What is the purpose of a reboiler?

• A. To Provide a Heat Source at the Bottom of the Tower to Drive Vapor Traffic
• B. To Cool the Top of the Tower
• C. To Remove Impurities from Liquid
• D. To Store Product

Answer: (A)

The reboiler’s function is to provide heat at the bottom of the distillation column to boil a portion of the bottom liquid. This boil-up creates vapor that rises through the column, carrying the more volatile components upward and sustaining the vapor traffic needed for the separation to occur. The amount of heat you feed there sets the boil-up rate and bottom temperature, which influences how well the lighter components reach the top. The top of the column is cooled by the condenser to return liquid as reflux, not by the reboiler. It isn’t meant to remove impurities directly or store product.