Distillation of crude oil

Crude oil:
Crude oil also known as petroleum is the stuff that comes out
from the ground which is also unprocessed oil. It is being made
from fossil fuel, which is made naturally from decaying plants
and animals living in ancient sea millions of years ago. Crude oil
varies in colors from clear to tar–black and from water to
almost in viscosity.
Crude oil is very important starting point for May substance
because it contain hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons contain
hydrogen and carbon containing various structures from
straight chains to branching chains to rings.

Crude oil contains these components:-

 Carbon 8.4%
 Hydrogen 14%
 Sulphur 1% to 3%
 Nitrogen less than 1%
 Oxygen less than 1%
 Metals less than 1%
 Salts less than 1%
From crude oil one can refined to produce usable
products such as diesel, gasoline and various
petroleum oil.

Classes of hydrocarbon in crude oils:

Paraffin:-
These are straight or branch chain hydrocarbons having
general formula CnHn+i. These may be liquid or gases
depending upon the molecules at room temperature.

Aromatics:-
These are ring structures with one or more ring containing six
carbon atom heavily alternating single or double bonds
between carbon atoms. They are liquids at room
temperature. General formula C6H5, Naphthalene or
cycloalkanes. These are also ring structure compounds with
or more rings containing only single bond the carbon atoms.
They are also liquids at room temperature. General Formula
is CnH2n.

Distillation:
It is the process in which mixture of two or more liquids or
vapors are separated into its component fractions of derived
purity by use of heat. To separate one mixture, this mixture
can be heated to force the components which have different
boiling points into the gas phase. The vapors are then
condensed back into a liquid form and collection. In the
temperature of the column decreases along its length. So,
Components with higher boiling points condense on the
column and return to the solution and the components with
lower boiling points pass through the column are collected.
Whenever two materials posses a marked difference in their
upon pressure, this difference would be the basis of
separation of two and when one of them is recovered by
condensation it is called distillation. This process state that
the vapor of boiling mixture will be richer in the components
that have lower boiling points hence the cooled condensed
vapor will contain more volatile components and the original
mixture will contain more of less volatile material. Distillation
columns are the primary equipment imploded. Which are
designed to achieve separation efficiency? Distillation
depends on difference in volatility between components
greater the relative volatilities, easier the separation
distillation is the most common techniques of separation.
Although it consumes enormous amount of energy but in
terms of cooling and heating requirement and it also
contribute to more than 50% of plant operating cost. The
main purpose of distillation is to take advantage of different
substance readiness to become vapor. Complete separation
is easily if the boiling point difference is great between two
substances. If it is slightly different then many reinstallations
is required.
In order to make clear distinction between distillation and
other operation, let us take some examples.
The separation of water and salt is common example in
which water can be completely vaporized from the solution
without removal of salt. This is what we called evaporation
but distillation is quiet different where the entire component
are appreciably volatile. For this consider a solution of
ammonia and water. When this solution contract with air,
which is almost insoluble in this solution but the ammonia
can be stripped or desorbed but the ammonia is then mixed
with water vapor and air and is not obtained in pure form,
but the application of heat, we can partially vaporize the
solution thereby creating gas phase consisting of water and
ammonia by repeated vaporization and condensation. It is
possible make complete separation recovering both
components of the mixture in as pure state.
Types of Distillation:
 Simple
 Fractional distillation
 Steam distillation
 Vacuum distillation

Simple Distillation:
Simple distillation is one for a mixture in which the boiling
points differs by at least 70°C. it is applied for the mixtures
with non-volatile particles double distillation is the process of
repeating distillation on the collected liquid in order to
enhance the purity of separated compounds.

Fractional distillation:
The mixture in which the volatility of compound is nearly
similar or differs by 25°C cannot separate by simple
distillation. In fractional distillation is used in such cases
where the components are separated by a fractionally
column. In these columns, the plates are arranged and the
compounds with heat boiling point are collected at top while
these with higher are at bottom. A series of compounds are
separated one after another simultaneously.

Steam Distillation:
It is used for the Se purification of mixture in which
components are temperature or heat sensitive. In this setup,
steam is produced by heating water which boils the
compounds at low temperature. In this way, the
temperature sensitive compounds are separated, thus the
vapors are collected and condensed the same way as either
and other that the resultant consist of two phases of water
and compound which is then purified by simple distillation.

Vacuum Distillation:
It is a special method of separating compounds at pressure
lower than the standard atmosphere pressure under these
conditions so it is best suited for separation of compounds
with liquid boiling points which tends to decompose boiling
temperature. It is conducted without heating the mixture.

Distillation towers or columns:

In the process of fractional distillation a special apparatus is
used for boiling the mixture and collecting series of fraction
of components. This setup include a round bottom boiling
flask, dapter which connects boiling flask and condenser,
fractionating column inside the adapter and a collection flask
and a thermometer is fixed to the adapter for monitoring
temperature. This column is composed if plates arranged in
horizontal manner, which increases the separated
components. This overall setup being called a distillation
tower or column.

Several major components of distillation:

1. A vertically shell in which separation of liquid
components carried out.
2. The columns internals which consist of trays and plates
or packing which are used to increase components
separation.
3. A reboiler which provide the necessary vaporization for
the distillation process.
4. A condenser which cool and condense the vapor leaving
the top of the column distillation process.
5. A reflux drums which holds the condensed vapor from
the top of the column so that liquid (reflux)
6. Can be recycled back to column.
 Distillation may be carried out either b batch column
operation or continuous operation.

Batch Columns or Batch Operations:

In batch operation, the feed is introduction to the column

batch wise i.e. the column is feed or charged with a batch
and after that distillation process is conducted. When the
distillation is complete and the desired separation is being
achieved, a nest batch of feed is introduced then. A
condensed is used to turn the vapor back to the liquid so
that they can easily be collected. A batch operation is
carried out into a tall column so that desirable separation
is achieved. Batch distillation is also labnor intensive. Batch
distillation is the oldest operation used for separation of
liquid components. The main advantage of batch
distillation is the use of single column as compared in
column distillation of multiple columns and it’s also a
flexible operation.

Continous Distillation Or Operation:

In continuous distillation, a continuous feed stream is

entered. No interruption is occurred useless a problem
with column or processes units. Feed is entered into the
column along different points at column. Due to gravity
the liquid runs down and the vapors runs up the
column. By partial vaporization. A liquid vapor are
produced reaching the bottom of the column. As
bottom product is rich in heavy components, the
remaining liquid is withdrawal from column. The vapors
at the top of the column is partially of fully condensed.
A part of the is withdrawal as a distillate product while
part of the condensed liquid is refluxed to the column.
Continuous column Aare capable of handling high
through puts.

Continuous columns are further divided into two

Types:

 Packed Column
 Tray Column

Packed Column:
In packed column, instead of trays ‘Packing’ are used
to enhance contact between vapors and liquid. This
type of packing provides a lot of surface area for the
vapor to condense upon and also assures that both
vapors and liquid are in intimate contact.
The mixture is partially vaporizes by the heat added
to the mixture before entering into the towers and the
vapors rise up in the tower and begin to cool, due to this
addition rises up in the column. There are two phases of
the mixture, falling liquid and rising vapor, come
together, light components are skipped out of the liquid
and enter the gas phase while heavy components in the
vapor are condensed into the liquid phase, so the vapor
rises and gradually cools, it becomes lighter and the
liquid falls, it becomes hotter and heavier.

Tray column or Tower:

In trays tower, various type of trays are used to hold
up the liquid to provide better contract between vapor
and liquid, hence better separation of components .it is
also a tall, cylindrical column inside which a series of
trays are placed are above the other. Which are used to
bring intimate contact between rising vapor and falling
liquid. They do the same too as packed column do but
they are more efficient. Trays are also classified into
different types depending upon the degree of product
purity required, the type of fluids, fluid velocity and
other parameter.
These are different types of tray towers:
 The sieve tray.
 The valve tray.
 The bubble-cap tray.
The sieve trays:
These are simple type of trays consisting of metal
plates with holes of varying number sizes a platform.
The vapor s are directly passed through the liquid on
these trays. The liquid flow across these trays.
The valve trays:
The valve trays are similar to the sieve type but each
hole so fitted with a flapper valve which open as
vapor passes through the hole. In this type vapor
velocity is not constant and the valves prevent liquid
from dipping through the holes at times of low gas
velocity. The components are mix thoroughly then do
sieve trays.

The Bubble-cap tray:

The bubble-cap trays are the most efficient
separation device nut it is costly. It consist of number
of small short pipes sat into the tray called ‘homeys’
or ‘risers’ through which the vapors can pass. The
‘Cap’ are fitted over the riser which causes the rising
vapor to turn through 180°. The vapors coming up
through the risers are filter downward by Caps.
Through slots caps, the vapors escape and pass
through liquid causing bubbling.

Continues column can also be classified into the

following.
Binary Column:
In which feed contains only two components.
Multiple Component Column:
In which feed contain more than two components.
Extractive Distillation:
In which where the extra feeds appears in the bottom
product stream.
Azeotropic Distillation:
In which where the extra feeds appears at the top of
product stream.

Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil in Distillation

Towers:
The crude oil consist of various components which
have different sizes, weight and boiling temperature,
so the first stage is to separate these components.
Since they have different boiling temperatures. So,
they can be easily separate by fractional distillation.
The steps are as follows:
1. The first step is to heat up the mixture of two or
more liquids with different boiling points to high
temperature with high pressure steam heating is
done and the temperature is been raised up to the
112° calcius.
2. When the mixture boils, most of the substance go
into the vapor phase.
3. After that, these vapors enter the bottom of long
column that is filled with trays may be having holes
or bubble caps in them to allow the vapors to pass
through. Due to these hole and bubble caps, the
time between the vapor and the liquid increases
and also help to collect liquids that forms at various
height in the column. There is also temperature
 difference across the column that is hot at bottom
and cool at top.
4. The vapor rises from the bottom to top in the
column.
5. After the vapor rises through the column it cools.
6. When the temperature of the column is equal to
the boiling point of the rising vapor. The vapor will
condense at that height from liquid. Substance
with height boiling points will condense at column
while the substance at column while the substance
with lowest boiling point will condense at the
highest point in the column.
7. These various liquids fractions are collected into
trays.
8. The liquid fractions collected may pass through the
condenser where it is cool further and then being
transported to the storage tanks. From where it
may be sent for chemical processing only few
component come out from fractional distillation
column ready for market. More of them are must
be chemically processed to make other fraction.

A Products from Crude Oil:

I. Petroleum Gas:
It is used for cooling, heating and making
plastics. These small alkanes contains 1 to 4
carbon atoms. Methane, propane, ethane are
common name having boiling point 40°C. They
 can also be liquefied under pressure to create to
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
II. Naphtha or Ligroin:
It is intermediate product that will be further
processed make gasoline. Consist of 5 to 9
carbon atoms of alkanes and have boiling range
of 60 to 100 degrees calcius.
III. Gasoline:
This is a motor fuel having liquid fuel. It is
mixtures of alkanes and cycloalkanes having 5 to
12 carbon atoms and having boiling range of 40
to 205 degree calcius.
IV. Kerosene:
It is also in liquid phase and fuel for jet engines
and tractors and also a starting material for
making other products. It is mixture of alkanes
having 10 to18 carbons and aromatics with a
boiling range of 175 to 325 degree calcius.
V. Gas Oil or Diesel Distillate:
It is used for diesel fuel and heating oil and also a
starting material. It is mixture of 12 or more
carbon atoms and boiling range from 250 to 350
degree calcius.
VI. Lubricating Oil:
It is used for motor oil grease ant other
lubricants. These are long chains of alkanes,
 cycloalkanes and aromatics having 20 to 50
carbon atoms with a boiling range of 300 to 700
Celsius.
VII. Heavy gas or Fuel Oil:
It is used for industrial fuel, having long chains
20 to 70 carbon atoms of alkanes, cycloalkanes
and aromatics and having boiling range of 370 to
700 degree Celsius.
VIII. Residuals:
These are asphalts, tar, wazes and having solid
phase. These consists of multiple range
components with 70 or more carbon atoms with
a boiling range greater than 600°C.

This is how crude oil is distilled and these various

components are produced from crude oil by
fractional distillation.

References:
1: chemical engineering design by Coulson and
Richardson
Page.511
2:Batch distillation design and operation i.m.mujtaba
Page.4
3:distillation dynamic and control by pradeep b.desh
pande and chares a.plank
Page.4
4:handbook of chemical processing equipments by
nicholas p.cheremi sinoff
Page.175
5:Mass transfer operation by robert trebal
Page.356
THE END.