What is relative volatility?

Relative volatility, also known as separation factor, is a measure of the difference in volatility between two components in a mixture. It is expressed as the ratio of the vapor pressures of the two components.

Relative volatility is an important concept in distillation processes. It determines the ease with which two components can be separated by distillation. The higher the relative volatility, the easier it is to separate the components.

Relative volatility is influenced by various factors such as temperature, pressure, and composition of the mixture. It is typically determined experimentally through distillation tests or estimated using theoretical models.

In industrial processes, relative volatility is used to optimize the design and operation of distillation columns for maximum separation efficiency. It is also used to evaluate the feasibility of separating certain mixtures by distillation and to predict the performance of distillation processes.