CID A-A-59938A, describes a Petroleum Distillation Test Apparatus that performs ASTM-D86 testing (Distillation of Petroleum Products at Atmospheric Pressure). The petroleum distillation test apparatus is used to determine a fuel?s tendency to vaporize. Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatility of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction.