System and method for substantially horizonal rotating reflux distillation apparatus

A method for distillation using a substantially-horizontal, rotatable, reflux distillation system, the method comprising:

• providing a substantially-horizontal, reflux distillation column, wherein substantially horizontal is defined as angled between 10-20 degrees from horizontal, wherein the reflux distillation column has a lower end that is an input end and an upper end that is an exit end, wherein the lower end of the reflux distillation column is operatively associated with a lower seal housing, and wherein the upper end of the reflux distillation column is operatively associated with an upper seal housing;
• connecting a lower end transition pipe to the lower end of the reflux distillation column and the lower seal housing, the lower end transition pipe including a lower thermocouple;
• connecting an upper end transition pipe to the upper end of the reflux distillation column and the upper seal housing, the upper end transition pipe including an upper thermocouple and a fluid exit gate;
• connecting a vapor reduction system to the upper end transition pipe, wherein the vapor reduction system enables vapor travelling upward in the reflux distillation system to reduce into condensate liquid and return back downward into the reflux distillation column;
• rotating the substantially-horizontal, reflux distillation column using a drive assembly;
• controlling the fluid exit gate using dynamic linear feedback temperature control that keeps the fluid exit gate in a closed state until the lower thermocouple and the upper thermocouple determine that an entirety of an internal volume of the reflux distillation column is homogenized in an azeotropic temperature state, at which point the fluid exit gate moves into an open state;
• and
• controlling the fluid exit gate using dynamic linear feedback temperature control that keeps the fluid exit gate in the open state until the azeotropic temperature state of the reflux distillation column is no longer maintained, at which point the fluid exit gate moves back into the closed state.

An oblique angled, rotatable, reflux distillation system, comprising:

• an oblique angled, rotatable, reflux distillation column, wherein oblique angled is defined as angled between 10-20 degrees from horizontal, wherein the reflux distillation column has a lower end that is a vapor input end and an upper end that is a fluid exit end, wherein the lower end of the reflux distillation column is operatively associated with a lower seal housing, and wherein the upper end of the reflux distillation column is operatively associated with an upper seal housing;
• a lower end transition pipe operatively associated with the lower end of the reflux distillation column and the lower seal housing, the lower end transition pipe including a lower temperature measurement device;
• an upper end transition pipe operatively associated with the upper end of the reflux distillation column and the upper seal housing, the upper end transition pipe including an upper temperature measurement device and a fluid exit gate;
• a rotational drive assembly operatively associated with the reflux distillation column that rotates the reflux distillation column;
• and
• a vapor reduction system operatively associated with the upper end transition pipe, wherein the vapor reduction system causes vapor travelling upward in the reflux distillation system to reduce into condensate liquid and return back downward into the reflux distillation column,
• wherein distilled fluid only exits the reflux distillation system out of the fluid exit gate when an azeotropic temperature state has been reached within the reflux distillation column, as determined by the lower and upper lower temperature measurement devices.