Vacuum distillation 1

[wms]

Will the vacuum created by condensing overhead vapors be sufficient to provide motivation through columns or is a vacuum pump required.

 

[TD2K]

Yes and no. Yes in the gross sense condensing the vapors is sufficient to keep vapor going up the tower. However, you always have some non-condensibles that get in with the feed and these will otherwise build up in the system. They are typically handled either by vacuum pumps or in my experience, more typically by steam ejectors.