Martinez, Mica Dell D. (C2P3)(MWF, 9:00-10:00 AM, FSH205) Mrs.

Parungao
BSN-1B ORGANIC AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY (LECTURE) November 4, 2019

Oil Fractional Distillation Process

Fractional distillation is a
process by which components in a
chemical mixture are separated into
different parts (called fractions)
according to their different boiling
points. Fractional distillation is used to
purify chemicals and also to separate
mixtures to obtain their components.
It's used as a lab technique and in
industry, where the process has vast
commercial significance. The chemical
and petroleum industry rely on
fractional distillation.

How does Fractional Distillation works and what are its sub-processes? Vapors
from a boiling solution are passed along a tall column, called a fractionating column.
The column is packed with plastic or glass beads to improve the separation by providing
more surface area for condensation and evaporation. The temperature of the column
gradually decreases along its length. Components with a higher boiling point condense
on the column and return to the solution; components with a lower boiling point (more
volatile) pass through the column and are collected near the top. Theoretically, having
more beads or plates improves the separation, but adding plates also increases the
time and energy required to complete a distillation.

The steps of fractional distillation are as follows:

1. You heat the mixture of two or more substances (liquids) with different boiling
points to a high temperature. Heating is usually done with high pressure steam to
temperatures of about 1112 degrees Fahrenheit / 600 degrees Celsius.
2. The mixture boils, forming vapor (gases); most substances go into the vapor
phase.
3. The vapor enters the bottom of a long column (fractional distillation column) that
is filled with trays or plates. The trays have many holes or bubble caps (like a
loosened cap on a soda bottle) in them to allow the vapor to pass through. They
increase the contact time between the vapor and the liquids in the column and
help to collect liquids that form at various heights in the column. There is a
temperature difference across the column (hot at the bottom, cool at the top).
4. The vapor rises in the column.
 5. As the vapor rises through the trays in the column, it cools.
6. When a substance in the vapor reaches a height where the temperature of the
column is equal to that substance's boiling point, it will condense to form a liquid.
(The substance with the lowest boiling point will condense at the highest point in
the column; substances with higher boiling points will condense lower in the
column.).
7. The trays collect the various liquid fractions.
8. The collected liquid fractions may pass to condensers, which cool them further,
and then go to storage tanks, or they may go to other areas for further chemical
processing
9. Fractional distillation is useful for separating a mixture of substances with narrow
differences in boiling points, and is the most important step in the refining
process.

There are several ways of classifying the useful fractions that are distilled from
crude oil. One general way is by dividing into three categories: light, middle, and heavy
fractions. Heavier components condense at higher temperatures and are removed at
the bottom of the column. The lighter fractions are able to rise higher in the column
before they are cooled to their condensing temperature, allowing them to be removed at
slightly higher levels. In
addition to this, the
fractions have the
following properties:

Light distillate is
one of the more
important fractions, and
its products have boiling
points around 70-200°C.
Useful hydrocarbons in
this range include
gasoline, naphtha (a
chemical feedstock),
kerosene, jet fuel, and
paraffin. These products
are highly volatile, have
small molecules, have
low boiling points, flow
easily, and ignite easily.
Liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) is one of the most vital alternatives to gasoline, powering millions of vehicles;
ideal fuel for heating and cooking due to its high energy content and ability to burn
readily in air. Gasoline (also known as petrol) is primarily used as fuel in internal
combustion engines and the most commonly used transport fuel. It is used in cars,
trucks, boats, motorbikes etc. It can also be used to power motorised equipment such
as lawn mowers and chainsaws. Naphtha can be used in solvents, as fuel (portable
camping stoves, lanterns, cigarette lighters), and as feedstock for petrochemical
production.

Medium distillate are products that have boiling points of 200-350°C. Products in
this range include diesel fuel and gas oil - used in the manufacturing of town gas and for
commercial heating. Diesel is mainly used for transportation. Heating kerosene is
processed for commercial and domestic heating, whereas jet fuel is used to power the
engines of commercial and military aircraft.

Heavy distillate are the products with the lowest volatility and have boiling points
above 350°C. These fractions can be solid or semi-solid and may need to be heated in
order to flow. Fuel oil is produced in this fraction. These products have large molecules,
a low volatility, flow poorly, and do not ignite easily. Lubricants (produces light machine
oils, motor oils, and greases, adding viscosity stabilizers as required), usually shipped in
bulk to an offsite packaging plant. Paraffin wax, used in the packaging of frozen foods,
among others. May be shipped in bulk to a site to prepare as packaged blocks. Used for
wax emulsions, construction board, matches, candles, rust protection, and vapor
barriers. Asphalt used as a binder for gravel to form asphalt concrete, which is used for
paving roads, lots, etc. An asphalt unit prepares bulk asphalt for shipment.

However, there are two major components that are not accounted for in these
three categories. At the very top of the tower are the gases that are too volatile to
condense,such as propane and butane. At the bottom are the "residuals" that contain
heavy tars too dense to rise up the tower, including bitumen and other waxes. To further
distill these they undergo steam or vacuum distillation as they are very useful.

References:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_refinery
https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-fractional-distillation-604421
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/oil-refining4.htm
https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Fractional_distillation
https://www.google.com/search?q=fractions+of+oil+fractional+distillation&rlz=1C1CHBF_enPH863PH86
3&sxsrf=ACYBGNS35YnfBPqDvqz7wSqmX7YB6J4zlQ:1572807376671&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ve
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