16-07-2012, 12:33 PM
Crude Oil Distillation
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What is Petroleum ?
Petroleum often called as oil is a complicated mixture of substances called Hydrocarbons, which are compounds of Hydrogen & Carbon only.
It was formed millions of years ago from remains of animals and plants which lived in the sea.
These remains decayed and were buried layer upon layer of mud and sand which then turned into rocks.
The decayed material due to heat and pressure, changed the remains into drops of oil and natural gas.
Crude Oil distillation
The First step in any petroleum refinery is the separation of the Crude Oil.
This is done by Fractional Distillation.
Various Products from this process are:-
Gas for automobiles,
Fuel oil for heating and for ships, diesel for diesel engines
Kerosene(paraffin) for jet and rocket engines and for home heating.
Oil and greases to lubricate machinery.
Process
Heart of crude unit is atmospheric crude tower.
The crude oil is heated to a temperature in a furnace at which it is partially vaporised and introduced into the fractionating coloumns.
The tower is equipped with series of trays through which the vapors pass in upward direction.
Each of these trays is at different temperature and pressure.
Each feed component in the tower reacts in a unique way to the different temperature and pressure condition at each of the stage.
The vapor pass through liquid level contained on each tray until they come to equilibrium with the liquid on the tray.
Progressing upward in the tower, the pressure and temperature decreases for each succeeding stage.
Conclusion
Thus we have seen how crude oil is distilled and various necessary products are obtained.
Looking at the products obtained we all would agree how important is this process in the petroleum industry.