Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil

Question 1

explain the stages of fractional distillation for crude oil?

Answer 1

Firstly, the crude oil is heated to a very high temperature this causes the crude oil to boil and evaporate into a gas . The crude oil vapour is now fed into the fractional distillation column. The column is hot at the bottom and cooler at the top . The hydrocarbon vapours now rise up the column they then condense when they reach their boiling point. These liquid factions are then removed.

Question 2

What are the boiling points of very long chained hydrocarbons (alkanes) like? Whereabouts in the fractionating column are they removed?

Answer 2

The boiling points of very long chained hydrocarbons are high. These are removed from the bottom of the fractionating column.

Question 3

What are the boiling points of short chained hydrocarbons (alkanes) like? Whereabouts in the fractionating column are they removed?

Answer 3

The boiling points of short chained hydrocarbons is low and these do not condense. These are removed from the top of the column as gases.

Question 4

each fraction produced from the column will be used for diff fuels like jet fuel and diesel

Question 5

What is a feedstock?

Answer 5

A feedstock is a chemical that is used to make other chemicals.
Eg.
polymers
detergents
lubricants