Petroleum refining - Catalytic Cracking, Fractional Distillation, Hydroprocessing

petroleum refining

Table of Contents

Introduction
History
- Distillation of kerosene and naphtha
- Conversion to light fuels
- Environmental concerns
Raw materials
- Hydrocarbon chemistry
  - Saturated molecules
  - Unsaturated molecules
- Types of crude oil
- Conventional measurement systems
Basic refinery processes
- Separation
  - Fractional distillation
  - Vacuum distillation
  - Superfractionation
  - Absorption
  - Solvent extraction
  - Adsorption
  - Crystallization
- Conversion
  - Naphtha reforming
  - Catalytic cracking
  - Polymerization and alkylation
  - Hydrocracking
  - Isomerization
  - Visbreaking, thermal cracking, and coking
- Purification
  - Sweetening
  - Mercaptan extraction
  - Clay treatment
  - Hydrogen treatment
  - Molecular sieves
Petroleum products and their uses
- Gases
- Gasoline
  - Octane rating
  - High-volatile and low-volatile components
  - Gasoline blending
- Kerosene
- Diesel oils
- Fuel oils
- Lubricating oils
- Gear oils and greases
- Other petroleum products
Petrochemicals
- Olefins
- Aromatics
- Polymers
- Inorganic chemicals
Refinery plant and facilities
- Processing configurations
  - Topping and hydroskimming refineries
  - Conversion refineries
- Off-sites
  - Tankage
  - Flares
  - Utilities
  - Environmental treatment
- Bulk transportation

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

structures of common hydrocarbon compounds

$Crude-oil fractional distillation column diagram$

Schematic diagram of a fluid catalytic cracking unit.

Unit operations in a hydroskimming refinery. Nonshaded portions show the basic distillation and recovery units that make up a simple topping refinery, which produces petrochemical feedstock and industrial fuels. Shaded portions indicate the units added to make up a hydroskimming facility, which can produce most transportation fuels.

Unit operations in a conversion refinery. Shaded portions indicate units added to a hydroskimming refinery in order to build up a facility that can convert heavier distillates into lighter fuels and coke.

Discover

Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Montenegro

Why Is Christmas in December?

Entrants falling and tumbling over while chasing the cheese at the 2016 'Cheese Rolling' held at Cooper's Hill, in the Cotswolds, Brockworth England

7 of the World’s Most Dangerous Festivals

Monitor. Varanus salvadorii is a monitor lizard found in New Guinea can grows to 2.7 metres (9 ft.) aka Tree crocodile, Crocodile monitor, Salvadori's monitor, artellia, reptile

7 of the World’s Most Dangerous Lizards and Turtles

The Prado Museum facade at the Diego Velaszquez memorial. Established in 1819, the museum is considered the best collection of Spanish art and one of the world's finest collections of European art. Madrid, Spain

20 Paintings You Have to Visit at the Museo del Prado in Madrid

The impeachment trial of Pres. Andrew Johnson, illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.

What If the President Is Impeached?

Indian hijras participate in a religious procession in Gandhinagar, India, some 30 kilometers from Ahmedabad, on March 22, 2017. Hijra is a term used in South Asia which refers to transgender individuals who are born male. (gender identity, gender expression)

6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders

Stylish light blue jeans on wooden background, closeup of inset pocket

Why Do Jeans Have That Tiny Pocket?

The use of thermal cracking units to convert gas oils into naphtha dates from before 1920. These units produced small quantities of unstable naphthas and large amounts of by-product coke. While they succeeded in providing a small increase in gasoline yields, it was the commercialization of the fluid catalytic cracking process in 1942 that really established the foundation of modern petroleum refining. The process not only provided a highly efficient means of converting high-boiling gas oils into naphtha to meet the rising demand for high-octane gasoline, but it also represented a breakthrough in catalyst technology. The thermal cracking process functioned ...(100 of 11426 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.