Laboratory Distillation Apparatus Set

Quick Answer: A laboratory distillation apparatus is a glass set-up that boils a liquid mixture, carries the vapour through a condenser and collects the condensed liquid in a receiver. It is used to purify liquids and to separate a liquid from dissolved solids or from other liquids with a different boiling point.

The Parts and What Each Does

Every distillation set, whatever its size, follows the same path. A boiling flask holds the mixture over a heat source. A still head or side-arm neck turns the vapour sideways, and a thermometer placed at that outlet records the temperature of the vapour actually leaving. A water-cooled condenser, sloping downwards, turns the vapour back into liquid, and an adapter guides the distillate into a receiving flask.

In jointed glassware these pieces connect through ground glass cones and sockets, which lets the same parts be rearranged for other techniques; older teaching sets join them with bored corks or rubber bungs. The listing is titled simply Distillation Apparatus and does not state which pieces, joint sizes or flask capacity are included, so agree the parts list before ordering.

LabEquip also lists more specialised set-ups: the simple type distillation assembly for introductory practicals and the vacuum distillation assembly for high-boiling or heat-sensitive liquids.

Specifications

Principle	Separation by differences in boiling point
Typical components	Boiling flask, still head or side arm, thermometer, condenser, adapter, receiver
Connections	Ground glass joints or bungs, depending on the set
Heat source	Heating mantle, water bath or sand bath, according to the liquid
Parts list, joint size and capacity	Confirm at enquiry

Applications

Preparing distilled water from tap water in a practical on purification
Separating ethanol from a fermented sugar solution and testing the distillate
Recovering a solvent such as ethanol after an extraction
Finding the boiling range of an unknown liquid as a check on its purity

Care & Handling

Drop anti-bumping granules into the mixture while it is still cold; adding them to hot liquid can set off sudden boiling.
Never heat a closed system: the receiver end must remain open to the air.
Fill the boiling flask no more than about two-thirds full and never distil to dryness.
Clamp the flask neck and the condenser separately so that no joint carries a strained load.

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools, colleges and polytechnics usually want one distillation set per bench group, with spare condensers and flasks. LabEquip supplies laboratory distillation apparatus as part of its chemistry lab equipment; agree the parts list and quantities through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between simple and fractional distillation?

Simple distillation passes vapour straight from the flask to the condenser and works when boiling points are far apart or when a liquid is separated from dissolved solids. Fractional distillation adds a packed or indented column that gives repeated condensation and re-evaporation, separating liquids with close boiling points.

Why does the thermometer reading stay steady during distillation?

While a pure substance is distilling, the vapour reaching the bulb is at that liquid’s boiling point, so the reading holds constant. A rise in temperature signals that the first component has largely distilled over and the next is starting.

Which heat source is safest?

A heating mantle or water bath is preferred for flammable liquids such as ethanol, because there is no open flame. A Bunsen burner and gauze is acceptable only for water and other non-flammable aqueous mixtures.

Why should the flask not be distilled to dryness?

The last residue can overheat and decompose, and the flask may crack when no liquid is left to take up the heat. With some solvents, such as ethers, concentrated residues can contain unstable peroxides.

How pure is the distillate from a simple set-up?

Separation of a liquid from dissolved salts is essentially complete, since the salts do not evaporate. Two liquids with similar boiling points are only partly separated in a single simple distillation, and the distillate still contains some of each.

Can the same apparatus be used for reflux?

With jointed glassware, yes: the condenser is moved to a vertical position directly above the flask, so vapour returns to the flask instead of passing to a receiver. Sets joined with bungs are less easy to rearrange.

Last Updated: September 2026