Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil

Question 1

What is the origin of crude oil?

Answer 1

Crude oil is formed from the decomposed remains of plant and animal species deep below the earth’s surface.

Question 1

How is crude oil separated into useful fractions?

Answer 1

-Crude oil is heated in a furnace
-A mixture of liquid and vapour passes into a tower with a temperature gradient (Hot at bottom, cool at top)
-Vapours pass up the tower via a series of trays containing bubble caps until they arrive at a sufficiently cool tray and condense
-Fractions are piped off
-Shorter chain hydrocarbons condense in the trays nearer the top of the tower
-Thick residue at the bottom of the tower is referred to as bitumen or tar