Indústria Petroquímica - Parte 4 - Torre de Destilação Fracionada
What is an Original Animation Series on Petroleum Chemistry?
Overview of the Series
- The series consists of four parts, focusing on different aspects of petroleum chemistry.
- Part one discusses oil exploration, while part two covers natural gas separation and a brief review of organic chemistry nomenclature.
- The third part addresses the treatment and separation processes of oil.
- The final part features an engaging animation about fractional distillation.
Fractional Distillation Process
- Atmospheric distillation is the first refining process in a refinery, occurring in a fractionating tower composed of trays with bubble caps.
- Before entering the tower, crude oil is heated to approximately 400°C in a furnace using a coil system.
Vaporization and Separation
- As vapor rises through the fractionating tower, it encounters cooler trays where it condenses into liquid at varying temperatures based on hydrocarbon fractions' boiling points.
- Lighter hydrocarbons (e.g., methane with one carbon atom) are separated from heavier fractions that contain more than 38 carbon atoms.
Detailed Fraction Analysis
- Heavy fractions boil above 510°C and consist of long-chain hydrocarbons used for asphalt production; these are removed from the base of the tower.
- The first fraction collected contains hydrocarbons with chains between 26 and 38 carbon atoms, yielding heavy lubricating oils.
Further Fractionation Steps
- Subsequent fractions include those with chains between 18 to 25 carbons (producing heavy diesel fuel), followed by lighter fractions down to gasoline derivatives as temperatures decrease further in the tower.
- At lower temperatures (around 40°C), lighter gases like methane and ethane are separated for use in various applications including domestic and industrial uses.
Summary of Refining Stages
- Crude oil comprises hydrocarbons with distinct boiling points; initial separation occurs via fractional distillation within specialized towers designed for this purpose.