Describe the fractional distillation of liquid air
Fractional distillation of liquid air is a process used to separate the components of air into their individual gases by taking advantage of their different boiling points.
The process starts by compressing and cooling the air until it becomes a liquid at around -196 degrees Celsius. The liquid air is then introduced into a fractional distillation column, which is a tall vertical column with multiple trays or plates.
As the liquid air is heated, the individual gases in the mixture begin to vaporize at different temperatures. The gases with the lower boiling points, such as nitrogen and argon, vaporize first and rise to the top of the column, while the gases with higher boiling points, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, remain as liquid and collect at the bottom of the column.
The gases are then collected at different levels of the column, with nitrogen being collected at the top, followed by argon, oxygen, and other gases at lower levels. These gases can then be further purified and used for various industrial applications.
Overall, fractional distillation of liquid air is a highly efficient method for separating the components of air and is widely used in industries such as medical and food processing, as well as in the production of various industrial gases.