What is the difference between spinning band distillation and packed column distillation?
All distillations attempt to separate a lower boiling material from a higher boiling material. Packed columns are “packed” with a material that creates a large surface area within the distillation column. Vapors rise through the column and are condensed by the condenser. The descending condensate “wets” the packing. Ascending vapors rise through the wet packing and are forced into intimate contact with the condensate. This intimate contact causes the vapor to become enriched in the lower boiling material. This process is often call rectification. Spinning band distillation creates intimate contact between the vapors and the condensate in a completely different way. It uses a helix rotating at high speeds inside the distillation column. The rotating band forces vapors into intimate contact with the condensate on the wall of the distillation column. This contact takes place in a very thin layer that is refreshed thousands of times per minute. As a result, spinning band distillation gives
