1. A device or apparatus used to separate a mixture into its component parts or fractions, especially in industrial or laboratory processes.
Usage: technical; commonly used in petroleum refining, chemistry, and food processing
2. In petroleum refining, a tall cylindrical tower used to separate crude oil into different products (such as gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil) based on boiling points.
Usage: technical; petroleum industry

Examples

• The oil refinery uses a large fractionator to separate crude oil into gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.
• Modern fractionators employ advanced temperature and pressure controls to maximize product yield.
• The laboratory fractionator allowed chemists to isolate individual compounds from the complex mixture.
• Engineers designed the fractionator to handle high volumes of feedstock efficiently.
• The fractionator operates continuously, with different products drawn off at various levels.
• Maintenance of the fractionator is critical to ensure consistent product quality.