Crude oil distilling

Hydrogen chloride released dissolves in water during condensation in the crude oil distillation column overhead or in the condenser, which cause corrosion of materials at these locations. The action of hydrochloric acid is favored and accelerated by the presence of hydrogen sulfide which results in the decomposition of sulfur-containing hydrocarbons this forces the refiner to inject a basic material like ammonia at the point where water condenses in the atmospheric distillation column. 

Modem crude oil distillation units are larger than those in the chemical process industry, producing up to 200,000 barrels per day of product. 

Natural gas and crude oils are the main sources for hydrocarbon intermediates or secondary raw materials for the production of petrochemicals. From natural gas, ethane and LPG are recovered for use as intermediates in the production of olefins and diolefms. Important chemicals such as methanol and ammonia are also based on methane via synthesis gas. On the other hand, refinery gases from different crude oil processing schemes are important sources for olefins and LPG. Crude oil distillates and residues are precursors for olefins and aromatics via cracking and reforming processes. This chapter reviews the properties of the different hydrocarbon intermediates—paraffins, olefins, diolefms, and aromatics. Petroleum fractions and residues as mixtures of different hydrocarbon classes and hydrocarbon derivatives are discussed separately at the end of the chapter. 

O Brien Explosives. A series of patents were issued to J.F. O Brien of Chicago, HI, USA between 1913 and 1915 for new commercial expls. Typical formulations included K chlorate 30, Nitrostarch 10, Si dioxide 55, crude petroleum with coal dust 5ps (Ref 1) K chlorate 87, naphthalene 6.5, asphalt 6.5, crude oil distillate 1.5 Si dioxide 44ps (Ref 2) K chlorate with Na nitrate 60, Hq TNT 15 sawdust 25p (Ref 3) and Amm perchlorate 20—65, Na nitrate 55, liq DNT 10—15, sawdust 14-23 free C l-3.5ps (Ref 4)... 

One particularly important case of distillation sequencing is worthy of special consideration. This is the case of crude oil distillation, which is the fundamental process underlying the petroleum and petrochemicals industry. Crude oil is an extremely complex mixture of hydrocarbons... 

Figure 11.16 The thermally coupled indirect sequence for crude oil distillation.

The majority of atmospheric crude oil distillation columns follow the configuration shown in Figure 11.17, which is basically the partially thermally coupled indirect sequence. 

Figure 11.20 A typical complete crude oil distillation system.

Crude oil distillation is carried out in a complex column sequence in which live steam is injected into the separation to provide the heat required and to reduce the partial pressure of the components to be distilled. The... 

Lee, M. K. Prince, R. C. Pickering, I. J., et al., Microbial Desulfurization of Crude Oil Distillate Fractions Analysis of the Extent of Sulfur Removal and the Effect on Remaining Sulfur. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, 1997. 213 p. 11-FUEL. 

Their bulk properties as well as their chemical composition can characterize crude oils. Distillation of cmde oil provides fraction profiles over a certain boiling range. The crude oil as well as the distillation fractions can be described in terms of density, viscosity, refractive index, sulfur content, and other bulk parameters. 

The mineral-based oils are produced from heavy-end crude oil distillates. Distillate sneams may be treated in several ways, such as vacuum-, solvent-, acid-, or hydrotreated, to produce oils with commercial properties. Hydrocarbon types ranging from C15 to C50 are found in the various types of oils, with the heavier distillates having higher percentages of the higher-carbon-number compounds. 

The development of nylon by DuPont in 1938 generated the initial big commercial interest in cyclohexane as they settled on its use as their preferred raw material. In the period right after World War II, the manufacture of nylon grew for a while at 100% annually, quickly overwhelming the availability of cyclohexane naturally available in crude oil. The typical crude oil processed in U.S. refineries at the time had less than 1% content of cyclohexane. Ironically, since cyclohexane leaves the crude oil distillation operation in the naphtha, it was usually fed to a cat reformer, where it was converted to henzene. As it turned out, with so many other precursors also being converted to benzene in the cat reformer, benzene became a good source for cyclohexane manufacture. 

Figure 1.3 Process flow diagram of crude oil distillation process.

The terms residual fuel or sometimes resid are used to describe high boiling fractions obtained from crude oil distillation and processing. The following petroleum fractions are often described as residual oils ... 

Large amounts of tar or pitch by-products are produced by industrial processes. The distillation of crude petroleum (qv) yields a pitch-like residue termed bitumen or asphalt (qv). In the United States, these terms are interchangeable, but in Europe the term asphalt is generally restricted to naturally occurring rock or lake asphalt, whereas the residual product of crude-oil distillation is termed bitumen. Although these are important industrial materials produced in millions of metric tons annually, they are not included herein (see Asphalt Petroleum, products). 

Biofuels are obtained from renewable sources and, when they are combusted, generate only as much CO2 as withdrawn form atmosphere by photosynthesis. Less carbon dioxide is formed in the course of combustion than by the equivalent amount of crude oil distillate fuel, for example diesel fuel. In addition, very little sulfur dioxide is formed. Of course, biofuels are biodegradable. 

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