Question

How is refining of petroleum carried out? Name the important products obtained.

Answer 1

Refining of petroleum is carried out by fractional distillation of crude oil.



Process of fractional distillation of crude oil is as follows:

• Crude petroleum is heated and converted into gas.
• The gases enter the bottom of a long column (fractional distillation column), which is filled with trays or plates.
• The gases rise in the column, and gets cooled and condenses when they reach their boiling points
• The trays collect various liquid fractions which may pass to the condensers, which cool them further and go to the storage tanks.
• The small chains, usually gaseous molecules, come out at the top, while the liquid medium chain molecules come out at the middle and the solid remains at the bottom.

Important products obtained are kerosene, petrol, diesel, bitumen, LPG( liquefied petroleum gas), paraffin wax, lubricating oil and asphalt.