Home

The Uses of Distillation Other Than in the Creation of Spirits

 
Written by Peoples Bourbon Review Staff |
Published on:

Distillation is a rustic cycle that involves the selective boiling and succeeding condensation of an element in any liquid mixture. You can employ the said process to either upswing the content of a specific element in the mixture or collect almost pure elements from the solution.

However, it is troublesome to purify a mixture by this approach entirely. That is because the level of a constituent in the boiling mixture depends on its contribution to the absolute vapor pressure of the mix.

This process still plays a significant role in many industrial institutions. It has a great history, given that evidence implies that alcohol distillation was created back in the 9th century. Besides, many of the dairy products we utilize are also a result of this decent process. The following list shows some basic uses of distillation in various places;

Petroleum products

You can obtain very many products from crude oil. That’s simply due to their unique boiling points. In that event, distilling is used to refine oil into diverse materials, including fuel, diesel, wax, and so much more.

Perfume

One of the ancient uses of distilling involved the making of perfumes. The scent derived from various plants is found in essential oils and can be taken out through distillation. However, some of these plants with nice scents are bound to wither at high temperatures; therefore, detachment by normal ways isn't sensible. In such instances, you can use steam to pass through the plant material to drag out essential oils without scorching the solution. After that, you can then obtain the steam and condense it as usual. Indeed the process seems hard, but it is good that you get it right.

Food Flavour

The other use of this process is involved in the creation of natural food flavorings. Some of the commonly made flavors are citrus oils and liquid extracts of multiple herbs and spices. That tells you how this process rarely fails to deliver.

Water Purification

The water found in natural sources boasts various valuable minerals and impurities, which you can get by means of distilling. Also, there are numerous sea plants that rely on distillation to convert seawater into drinking water.

Scientific Uses

Another sensible use of distillation is in various laboratories. Even if this type of distilling is not practical at home, it is mainly used in research and testing various consumer products.

Author: Peoples Bourbon Review Staff
The People's Bourbon Review - The ultimate Bourbon reviews and tasting notes by enthusiasts and the people.

Comments

Please Login to Comment
No comments have been posted. Be the first.

Card image cap
Provide Feedback

Would you mind giving us feedback? What do you like or dislike about the website? How can we make it better? What features would you like to see added?

The Top 10 Terms Every New Bourbon Enthusiast Should Know

Bourbon is one of the United States’ finest contributions to the world of whiskeys. Legally, bourbon mash must have at least 51% corn and undergo aging in a new charred oak barrel. Regardless of...Read More

What is the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and What are the Stops on the Trail?

The Kentucky Bourbons Trail, popularly known as the Bourbon Trail, is a collection of 18 distillers located in and around Louisville. The trial was launched in 1999 by the Kentucky Distiller Asso...Read More

1792 Sweet Wheat Brief Review

1792 Sweet Wheat was a very difficult find here in the state of Georgia. Once I found it, I paid more than I should have. That expenditure is a little disappointing because Sweet Wheat definitely does...Read More