Use the working principle of pressure cooker to explain safe liquid distillation for separating a liquid Y form the mixture of X, Y, Z .?

Question

Note: When Y is exposed to temperature above 30 oC starts to decompose.

Decomposition reaction @ 30 oC: Y -> aA +bB

Note: Vapor pressure of X > Y > Z

Answer 1

Hi Kulsum S.,

I have no idea what the working principle of a pressure cooker is, other that to raise internal (chamber) temperatures by preventing escape of volatiles.

But here, you may interpret "pressure" liberally. Depending on the .delta.H etc. of the 3 components, you might need/be able to vacuum distill off X, then Y, leaving Z and whatever other garbage of A and B. If, as I suspect, you are dealing with nitrated small-molecule organics(?), you wouldn't want to obtain pure detonatable materials anyway this way, far too risky.

Certainly you wouldn't want to pressurize your vessel, unless perchance your Y is non-polar, and you might extract it selectively with supercritical methane, perhaps. That's a "long shot"; a kitchen "pressure cooker" isn't the "right stuff" for that.

-- Cheers, --Mr. d.