How does an oil refinery work?
The basic process of an oil refinery is much like an alcohol still or a distillation unit. It is based on the concept that different hydrocarbons vaporize at different temperatures. When crude oil leaves the earth, it is made up of a combination of hydrogen and carbon. The basic purpose of the oil refinery is to separate various groups of hydrocarbon combinations so they can be further processed, refined, chemically treated or used in order to make all the products which come from the petroleum industry.
In answering the question "how does an oil refinery work?" one must start with the concept of the fractioning tower first. The fractioning tower is the structure which allows the manufacturer to draw off the different groups of hydrocarbons beginning with the heaviest and ending with the most volatile gases.
Crude oil is usually pumped into the fractioning tower as the first step in how does an oil refinery work. The heaviest liquid or residual oil is drawn off first at the bottom of the tower. This is the substance that is used for asphalt to pave streets or for the heaviest equipment oil.
As the crude oil is heated to 730 degrees F, the lighter hydrocarbon combinations rise to higher levels. There they cool and condense and are drawn off successively until the final product is the most volatile gases at the top of the tower. The levels in the order separated are crude oil, heavy oil, light oil, diesel, kerosene, naphtha, straight run gasoline and fuel gasoline.
The other aspect of answering the question "how does an oil refinery work?" has to do with the other products which come from the various groups of hydrocarbon combinations. Second process following distillation of the crude oil is the conversion process. The catalytic reformer converts naphtha—a product of the distillation process into aviation fuel or petrol. Another product of the reforming process releases hydrogen gas. The process is known as isomerism which actually changes the structure of the molecules makes petroleum products more effective as fuel.
At this point in the process, the heavier molecules are cracked with heat and pressure in a process known as catalytic cracking. The catalyst is aluminum silica and it helps to break down the larger molecules into smaller groups of useful molecules which can be used for other purposes.
In the alkylation unit is the process of changing certain gas streams collected in the final stages of the distillation process into a liquid product which can be blended with aviation gasoline or motor fuel to increase performance.
A final process which answers the question "how does an oil refinery work?" is that of desulphurisation. As its name suggests, this process removes sulphur from the midstream product of the distillation so that it can be used as diesel fuel. Residue at this stage of the process can be further refined to separate wax and asphalt impurities which are used in making a wide variety of waxes, lubricants, oils and bitumen.
In answering the question "how does an oil refinery work?" one must start with the concept of the fractioning tower first. The fractioning tower is the structure which allows the manufacturer to draw off the different groups of hydrocarbons beginning with the heaviest and ending with the most volatile gases.
Crude oil is usually pumped into the fractioning tower as the first step in how does an oil refinery work. The heaviest liquid or residual oil is drawn off first at the bottom of the tower. This is the substance that is used for asphalt to pave streets or for the heaviest equipment oil.
As the crude oil is heated to 730 degrees F, the lighter hydrocarbon combinations rise to higher levels. There they cool and condense and are drawn off successively until the final product is the most volatile gases at the top of the tower. The levels in the order separated are crude oil, heavy oil, light oil, diesel, kerosene, naphtha, straight run gasoline and fuel gasoline.
The other aspect of answering the question "how does an oil refinery work?" has to do with the other products which come from the various groups of hydrocarbon combinations. Second process following distillation of the crude oil is the conversion process. The catalytic reformer converts naphtha—a product of the distillation process into aviation fuel or petrol. Another product of the reforming process releases hydrogen gas. The process is known as isomerism which actually changes the structure of the molecules makes petroleum products more effective as fuel.
At this point in the process, the heavier molecules are cracked with heat and pressure in a process known as catalytic cracking. The catalyst is aluminum silica and it helps to break down the larger molecules into smaller groups of useful molecules which can be used for other purposes.
In the alkylation unit is the process of changing certain gas streams collected in the final stages of the distillation process into a liquid product which can be blended with aviation gasoline or motor fuel to increase performance.
A final process which answers the question "how does an oil refinery work?" is that of desulphurisation. As its name suggests, this process removes sulphur from the midstream product of the distillation so that it can be used as diesel fuel. Residue at this stage of the process can be further refined to separate wax and asphalt impurities which are used in making a wide variety of waxes, lubricants, oils and bitumen.
