Dean-Stark apparatus

A water separator is a technical device, in order to separate from gas mixtures, aerosols ( mists ) or suspensions of water.

For example, water is incorporated into compressed air systems or fuel systems, which operate on a mechanical separation process. The drainage of the water, so the removal of the collected water may be done manually or automatically. Mechanical water are also referred to as a sedimentation tank.

Laboratory scale

Chemistry

In chemistry, known as water glass, a device which is used for the azeotropic distillation ( distillation entrainer ) and enables the continuous phase separation between the entrainer and water. The reaction mixture ( 1 ) is heated to reflux and evaporated ( 2). Analogously to a Vigreux distillation additional floors can be added (3) to improve the purity. Using thermometer ( 4), the boiling point of the azeotrope controls (4), the re-condensed on the cooler (5). By condensing the water phase is separated from the organic phase and can be collected (9) and measured (10). Because water generally has a higher density than the organic solvent used, it falls down, while the excess solvent to the flask (1) from flowing back. If you're not the case ( dichloromethane as solvent) must be used, an inverse water. Frequently, this process is used to continuously remove water from the reaction and thereby shift the equilibrium in favor of the product ( for example, esterification ).

Popular towing funds for this purpose toluene or cyclohexane.