System for monitoring and controlling unit operations that include distillation

A system for monitoring a unit operation that includes separating one or more components of a multi-component composition by distillation, the system comprising:

• a fluidic system configured for distillation, the fluidic system comprising (i) a process container for providing a multi-component composition comprising one or more liquid components, (ii) a heat source associated with the process container and adapted for vaporizing at least a portion of at least one liquid component of the composition to form a vapor, (iii) a condenser in fluid communication with the process container for receiving the vapor, (iv) a heat sink associated with the condenser for condensing the vapor to form a condensate, and (v) a distillate receiver for recovering at least a portion of the condensate as a distillate, and
• a sensor comprising a flexural resonator, the sensor being configured in association with the fluidic system such that a sensing surface of the flexural resonator can contact a fluid within the fluidic system, the fluid being the multi-component composition, the vapor, the condensate or the distillate, the sensor further comprising an electrical circuit in signaling communication with the flexural resonator, the electrical circuit comprising signal processing circuitry or data retrieval circuitry or combinations thereof.