Question

describe the best method to use when separating a mixture of gases

Answer 1

fractional distillation

Answer 2

HEY MATE HERE'S YOUR ANSWER;

There are a number of ways depending on the properties of the gases that you are trying to separate.

1 Method) by liquifying one of the components the gas and liquid will easily separate under gravity. Example:- A pressure drop of a hydrocarbon gas of say 10 bar will be enough to condense some of the gases into liquid form, they can be drawn off in a 2 phase separator (or simpler drain if practical)

2nd method) Same principle except temperature is used to reduce the gas such that liquids condense out of the gas. pass a pipe through a chiller, reduce the temperature by 30degrees and some of the gas will condense and again can be extracted by simple gravity separation (the gas cant hold the liquids)

3rd Method) Combination of both above; drop the pressure significantly such that the pressure drops and the gases cool together. Gravity separation will also separate condensed liquids from the gas phase.

4th method) Distillation - Drop the pressure and temperaure so much that you liquify all of the gas components. Collect these liquids in a distillaiton column, adjust heat and pressure such that you separate the gas phases component by component

a 5th Method) Using a solvent such as TEG (GLYCOL) water in vapour form in a gas phase will be stripped from the hydrocarbon gas by mass transfer from gas phase into liquid glycol phase through a stripping column

a 6th method) A molecular sieve can be used as an adsorbent to stip gases such as CO2 and water from a hydrocarbon gas phase. The sieve is made of nano particles which capture the larger molecules letting the smaller particles pass and retain the larger ones

Typically, the mixture of gases would be cooled to liquefy them. Then the different components would be separated by fractional distillation. Ans b =Let the atmosphere be a glass where two gases oxygen (o²) and nitrogen (n) are mixed together.