How many simple distillation columns are required to purify a stream containing five components into five 'pure"products? sketch all possible sequences.

one simple distillation column is required to separate the stream into five pure products. With four different flat bottom flask, for collection of the distilled products

Explanation: simple distillation works with the difference in boiling points of the liquid to be separated. For the separation of five different constituent to be possible, we have to know the boiling points of the constituents.

For your understanding, let's define constituents in the liquid to be A, B, C, D, E. And the boiling points increases respectively. Start by heating the liquid to the boiling point of A to extract A. After a while check if the constituents A is still dropping in the flat bottom flask, if it has stopped dropping, it simply means that we have extracted all A constituents in the liquid, label the Flask A. Get another flask to extract constituent B.

Heat the mixture to the boiling point of B, after a while check if constituent B is still dropping in the flat bottom flask, if it has stopped dropping,it means that we have extracted all B constituent in the liquid, label the Flask B. Get another flask for C.

Repeat the same process for C and D.

After Extracting D we don't need to distillate E because we already have a pure form of E inside to the conical flask.

SEE PICTURE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A SIMPLE DISTILLATION LOOKS LIKE