4.8: Describe How the Industrial Process of Fractional Distillation Separates Crude Oil into Fractions

CRUDE OIL: Mixture of Hydrocarbons

FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION: Method to separate two or more liquids that are miscible with one another

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INDUSTRIAL PROCESS OF FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION:

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FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION OF CRUDE OIL

Diagram showing the Process of Fractional Distillation to Separate Crude Oil in a Fractionating Column

EXPLANATION: Fractional distillation is carried out in a fractionating column In the fractionating column, it is hot at the bottom and cool at the top Crude oil is transported into the fractionating column and heated into vapours that rise and evaporate Vapours of Hydrocarbons with high boiling points will immediately turn into liquid at the bottom of the column where they will be tapped off Vapours of Hydrocarbons with low boiling points will rise up the column and condense at the top where they will be tapped off Hence, different fractions will condense and be tapped off at different heights along the fractionating column according to their boiling points