7.1.3

Fractional Distillation

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Fractional Distillation

Fractional distillation is the process of separating crude oil into groups of hydrocarbons with similar numbers of carbon atoms. We call these groups of hydrocarbons “fractions”.

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Long-chain hydrocarbons

  • Hydrocarbons with lots of carbon atoms are called ‘long-chain hydrocarbons’.
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Short-chain hydrocarbons

  • Hydrocarbons with few carbon atoms are called 'short-chain hydrocarbons'.

The Process of Fractional Distillation

Different-sized hydrocarbons have different boiling points. Fractional distillation separates hydrocarbons using their different boiling points. The steps of the process are:

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Evaporation

  • We evaporate the crude oil by heating it.
  • Crude oil vapour is put into a fractionating column at the bottom and rises upwards.
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Condensation

  • The temperature is highest at the bottom of the column. Long-chain hydrocarbons condense at the bottom and are collected as liquids.
  • Short-chain hydrocarbons have lower boiling points. They pass up the column and condense at lower temperatures nearer the top.
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Collection

  • The fractions are collected. They are then processed to create end products:
    • Fuels (e.g. petrol, diesel) are a common end product.
    • The petrochemical industry can use some fractions as feedstock (material used in an industrial process) to make products such as solvents, detergents, lubricants etc.

Jump to other topics

1Atomic Structure

2Chemical Bonding

3Quantitative Chemistry

4Chemical Changes

5Energy Changes

6The Rate & Extent of Chemical Change

7Organic Chemistry

8Chemical Analysis

9Chemistry of the Atmosphere

10Using Resources

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