Methods for separating azeotropic mixtures(seperation of azeotropic mixtures) (Extractive distillation,Heterogeneous azeotropic distillation,Distillation using ionic salts,Pressure-swing distillation,Reactive distillation)

The five methods for separating azeotropic mixtures are:

1. Extractive distillation and homogeneous azeotropic distillation where the liquid separating agent is completely miscible.  
2. Heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, or more commonly, azeotropic distillation where the liquid separating agent, called the entrainer, forms one or more azeotropes with the other components in the mixture and causes two liquid phases to exist over a wide range of compositions. This immiscibility is the key to making the distillation sequence work.
3. Distillation using ionic salts. The salt dissociates in the liquid mixture and alters the relative volatilities sufficiently that the separation become possible.
4. Pressure-swing distillation where a series of column operating at different pressures are used to separate binary azeotropes which change appreciably in composition over a moderate pressure range or where a separating agent which forms a pressure-sensitive azeotrope is added to separate a pressure-insensitive azeotrope.
5. Reactive distillation where the separating agent reacts preferentially and reversibly with one of the azeotropic constitutes. The reaction product is then distilled from the nonreacting components and the reaction is reversed to recover the initial component.