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Distillation - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Distillation : (noun)
1: the process of purifying a liquid by boiling it and
condensing its vapors [syn: distillment]
2: a purified liquid produced by condensation from a vapor
during distilling; the product of distilling [syn: distillate]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Distillation : \Dis`til*la"tion\, n. [F. distillation, L.
destillatio.]
1. The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring out in
drops.
2. That which falls in drops. [R.] --Johnson
3. (Chem.) The separation of the volatile parts of a
substance from the more fixed; specifically, the operation
of driving off gas or vapor from volatile liquids or
solids, by heat in a retort or still, and the condensation
of the products as far as possible by a cool receiver,
alembic, or condenser; rectification; vaporization;
condensation; as, the distillation of illuminating gas and
coal, of alcohol from sour mash, or of boric acid in
steam.
Note: The evaporation of water, its condensation into clouds,
and its precipitation as rain, dew, frost, snow, or
hail, is an illustration of natural distillation.
4. The substance extracted by distilling. --Shak.
Destructive distillation (Chem.), the distillation,
especially of complex solid substances, so that the
ultimate constituents are separated or evolved in new
compounds, -- usually requiring a high degree of heat; as,
the destructive distillation of soft coal or of wood.
Dry distillation, the distillation of substances by
themselves, or without the addition of water or of other
volatile solvent; as, the dry distillation of citric acid.
Fractional distillation. (Chem.) See under Fractional.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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