Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons. The crude oil is evaporated and its vapours condense at different temperatures in the fractionating column. Each fraction contains hydrocarbon molecules with a similar number of carbon atoms and a similar range of boiling points. The diagram below summarises the main fractions from crude oil and their uses, and the trends in properties.
Note that the gases leave at the top of the column , the liquids condense in the middle and the solids stay at the bottom.
As you go up the fractionating column, the hydrocarbons have:. Crude oil is not the only fossil fuel. It is separated out into its useful components by the process of fractional distillation.
The process of fractional distillation can be demonstrated as an experiment in the school laboratory too. Here's how fractional distillation works and how it can be shown in class. Petroleum can be separated into various types of fuel, by a process called refining, using fractional distillation.
Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene are all products or fractions of the process of refining Petroleum. On an industrial scale, the different fractions of Petroleum are separated out by fractional distillation. The Petroleum is heated up, and the gas produced enters the fractionating column. The column is very hot at the bottom and gets cooler as the gas travels up the column, this allows different fuels to drain out at different temperatures up the column, with the exception of Bitumen, which is used to surface roads, this stays liquid and is drained off at the bottom of the column.
The longer the hydrocarbon chain, the higher the boiling point and the earlier on they drain from the column:. The Philip Harris specialist team are here to help with any technical questions you have about this experiment, or any other support you need. Call them on or e-mail techsupport philipharris. Check out our Twitter and Facebook for more experiment ideas to inspire the most inquisitive of scientific minds.
Chemical Analysis. Test Papers. Forensic Science. Prepared Slides. Environmental Science. Field Studies. Atomic Structure. 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. Please see the video below from fuse school to see how fractional distillation works.
Fossil Fuels. Nuclear Fuels. Acid Rain. Climate Change. Climate Feedback. Ocean Acidification. Rising Sea Level. Diagram of a fractional distillation tower, showing where the different fractions will condense.
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