  We study the spin distillation of spinor gases of bosonic atoms and find two
different mechanisms in ${}^{52}$Cr and $^{23}$Na atoms, both of which can cool
effectively. The first mechanism involves dipolar scattering into initially
unoccupied spin states and cools only above a threshold magnetic field. The
second proceeds via equilibrium relaxation of the thermal cloud into empty spin
states, reducing its proportion in the initial component. It cools only below a
threshold magnetic field. The technique was initially demonstrated
experimentally for a chromium dipolar gas [B. Naylor et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.
115, 243002 (2015)], whereas here we develop the concept further and provide an
in-depth understanding of the required physics and limitations involved.
Through numerical simulations, we reveal the mechanisms involved and
demonstrate that the spin distillation cycle can be repeated several times,
each time resulting in a significant additional reduction of the thermal atom
fraction. Threshold values of magnetic field and predictions for the achievable
temperature are also identified.
