Distillation is a crucial process used in chemistry to separate and purify liquids by exploiting differences in volatility and boiling point. But like any industrial process, distillation systems are susceptible to many issues that can compromise functionality and performance; this article presents several common distillation issues as well as feasible solutions to address them.

-Sludge Buildup: Constant use of a distillation unit may result in the build-up of sludge on heating surfaces, decreasing heating efficiency and increasing process times and energy costs. Regular cleaning and removal is recommended in order to keep this from happening.

Unbalanced Heat: Uneven heat may result from either an insufficiently-sized reboiler or from an improper feed rate, which should both be adjusted appropriately in order to meet steam needs for column solvent vaporization and achieve this by maintaining an optimal feed rate balance. It’s essential that there be sufficient steam available when needed in both cases, while both must also balance each other out accordingly.

Obsolete Equipment: Over time, distillation tower use may result in PLC’s, HMI’s, amplifiers and other devices becoming obsolete, impacting performance by adding downtime while searching for replacements or finding workarounds to accommodate device operations. This could affect performance negatively and compromise an otherwise reliable distillation system.

Safety Issues: Distillation column maintenance activities such as emptying and/or cleaning may pose safety concerns, including the formation of potentially pyrophoric compounds like iron sulfide. Such compounds have been associated with numerous incidents related to overfilling (BP Texas City accident being an example), yet such incidents can be avoided through proper isolation and cleaning procedures during maintenance activities.