water. Because of the condensation-evaporation cycles occurring on each tray a higher purity of

methanol solution should have been measured in each sequential stage. This trend of increasing

methanol purity was not observed from each try to the next most likely because of the fore

mentioned errors.