Batch Destillation App Universidad Metropolitana

MATLAB GUI processes batch-distillation data and simulates VLE, cutting analysis time and boosting IPA-water lab learning.

The project delivers a full-featured MATLAB® GUI that streamlines the entire workflow of a batch-distillation experiment—from raw measurements to design-level insights—inside a single, student-friendly interface. After the user imports an Excel log of time, distillate volume, refractive index and condenser temperature, the app automatically back-calculates the instantaneous distillate composition through system-specific RI-to-x correlations and converts measured volumes into total and component moles, accounting for excess molar volume. Fourth-order polynomial fits provide smooth trends and instantaneous evaporation rates, which are displayed alongside real-time plots of moles, composition profiles and condenser temperature. A companion simulation module leverages pre-computed response surfaces based on the Rayleigh balance and vapor–liquid-equilibrium data to predict either the composition achievable after a specified time or the time required to hit a target purity, offering rapid what-if analyses. Although the current property database is calibrated for isopropanol–water, the architecture is modular, allowing easy extension to methanol, ethanol or n-propanol as new correlations become available. Validation against IPA–water runs yields an RMSE of 0.018 mole-fraction units, cutting post-lab analysis from 45 minutes to under two and providing a robust pedagogical bridge between experimental practice and theoretical design.