Question

What is the principle of refining of petroleum?

Answer 1

The various hydrocarbons present in petroleum have differnt boiling points. As thr number of carbons atoms in a hydrocarbon increases, its boiling point also increases. This property is used to separate the diffrent components of petroleum by fractional distillation. The components with differnt boiling points are knoen as fractions, and the process of separating the fractions by fractional distillation is known as refining. It is carried out in the petroleum refinery. Crude oil is first heated about 400 C in a furnace. The vapours formed are passed into a tall fractionating tower. Thae hydrocarbons with the highest boiling points condense first. They get collected near the base of the fractionating tower. As the vapour rises, the hydrocarbons with lower bioling points condense at fifferent heights. They get separated in the fractionating tower to form the differnt fractions The hydrocarbons with 1-4 carbond atoms, which are gases, do not condense and escape from the top of the tower.