Simple distillation or fractional distillation making acidk

Which is better for making nitric acid simple distillation fractional distillation

In my own opinion because of the difference in how volatile the products are from each other simple distillation done properly is just fine.

Caution distilling can be very dangerous if done improperly, one instance: a vessel of hot acidic solution builds enough pressure to force the more volatile solution off as gas, if you have the discharge bubbling through a cold solution, and you remove the heat or the heating source stops from the boiling hot vessel, the boiling vessel drops pressure and becomes a vacuum, sucking back the cold solution into the still hot vessel shattering the glass spraying acids all over...

Like anything we do we say to study first and learn the basics, study the safety, the dangers are no joke, and without study you have no clue of the dangers until the damage is done, by then you may find it too late to spend the time to learn, or in some cases be able to see, to even be able to read about the dangers...

Now that is good to know. I just got a distilling outfit and am starting with some simple battery acid runs. Thanks.

So I take it one should unhook the condenser pipe and of course the receiving beaker before turning off that heat.

Yes
While still hot, relieve pressure, opening the vessel to atmospheric pressure, to prevent a vacuum from forming on cooling.

Basically the same applies to boilers and pressure vessels, boilers or pressure vessels can explode under too high a pressure or implode under a too high a vacuum. when we start up a boiler we vent to remove air, before shutting down the steam boiler we relieve pressure and open vessel to atmosphere while cooling to prevent making a vacuum which can implode the boiler...

Some of the safety's on steam boilers help here(for unattended, or unscheduled shutdowns) safety pressure relief valves, and vacuum prevention valves these and other safety devices prevent boiler explosions or implosions in these cases...

Automated check valves, back flow preventers and relief valves are cheap compared to having a hot vessel of nitric acid explosively sprayed every where along with the shrapnel of the vessel.

Even if you aren't "planning" on unattended distillation, things happen, distractions, etc.