F322-Fuels Flashcards
What is fractional distillation?
A method of separating the crude oil mixture into fractions according to their boiling points
What is volatility?
How easily it turns into a gas
Where do the more volatile components with lower boiling points go in fractional distillation?
They rise to the top of the fractionating column
What can hydrocarbons obtained from crude oil be used directly as?
Fuels or as feedstock for processing into petrochemicals
Give a use for propane
Bottled gas
What 1-4 carbon alkanes used for?
Bottled gas
What are carbon 5-7 alkanes used for?
Petrol
What are carbon 6-10 carbon alkanes used for?
Making petrochemicals
What 3 points make a good fuel?
~volatile
~easy to ignite
~burns completely in air(no soot)
What does catalytic cracking do?
It converts long-chain hydrocarbons into more useful alkanes and alkenes using heat and a catalyst
Give an example of cracking
C6H14 > C4H10 + C2H4
Suggest 2 reasons why oil companies use catalysts
1- catalysts speed up the reaction without being consumed
2- using a catalyst saves money for the companies as they are cheaper to run and allows a lower temperature to be used so less fuel is needed
What does Isomerisation do? State conditions needed
Converts straight chain alkanes into branched alkanes.
Conditions = high temp & platinum catalyst
What does reforming do? State conditions needed.
Converts straight chain alkanes into cyclic alkanes and arenes.
Conditions = high temp & platinum catalyst
Why are branched alkanes and cyclic hydrocarbons used in petrol?
To promote efficient combustion and prevent pre-ignition
What is used to grade the quality of petrol?
Research octane number (RON)
What does an alkane that burns efficiently have?
A high octane number
Describe the effect if chain length on octane number
The longer the chain length, the lower the octane number
Describe the effect of chain branching on octane number
The more branching, the higher the octane number
Why is 2-methylpentane more volatile than hexane?
The branching of 2-methylpentane makes it more volatile than hexane as the branches means there is less surface contact, the van der Waals’ forces are weaker so less energy is needed to break them. This means it can turn into a gas more easily
What does burning alkanes in a limited supply of oxygen result in?
Incomplete combustion
Write an equation for the formation of NO
N2 + O2 > 2NO
What is complete combustion?
When alkanes burn in a plentiful supply of oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water
Write an equation for the complete combustion of hexane
C6H14 + 9.5 O2 > 6CO2 + 7H2O