‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

Chemical Technology 1
(10626474)
Chapter 7: Petroleum Refining
Products Blending
Dr. Raed Ma’ali

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 Introduction
 The major refining products produced by blending
are gasoline, diesel and lubricating oil.
 The products must be blended into various grades
to meet market demands at the least cost.
 Blending components must meet all desired
specifications such as boiling point, specific gravity,
vapor pressure, octane number, etc.

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 Blending for API Gravity
 API gravity can be volume averaged.
 If 1 liter of oil having 70 API is blended with 2
liter of oil having 5 API, API of the blend can be
calculated using the following steps:
1) Specific gravity of each must be calculated.
API = (141.5/specific gravity) – 131.5
Specific gravity for the oils are 0.7 and 1.04,
respectively.
2) Average sp. gr. = (1/3)X0.7 + (2/3)X1.04 = 0.927
3) API = (141.5/0.927)-131.5 = 21.14

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 Blending for Initial and Final Boiling
Point
The initial boiling point of the blend equals
the lowest of the blending stocks.
 The final boiling point of the blend equals the
highest of the blending stocks.
 Example:
Gasoline Boiling Point
Gasoline # 1 30-90 0C
Gasoline # 2 80-180 0C
Blend 30-180 0C
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 Blending for Reid Vapor Pressure
 Reid vapor pressure (RVP) is a measure of the
volatility of oil.
It is the absolute vapor pressure exerted by a
liquid at 37.8 °C (100 0F).
 Reid vapor pressure (RVP) can be determined
using vapor pressure blending indices (VPBI).
 (VPBI)blend = Sum (vi (VPBI)i)
 (VP)0.8 blend = VP
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 Blending for Reid Vapor Pressure
 Example
Component Volume Vapor Pressure VPBI Vi X VPBI
fraction (psi)
n-butane 0.05 51.6 138 6.90
LSR 0.45 6.75 10.9 4.90
HR 0.50 1.00 1.00 0.50
Total 1.00 (12.30.8) =7.45 12.3

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 Blending for Octane Number (ON)
 Octane number of blends is calculated on volumetric
basis.
Vblend (ON)blend = sum Vi (BON)i
 Example

Component Volume fraction (vi) MON RON vi XMON vi XRON

n-butane 0.06 92.0 93.0 5.52 5.58
HSR gasoline 0.45 58.7 62.3 26.42 28.04
LSR gasoline 0.27 61.6 66.4 16.63 17.93
C5 Gasoline 0.22 76.8 92.3 16.90 20.31
Total 1 65.47 71.86

 PON = 0.5 (MON+RON) = 0.5 (65.47+71.86) = 68.67

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 Blending for Flash Point
 The flash point index of a blend is given by:
(FPBI)blend = sum vi (FPBI)i
 Example
Stock vi Flash Point Blending Vi X FPBI
(0F) Index (FPBI)
A 0.5 100 753 376.5
B 0.3 90 1170 351
C 0.2 130 224 44.8
Total 1 772

 Flash point can be obtained from the table,

FPBI = 772, so flash point equals 99.5 0C. 8
 Blending for Aniline Point
 The aniline point index of a blend is given by:
(APBI)blend = sum vi (APBI)i
 Example
Stock vi Aniline Blending Vi X APBI
Point (0F) Index (APBI)
A 0.6 70 347 208.2
B 0.4 160 855 342
Total 1 550.2

 Aniline point can be obtained from the table,

APBI = 550, so aniline point equals 108 0F.
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 Blending for Pour Point
 The pour point index of a blend is given by:
(PP)blend = sum vi (PPBI)i
 Example
Stock vi ASTM 50% Pour Point Blending Vi X APBI
Temp. (0F) (0F) Index (APBI)
A 0.5 575 10 8 4.0
B 0.3 425 50 61 18.3
C 0.2 500 65 98 19.6
Total 1 41.9

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 Blending for Freezing Point
 The freezing point index of a blend is given by:
(FPBI)blend = sum vi (FPBI)i
 Example
Stock vi Freezing Blending Vi X APBI
Point (0F) Index (APBI)
A 0.5 -55 7.5199 3.7600
B 0.3 -50 9.0135 2.7041
C 0.2 -51 8.6928 1.7386
Total 1 8.2027

Freezing point can be obtained from the table,

FPBI = 8.2027, so freezing point equals -52.7 0F.
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 Blending for Smoke Point
 Smoke point index of a blend is given by:
(Smoke Point)blend = sum vi (Smoke Point)i
 Example
Stock vi Smoke Point(mm) Vi X Smoke Point
A 0.5 25 12.5
B 0.3 22 6.6
C 0.2 21 4.2
Total 1 23.3

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 Blending for Viscosity
Viscosity blending is more complicated than
blending for other properties.
It is necessary to use special techniques to
estimate the viscosity of a blend from the
viscosities of the blending stocks.
The viscosity factor of the blend is given by:
(VF)blend = sum vi (VF)i
 Then the viscosity of the blend can be
obtained from the table.

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