C/H ratio

The determination of the elemental composition of a petroleum cut is of prime importance because it provides a quick means of finding out the quality of a given cut or determining the efficiency of a refining process. In fact, the quality of a cut generally increases with the H/C ratio and in all cases, with a decrease in hetero-element (nitrogen, sulfur, and metals) content. 

The specific gravity of a pure hydrocarbon is linked to its H/C ratio, the specific gravity decreasing as the H/C ratio increases. Table 3.2 illustrates this variation for hydrocarbons having 14 carbon atoms. 

It is based on the observations that the specific gravities of hydrocarbons are related to their H/C ratios (and thus to their chemical character) and that their boiling points are linked to the number of carbon atoms in their molecules. 

Specific gravity compared with H/C ratio for pure hydrocarbons. 

The H C ratio in hydrocarbons is indicative of the hydrogen deficiency of the system. As mentioned, the highest theoretical H C ratio possible for hydrocarbon is 4 (in CH4), although in electron-deficient carbocationic compounds such as CH5 and even CH/, the ratio is further increased (to 5 and 6, respectively, see Chapter 10). On the other end of the scale in extreme cases, such as the dihydro- or methylene derivatives of recently discovered Cgo and C70 fullerenes, the H C ratio can be as low as 0.03. 

Hydrocarbons are abundant in nature. All fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) are basically hydrocarbons, deviating, however, significantly in their H C ratio. 

Coals (the plural is deliberately used because coal has no defined, uniform nature or structure) are fossil sources with low hydrogen content. The structure of coals means only the structural models depicting major bonding types and components relating changes with coal rank. Coal is classified, or ranked, as lignite, subbituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. This is also the order of increased aromaticity and decreased volatile matter. The H C ratio of bituminous coal is about 0.8, whereas anthracite has H C ratios as low as 0.2. 

On an atomic basis, H/C ratios range from 1.5- -2.0. The range of elemental composition of cmde oil (3) may be given as follows ... 

A fuel closely related to gasoline is naphtha, which is also a potential fuel cell fuel. Naphtha is already produced in large quantities at refineries and is a cheaper fuel than gasoline, which must have octaneboosting additives blended into it. Unlike methanol, naphtha can be distributed in the same pipelines as gasoline. From the fuel cell s perspective, it has a higher H C ratio and lower sulfur and aromatics content than gasoline. 

As feedstocks progress from ethane to heavier fractions with lower H/C ratios, the yield of ethylene decreases, and the feed per pound ethylene product ratio increases markedly. Table 3-15 shows yields from steam cracking of different feedstocks, and how the liquid by-products and BTX aromatics increase dramatically with heavier feeds. 

Figure 9.3. Coke is the name for the carbonaceous deposit that builds upon catalysts during the treatment of hydrocarbons. It consists of many aromatic structures and has a low H C ratio. Graphite,...

Low Octane Low Olefin Content High CokeMake High H/C Ratio Low Conversion... 

The material balance is consistent with the results obtained by OSA (S2+S4 in g/100 g). For oil A, the coke zone is very narrow and the coke content is very low (Table III). On the contrary, for all the other oils, the coke content reaches higher values such as 4.3 g/ 100 g (oil B), 2.3 g/ioo g (oil C), 2.5 g/ioo g (oil D), 2.4/100 g (oil E). These organic residues have been studied by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis to compare their compositions. The areas of the bands characteristic of C-H bands (3000-2720 cm-1), C=C bands (1820-1500 cm j have been measured. Examples of results are given in Fig. 4 and 5 for oils A and B. An increase of the temperature in the porous medium induces a decrease in the atomic H/C ratio, which is always lower than 1.1, whatever the oil (Table III). Similar values have been obtained in pyrolysis studies (4) Simultaneously to the H/C ratio decrease, the bands characteristics of CH and CH- groups progressively disappear. The absorbance of the aromatic C-n bands also decreases. This reflects the transformation by pyrolysis of the heavy residue into an aromatic product which becomes more and more condensed. Depending on the oxygen consumption at the combustion front, the atomic 0/C ratio may be comprised between 0.1 and 0.3 ... 

The results of the chemical analyses are summarized and compared in Table VI with similar results from dry oxidation. In comparison with dry oxidation at 225°C, wet oxidation at this same temperature leads to less residual coke. As shown by the molar H/C ratio, this residual coke is enriched in carbon. Less of the available carbon is converted to residual coke. 

Thus the corrected volatile matter yield and the atomic H/C ratio both appear to be good parameters for assessing the reactivity of the coals studied. 

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