How to Distill Water

Distilled water is used by people in many parts of the world for industrial projects. Before learning about the distillation process, it is important that we learn what it is.

What is Distilled Water?

It is said to be the purest form of water. The chemical composition of water is said to contain only hydrogen and oxygen, but usually water contains a host of other substances including various minerals and other impurities which are dissolved in the water. Distillation is a process which clears up all these impurities which are present in the water.

Distilled water is used in various chemical projects. Scientists specifically use the water as there are chances that some of the dissolved minerals and impurities may interfere with some of the chemical processes. Hence, for the chemical reactions to go right, they need water which contains no impurities whatsoever.

Distilled water is also recommended for human consumption in the form of drinking water, though some schools of thought believe that the minerals and impurities that come mixed with spring water or rainwater are good for the human body. After all, the human body does need certain essential minerals and the natural water supplies them in the required quantity.

Of course, there are certain caveats to the use of distilled water. It does not stay pure for too long as atmospheric carbon dioxide soon dissolves in it. This lowers its pH level and makes it more acidic. Hence, if carbon dioxide is absorbed by the water, the water no longer retains its purity and its use. Moreover it becomes harmful for human consumption. Hence, while using distilled water, precautions must be taken to ensure that it has not absorbed carbon dioxide, otherwise its use is negated.

Getting Distilled Water

So now that you know what it is, let us see how we can distill water at home. For this process, you need a glass flask, some water, a condenser, a heating device such as a gas and a collecting beaker.

First pour the water in the glass flask. Since you are going to heat the water in this flask, make sure that it is resistant to heat. Get all the materials ready. Place the glass flask on top of the heater. Attach a condenser to the end of the glass flask and place the other end of the condenser on the beaker.

Now heat the water. When the temperature of the water reaches its boiling point, the liquid water will turn into water vapor. This water vapor will rise into the air and finally settle on the condenser above the glass flask. The condenser will then liquefy the water vapor on its surface and the drops of water so formed will slowly trickle into the beaker. The water which you get in the beaker is known as 'once distilled water'. Distilling water once does not guarantee pure water and you may have to do it a few times before you get perfectly pure water.

A lot of people ask about getting distilled water for their fish, because they feel that it will be good for their fish. But it is actually a myth. Like I said before distilled water does not have any of the minerals essential for the body and hence it is not good for the fish. Add to that, it also absorbs carbon dioxide and hence it could be lethal for the fish.

The word distillation is not only limited to water. There are many more types of distillation such as fractional, with which you can be used for a host of other liquids to get them in a purer form.