destructive distillation

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. the decomposition of a substance, as wood or coal, by heating with a minimal exposure to air, and the collection of the volatile products formed.

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destructive distillation British  

noun

1. the decomposition of a complex substance, such as wood or coal, by heating it in the absence of air and collecting the volatile products

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destructive distillation Scientific  

/ dĭ-strŭk′tĭv /

1. A process by which organic substances such as wood, coal, and oil shale are broken down by heat in the absence of air. This causes them to break down into solids, liquids, and gases, which are then used to make products such as coke, charcoal, oils, and ammonia.

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Etymology

Origin of destructive distillation

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

destructive distillation

The Dean ultimately traced the phenomenon to an escape of inflammable gas from an underlying coal seam, and he followed up the matter experimentally by studying the destructive distillation of Wigan coal in retorts.

From Coal and What We Get from It by Meldola, Raphael

The products of destructive distillation are numerous and varied.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 1: Deposition to Eberswalde by Various

The illuminating gas which is obtained from coal by destructive distillation consists chiefly of hydrogen and gaseous hydrocarbons, the most abundant of the latter being marsh gas.

From Coal and What We Get from It by Meldola, Raphael

On destructive distillation the leaves yield much gas, 10,000 cub. ft. being obtained from one ton.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 8 "Ethiopia" to "Evangelical Association" by Various

Rich gas, or gas made by the destructive distillation of certain bituminous schists, of oil, &c., contains much more of the heavy hydrocarbons, and its heat-value is therefore much higher than the above.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various