Difference in simple and fractional distillation

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vaazu
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I found on the internet that fractional is used when the differences in boiling points are below 25C, and that there are more than 2 or 3 substances in the mixture, but i didn´t figure out what's the difference in apparatus or how the substances are purified in fractional distillation. Could anyone please explain it.
 
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The manual instrumentation does differ a bit, however the principle is similar.

The fractional distillation will use a straight delivery tube to your receiver, so the cutting is extremely basic as the distance between your distillation flask and the outlet is not so large, as in your normal "straight" distillation.

Try checking ASTM methods for more on the structure of instrumentation
 
When looking it up, you should notice the main difference in the fractional distillation apparatus contains a column divided into plates (or something resembling plates) stacked one on top of another.

A simple distillation apparatus doesn't have that kind of column, because as you have found, it is not needed for components with widely different boiling points.