The process of ethanol distillation is one which is rather complex and yet one which can be easily explained; ethanol is a chemical that is produced either synthetically from ethylene or from the fermentation of grain or sugar; during the ethanol distillation process, or more specifically, during the synthesis of ethanol, the product stream may be contaminated by acidic impurities, and/or sulfurous impurities.
Additionally, during the ethanol distillation process, in the presence of O2, a small part of the ethanol stream may be oxidized into various carbonyl impurities, of which acetaldehyde is the most probable one; the above impurities may cause such effects as odor, discoloration, inefficient distillation, or poor UV transmission.
More About Ethanol Distillation and Ethanol in General
In regards to learning more about ethanol distillation and ethanol in general, there are many things that should be taken seriously into consideration. For instance, there is the fact that ethanol is also known as ethyl alcohol, and that it is a flammable, colorless, mildly toxic chemical compound with a distinctive perfume-like odor, and it is the alcohol that is found in alcoholic beverages.
Ethanol is something which has actually been used by humans since prehistory as the intoxicating ingredient in alcoholic beverages, and as well, its isolation as a basically and relatively pure compound was in fact first achieved by Persian alchemists who developed the art of distillation during the Abbasid caliphate, the most notable of whom was Al-Razi.
Furthermore, ethanol is an incredibly versatile solvent, as it is soluble in water and with most organic liquids as well, and also, ethanol is used as a solvent in dissolving medicines, food flavorings and colorings that do not otherwise dissolve easily in water.
In regards to its use in fuel and alcoholic beverages, this is produced by fermentation: which is when certain species of yeast metabolize the sugar in the absence of oxygen, and they then produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. Then, the overall chemical reaction that is conducted by the yeast may then be represented by a chemical equation.
Overall it is quite easy to see the multitude of information that sounds ethanol as a whole, and therefore why it is often considered as being a rather complex matter to discuss; however, once you have even a basic grasp on the matter of ethanol overall, then you will be able to come to a better and more knowledgeable understanding overall.