FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION OF CRUDE OIL

FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION is the method used to separate the MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS in crude oil.

 The process includes:

HEATING AND VAPORISATION

• Crude oil is HEATED until most hydrocarbons turn into GAS.
• These gases enter a FRACTIONATING COLUMN where there's a TEMPERATURE GRADIENT (hot at the bottom, cooler as you go up).

SEPARATION BY BOILING POINTS

• LONGER HYDROCARBONS with HIGHER boiling points CONDENSE back into liquids at the LOWER part of the column.
• SHORTER HYDROCARBONS with LOWER boiling points travel further up and condense at higher levels.

• The different hydrocarbon fractions are collected at various levels, each with a similar boiling points and HYDROCARBON LENGTH.

PRODUCTS FROM DISTILLATION

• The FRACTIONS produced from the fractional distillation include LPG, Petrol, Kerosene, Diesel, Heavy Fuel Oil and Bitumen.
• The fractions can then be processed to produce fuels and feedstock for the PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY.
• Many useful materials on which modern life depends on are produced by the petrochemical industry, such as SOLVENTS, LUBRICANTS, POLYMERS and DETERGENTS.