About distillation procedure

Question

Can the condenser tube break if they stop the passage of cold water during distillation? Because we had a lab about distillation and we forgot to put a cold water in the condenser tube and after more than two weeks our lab they told us that the condenser tube was broken. Can you enligthen me about this? Thank you very much. 🙏🙏🙏

Answer 1

Hello Jelian,

Yes, a condenser tube can break if the heat source is on and there is no water flowing through the apparatus. Under such circumstances, no distillate can be produced. You are lucky that the entire apparatus did not shatter and cause harm.

Best,

Randall