Ethanol Distillation Tower

Ethanol Distillation Tower

Introduction to Refining Towers
Whether it's balanced distillation or simple distillation, although they can achieve some separation, they cannot produce products with certain purity levels. In petrochemical production, it is often required to obtain products with very high purity, which can be achieved through the rectification process.
The equipment used in the rectification process is known as a rectification tower, which can be broadly categorized into two types: 1. Plate Towers, where the gas and liquid phases come into multiple countercurrent contacts, generally with cross-flow on each plate. 2. Filling Towers, where the gas and liquid phases have continuous countercurrent contacts.
A typical distillation unit consists of a distillation column, a condenser, a reflux drum, and a reboiler. The feed enters the column from a section of a tray, known as the feed tray. The feed tray divides the distillation column into two sections: the portion above the feed tray is called the rectifying section, and the portion below the feed tray is called the stripping section.