Distillation of Gin
Chan*, Cruz, E., Cruz, I., and Cusi
Department of Chemistry, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Abstract
4.2 mL of the residue was collected.
Distillation is a separation technique
which involves the process of evaporation
Introduction
and condensation. It also takes advantage in
the differences in boiling points of the
Distillation is a widely used method
liquids in a mixture. Distillation may result
for separating mixtures based on differences
in essentially complete separation (nearly
in the conditions required to change the
pure components), or it may be a partial
phase of components of the mixture. To
separation that increases the concentration
separate a mixture of liquids, the liquid can
of selected components of the mixture. The
be heated to force components, which have
group's objectives in this experiment is to
different boiling points, into the gas phase.
separate and calculate in percentage the
The gas is then condensed back into liquid
alcohol content of a commercially bought
form and collected. Although the term is
gin by distillation process and to compare
most commonly applied to liquids, the
the efficiency of simple and fractional
reverse process can be used to separate
distillation techniques. Test tubes were
gases by liquefying components using
calibrated
0.5mL
changes in temperature and/or pressure. The
respectively. 15 mL of the Ginebra gin was
distillation process is simply the evaporation
collected and was heated using a Bunsen
of the more volatile substance in a mixture
burner in a circular motion. Distillates were
at a certain temperature, which in this case is
collected and the temperature was collected.
78.50C for Ethanol (C2H602), and the
The group stopped distilling the Ginebra gin
condensation of the vapor. There are four
once the temperature reached 97C . The %
types
Recovery of the Ethanol in the fractional
distillation, fractional distillation, vacuum
distillation is 60% and the % Loss is 40%.
distillation, and steam distillation.
and
were
labeled
of
distillation
namely
simple
points of the compounds. The goal is to heat
Simple distillation is a process by
and separate the components at temperatures
which components in a chemical mixture are
below their decomposition point. However,
separated according to their different boiling
the main focus will be on fractional
points. Fractional distillation is similar to
distillation since it was the method used by
simple distillation, only that vapors from a
the researchers.
boiling
solution
are
passed
along
fractionating column. The purpose of the
The objectives in this experiment is
fractionating column is to increase the
to separate and calculate in percentage the
surface area. It also serves as a theoretical
alcohol content of a commercially bought
plate, which in many separation processes is
gin by distillation process and to compare
a hypothetical zone or stage in which two
the efficiency of simple and fractional
phases, such as the liquid and vapor phases
distillation techniques.
of a substance, establish an equilibrium with
each other. Such equilibrium stages may
also be referred to as an equilibrium stage,
Results and Discussion
ideal stage, or a theoretical tray. The
temperature
gradually
This section analyzes the results of
decreases along its length. Components with
the experiment. The experiment went as
a higher boiling points condense on the
expected with no unusual events that would
column
solution;
have introduced error. 15mL of the Ginebra
components with a lower boiling points pass
gin was transferred in a distilling flask and 2
through the column and are collected.
pieces of boiling chips were added. The
Vacuum distillation is the distillation of a
flask was heated by rotating a Bunsen
liquid under reduced pressure, enabling it to
burner underneath.
and
of
the
return
column
to
the
boil at a lower temperature than normal.
Steam distillation is a separation process
Boiling chips were added to the
used to purify or isolate temperature
sample gin because boiling chips work by
sensitive materials, like natural aromatic
providing nucleation sites which traps air
compounds. Steam or water is added to the
inside holes and releases so that the liquid
distillation apparatus, lowering the boiling
boils
smoothly
without
becoming
superheated or bumped. It also prevents
bumping, an occurrence in chemistry where
liquids boiled in a test tube superheat or
having a sudden increase in temperature
before undergoing a sudden release of vapor,
expelling the liquid from the container.
Glycerol, which is an alcohol, was also used
in this experiment to help even-out heating.
Figures 1 shows the set-up for simple
distillation.
The temperature recorded by the group and
Volume
Temperature
1st drop
60.8C
0.5 mL
70.9C
Test tube # 2
0.5 mL
74.3C
Test tube # 3
0.5 mL
75.4C
Test tube # 4
0.5 mL
77.1C
Test tube # 5
0.5 mL
76.9C
Test tube # 6
0.5 mL
77.7C
Test tube # 7
0.5 mL
78C
Test tube # 8
0.5 mL
78.6C
Test tube # 9
0.5 mL
76.8C
Test tube # 1
Figures 2 shows the set-up for fractional
distillation.
Test tube # 10
0.5 mL
77.7C
the partner group in the collection of the
distillates can be seen in Tables 1 and 2
respectively.
Test tube # 11
0.5 mL
78.6C
Test tube # 19
0.5 mL
92.5C
Test tube # 12
0.5 mL
80.2C
Test tube # 20
0.5 mL
93C
Test tube # 13
0.5 mL
84.6C
Test tube # 21
0.5 mL
93.6C
Test tube # 14
0.5 mL
93.7C
Test tube # 15
0.5 mL
95.8C
Test tube # 16
0.5 mL
95.2C
Test tube # 17
0.5 mL
97.5C
Test tube # 18
0.5 mL
97.6C
Table 2. Simple Distillation Distillates
(Ethanol)
Based on the following graphs, we can see
that the temperature of the initial drop was
Table 1. Fractional Distillation Distillates
(Ethanol)
relatively lower than that of the final
temperature. The possible explanation for
this is that the substance with the lower
boiling point vaporizes first before the other
Volume
Temperature
substance, which in this case, the Ethanol
1 drop
66C
being the substance which has the lower
0.5 mL
73.6C
Test tube # 2
0.5 mL
75.9C
Test tube # 3
0.5 mL
76.7C
Test tube # 4
0.5 mL
77.3C
Test tube # 5
0.5 mL
78.2C
Test tube # 6
0.5 mL
79.1C
Test tube # 7
0.5 mL
79.6C
condensed into liquid again which leaves
Test tube # 8
0.5 mL
80.7C
water in the flask that is why the
Test tube # 9
0.5 mL
81.7C
thermometer is reading temperatures close
Test tube # 10
0.5 mL
82.3C
to 100C the boiling point of water.
Test tube # 11
0.5 mL
84C
Test tube # 12
0.5 mL
85.5C
Test tube # 13
0.5 mL
87.9C
Test tube # 14
0.5 mL
89.6C
Test tube # 15
0.5 mL
90.7C
Test tube # 16
0.5 mL
89.6C
Test tube # 17
0.5 mL
91C
Test tube # 18
0.5 mL
91.7C
st
Test tube # 1
boiling point. We can then conclude that the
trend in increasing temperature as the
distillation process continues is due to the
fact that the Ethanol in the mixture is
continuously evaporating and being
Below are the equations used for computing
the % Recovery of Ethanol and the % Loss.
% Recovery (Ethanol)
15.0 mL Gin(9.0 mL Ethanol4.2mL Residue)
x 100
15.0 mL Sample Gin
Volume of Ethanol(VE)
x 100
Volume of Sample(VS)
= 40%
As can be seen from the graph below, the
% Loss
temperature increases as the volume of the
distillates also increases.
V S(V EVolume of Residue)
x 100
VS
Temp(C)/Volume
120
These equations led to the values of %
100
Recovery and % Loss that are shown below.
80
% Recovery (Ethanol)
9.0 mL Ethanol Distillate
x 100
15.0 mL Sample Gin
60
40
20
= 60%
% Loss
Temp(C)/Volu
me
Experimental
References:
15 ml of Ginebra gin was used. The
gin was transferred in a distilling flask and 2
pieces of boiling chips were added. The
flask was heated by rotating a Bunsen
burner underneath it. The mixture was
distilled by fractional distillation. The
temperature of the first drop of distillate of
the first test tube was recorded. The
temperatures of every 0.5mL distillates of
the succeeding test tubes were recorded. The
Bunsen burner was removed once the
temperature is consistent at 97C or higher
or approximately 1 mL is left in flask. The
residue was measured using a graduated
cylinder.
Lassar-Cohn: Manual of Organic
Chemistry(1896). Retrieved from
http://www.theodora.com/encyclope
dia/d/distillation.html
Hardwood, L.M., Moody, C.J. Experimental
Organic Chemistry: Principles and
Practice (Illustrated
978-0-632-02017-1
ed.). ISBN
