# Separation process > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Separation_process > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Separation_process.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_process > Source revision: 1347045565 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Method that converts a mixture or solution into two or more distinct products Part of a series on Chemical engineering Outline History Index Fundamentals Industry Engineer Process Unit operations Kinetics Transport phenomena Unit processes Chemical plant Chemical reactor Separation processes Aspects Heat transfer Mass transfer Fluid dynamics Process design Process control Chemical thermodynamics Reaction engineering Process safety Glossaries Glossary of chemistry Glossary of engineering A–L M–Z Category v t e A **separation process** is a method that converts a [mixture](/source/Mixture) or a [solution of chemical substances](/source/Solution_(chemistry)) into two or more distinct product mixtures,[1] a scientific process of separating two or more substances in order to obtain purity. At least one product mixture from the separation is enriched in one or more of the source mixture's constituents. In some cases, a separation may fully divide the mixture into pure constituents. Separations exploit differences in chemical properties or physical properties (such as size, shape, charge, mass, density, or chemical affinity) between the constituents of a mixture.[2] Processes are often classified according to the particular properties they exploit to achieve separation. If no single difference can be used to accomplish the desired separation, multiple [operations](/source/Unit_operation) can often be combined to achieve the desired end. Different processes are also sometimes categorized by their separating agent, i.e. *mass separating agents* or *energy separating agents*.[3] Mass separating agents operate by addition of material to induce separation like the addition of an anti-solvent to induce precipitation. In contrast, energy-based separations cause separation by heating or cooling as in distillation. [Elements](/source/Chemical_element) and [compounds](/source/Chemical_compound) in nature are impure to some degree. Often these raw materials must go through a separation before they can be put to productive use, making separation techniques essential for the modern industrial economy. The purpose of separation may be: - *analytical*: to identify the size of each fraction of a mixture is attributable to each component without attempting to harvest the fractions. - *preparative*: to "prepare" fractions for input into processes that benefit when components are separated. Separations may be performed on a small scale, as in a [laboratory](/source/Laboratory) for analytical purposes, or on a large scale, as in a [chemical plant](/source/Chemical_plant). ## Complete and incomplete separation This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Some types of separation require complete purification of a certain component. An example is the production of [aluminum](/source/Aluminum) metal from [bauxite](/source/Bauxite) ore through [electrolysis refining](/source/Hall%E2%80%93H%C3%A9roult_process). In contrast, an incomplete separation process may specify an output to consist of a mixture instead of a single pure component. A good example of an incomplete separation technique is [oil](/source/Petroleum) refining. Crude oil occurs naturally as a mixture of various [hydrocarbons](/source/Hydrocarbon) and impurities. The refining process splits this mixture into other, more valuable mixtures such as [natural gas](/source/Natural_gas), [gasoline](/source/Gasoline) and [chemical feedstocks](/source/Oil#Chemical_feedstock), none of which are pure substances, but each of which must be separated from the raw crude.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In both complete separation and incomplete separation, a series or cascade of separations may be necessary to obtain the desired end products. In the case of oil refining, crude is subjected to a long series of individual [distillation](/source/Distillation) steps, each of which produces a different product or [intermediate](/source/Reaction_intermediate#Chemical_processing_industry).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## List of separation techniques - [Centrifugation](/source/Centrifugation) and [cyclonic separation](/source/Cyclonic_separation), separates based on density differences - [Chelation](/source/Chelation) - [Chromatography](/source/Chromatography) separates dissolved substances by different interaction with (i.e., travel through) a material. - [High-performance liquid chromatography](/source/High-performance_liquid_chromatography) (HPLC) - [Thin-layer chromatography](/source/Thin-layer_chromatography) (TLC) - [Countercurrent chromatography](/source/Countercurrent_chromatography) (CCC) - [Droplet countercurrent chromatography](/source/Droplet_countercurrent_chromatography) (DCC) - [Paper chromatography](/source/Paper_chromatography) - [Ion chromatography](/source/Ion_chromatography) - [Size-exclusion chromatography](/source/Size-exclusion_chromatography) (SEC) - [Affinity chromatography](/source/Affinity_chromatography) - [Centrifugal partition chromatography](/source/Centrifugal_partition_chromatography) - [Gas chromatography](/source/Gas_chromatography) and [Inverse gas chromatography](/source/Inverse_gas_chromatography) - [Crystallization](/source/Crystallization) - [Decantation](/source/Decantation) - [Demister (vapor)](/source/Demister_(vapor)), removes liquid droplets from gas streams - [Distillation](/source/Distillation), used for mixtures of liquids with different boiling points - [Drying](/source/Drying), removes liquid from a solid by vaporization or evaporation - [Electrophoresis](/source/Electrophoresis), separates organic molecules based on their different interaction with a [gel](/source/Gel) under an electric potential (i.e., different travel) - [Capillary electrophoresis](/source/Capillary_electrophoresis) - [Electrostatic separation](/source/Electrostatic_separation), works on the principle of corona discharge, where two plates are placed close together and high voltage is applied. This high voltage is used to separate the ionized particles. - [Elutriation](/source/Elutriation) - [Evaporation](/source/Evaporation) - [Extraction](/source/Extraction_(chemistry)) - [Leaching](/source/Leaching_(chemistry)) - [Liquid–liquid extraction](/source/Liquid%E2%80%93liquid_extraction) - [Solid phase extraction](/source/Solid_phase_extraction) - [Supercritical fluid extraction](/source/Supercritical_fluid_extraction) - [Subcritical fluid extraction](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Subcritical_fluid_extraction&action=edit&redlink=1) - [Field flow fractionation](/source/Field_flow_fractionation) - [Filtration](/source/Filtration) – [Mesh](/source/Mesh), bag and paper filters are used to remove large particulates suspended in fluids (e.g., [fly ash](/source/Fly_ash)) while [membrane processes](/source/Membrane_technology) including [microfiltration](/source/Microfiltration), [ultrafiltration](/source/Ultrafiltration), [nanofiltration](/source/Nanofiltration), [reverse osmosis](/source/Reverse_osmosis), [dialysis (biochemistry)](/source/Dialysis_(biochemistry)) utilising [synthetic membranes](/source/Synthetic_membrane), separates [micrometre](/source/Micrometre)-sized or smaller species - [Flocculation](/source/Flocculation), separates a solid from a liquid in a colloid, by use of a flocculant, which promotes the solid clumping into flocs - [Fractional distillation](/source/Fractional_distillation) - [Fractional freezing](/source/Fractional_freezing) - [Magnetic separation](/source/Magnetic_separation) - [Oil-water separation](/source/API_oil-water_separator), gravimetrically separates suspended oil droplets from waste water in [oil refineries](/source/Oil_refinery), [petrochemical](/source/Petrochemical) and [chemical plants](/source/Chemical_plant), [natural gas processing](/source/Natural_gas_processing) plants and similar industries - [Precipitation](/source/Precipitation_(chemistry)) - [Recrystallization](/source/Recrystallization_(chemistry)) - [Scrubbing](/source/Scrubber), separation of particulates (solids) or gases from a gas stream using liquid. - [Sedimentation](/source/Sedimentation), separates using vocal density pressure differences - [Gravity separation](/source/Gravity_separation) - [Sieving](/source/Sieving) - [Sponge](/source/Sponge_(tool)), adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules of gas, liquid, or dissolved solids to a surface - [Stripping](/source/Stripping_(chemistry)) - [Sublimation](/source/Sublimation_(physics)) - [Vapor–liquid separation](/source/Souders%E2%80%93Brown_equation), separates by gravity, based on the Souders–Brown equation - [Winnowing](/source/Winnowing) - [Zone refining](/source/Zone_refining) ## See also - [Analytical chemistry](/source/Analytical_chemistry) – Study of the separation, identification, and quantification of matter - [Chemical process](/source/Chemical_process) – A method or means of somehow changing one or more [chemicals](/source/Chemical) or [chemical compounds](/source/Chemical_compound). - [High-performance liquid chromatography](/source/High-performance_liquid_chromatography) – Technique in analytical chemistry - [Unit operation](/source/Unit_operation) – Basic step in a process - [Filtration](/source/Filtration) – Process that separates solids from fluids ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Wilson, Ian D.; Adlard, Edward R.; Cooke, Michael; et al., eds. (2000). *Encyclopedia of separation science*. San Diego: Academic Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-12-226770-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-12-226770-3). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** William, Alston. ["Separation Process: An Overview"](https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/separation-process-an-overview-86074.html). *Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Seader, J. D.; Henley, Ernest J. (2006). *Separation process principles* (2nd ed.). Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-471-46480-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-471-46480-8). ## Further reading - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2019). A Research Agenda for Transforming Separation Science (Report). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.17226/25421](https://doi.org/10.17226%2F25421). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-309-49170-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-309-49170-9).{{[cite report](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_report)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list)) ## External links - [Separation of Mixtures Using Different Techniques](http://amrita.olabs.co.in/?sub=73&brch=2&sim=96&cnt=1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130605124124/http://amrita.olabs.co.in/?sub=73&brch=2&sim=96&cnt=1) 2013-06-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), instructions for performing classroom experiments - [Separation of Components of a Mixture](http://amrita.olabs.co.in/?sub=73&brch=2&sim=39&cnt=1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130605160427/http://amrita.olabs.co.in/?sub=73&brch=2&sim=39&cnt=1) 2013-06-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), instructions for performing classroom experiments v t e Separation processes Processes Absorption Acid–base extraction Adsorption Chromatography Cross-flow filtration Crystallization Cyclonic separation Decantation Dialysis Dissolved air flotation Distillation Drying Electrochromatography Electrofiltration Extraction Filtration Flocculation Froth flotation Gravity separation Leaching Liquid–liquid extraction Electroextraction Microfiltration Osmosis Precipitation Recrystallization Reverse osmosis Sedimentation Solid-phase extraction Sublimation Ultrafiltration Devices API oil–water separator Belt filter Centrifuge Depth filter Electrostatic precipitator Evaporator Filter press Fractionating column Leachate Mixer-settler Protein skimmer Rapid sand filter Rotary vacuum-drum filter Scrubber Spinning cone Still Sublimation apparatus Vacuum ceramic filter Multiphase systems Aqueous two-phase system Azeotrope Eutectic Concepts Unit operation v t e Analytical chemistry Instrumentation Atomic absorption spectrometer Flame emission spectrometer Gas chromatograph High-performance liquid chromatograph Infrared spectrometer Mass spectrometer Melting point apparatus Microscope Optical spectrometer Spectrophotometer Techniques Calorimetry Chromatography Electroanalytical methods Gravimetric analysis Ion mobility spectrometry Mass spectrometry Spectroscopy Titration Sampling Coning and quartering Dilution Dissolution Filtration Masking Pulverization Sample preparation Separation process Sub-sampling Calibration Chemometrics Calibration curve Matrix effect Internal standard Standard addition Isotope dilution Prominent publications Analyst Analytica Chimica Acta Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Analytical Biochemistry Category Commons Portal WikiProject v t e Branches of chemistry Glossary of chemical formulae List of biomolecules List of inorganic compounds Periodic table Analytical Calorimetry Characterization Chromatography GC HPLC Crystallography Electroanalytical methods Elemental analysis Instrumental 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