Petroleum is perhaps the most important natural resource especially because it is in

petroleum where we get fuel. However, petroleum must first be efficiently separated,
extracting the lighter hydrocarbons from the heavier ones, before it becomes fully useful.
Because the hydrocarbons in petroleum have different boiling points, it is best to separate
them by means of distillation. Here, the petroleum must be separated into natural gas
(C1 to C5), naptha (C6 to C10), kerosene (C11 to C16), diesel (C17 to C60), lubricants (C61 to
C70), and bitumen/asphalt ( > C70). Commented [KJM1]: 1 Chaudhuri, U. Fundamentals
of Petroleum and Petrochemical Engineering (p.
Multicolumn distillation connected in series results to the highest degree of separation. Chapter 3).
2 Hussain, YA. Equilibrium Separation Column
For the lighter hydrocarbons up to kerosene, the separation is able to reach 98-99%
purity. However, the heavier, more expensive oils pose a difficulty in characterizing both
their physical and chemical properties so the maximum purity that a column can provide
is 96%. The entering feed must be preheated in a furnace to about 400oC to vaporize
most of the feed. All columns, up until the lubricants and bitumen separation, must operate
at atmospheric pressure. At around 420oC, the possibility of cracking is high and so the
final separation of the heavy oils must be done under vacuum distillation. At the end of
vacuum distillation, higher purity recovery of the heavier oils is possible, even reaching
up to 98%. Commented [KJM2]: DEVOLD, H. (2015). OIL AND
GAS PRODUCTION HANDBOOK. [S.l.]: LULU COM.
Commonly used material of construction for petroleum refining is carbon steel but if the
Crude oil distillation and the definition of refinery
economics allow it, the use of stainless steel is suggested. Air cooled heat exchangers capacity. (2012). Eia.gov. Retrieved from
are used in the plant to condense the exiting vapor and is sent to an accumulator. Part of https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=6970
this liquid is then sent to the top of the column as reflux. The columns utilize valve-type
Brahim, A., & Abderafi, S. (2017). Pressure Effect on
trays which move up and down depending on the liquid and vapor flow rates. However, it the Stabilization Column in the Petroleum
is more costly than sieves and the valves are also prone to sticking because of Refinery. Energy Procedia, 118, 233-237.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.013
accumulation of sludge. The vacuum distillation columns utilize ejectors and pumps to
maintain vacuum conditions. Commented [KJM3]: Bruun, J., & Hicks-Bruun, M.
(1932). Isolation of normal decane from petroleum by
More popular nowadays in the separation of petroleum are fractionating columns distillation and equilibrium melting. Bureau Of
Standards Journal Of Research, 8(5), 583.
however, the Fenske Underwood Gilliland equations to be used in calculating the actual http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/jres.008.045
number of trays do not account for side streams and therefore cannot be accurately used
Pujadó, P. (2004). Petroleum refining
for the design of the fractionating column. This further justifies the use of multicolumn in processes. Journal Of Petroleum Science And
series for this separation. Engineering, 45(3-4), 295-296.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2004.06.002

Commented [KJM4]: Perry, R.H.; Green, D.W., eds.

(1997). Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook (7th
ed.). McGraw-Hill
Equilibrium Calculations
In this problem, the Fenske-Underwood-Gilliland (FUG) shortcut method will be employed
to determine the number of trays required for the system. To do this, the light key and
heavy key components in each column must first be specified.

Hydrocarbon Group BP @ 1 atm, oC

Natural Gas 36.1
Naphtha ~97
Kerosene ~220
Diesel ~360
Lubricants ~600
Bitumen/Asphalt ~700

As the boiling point increases, the volatility of the compound decreases. Therefore, in the Commented [KJM5]: Naphthalene | C10H8 |
series multicolumn distillation, the separation of natural gas from naphtha and other ChemSpider. (2017). Chemspider.com. Retrieved 17
December 2017, from
heavier components must be done. Since the separation of lubricants from http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-
bitumen/asphalt requires higher temperatures and are prone to cracking, they are sent to Structure.906.html
Guard, H., Ng, J., & Laughlin, J.
vacuum distillation columns. Because there is a lack of information about the boiling (1983). Characterization of Gasolines, Diesel Fuels and
points of oil at vacuum conditions, the number of trays for the heavier oils will be Their Water Soluble Fractions. Ft. Belvoir: Defense
Technical Information Center.
approximated still by the FUG. Therefore, 5 columns must be used and a part of the series
is shown below. The light key and heavy key components as well as their respective PENTANE. Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved from
boiling points are also shown below. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/pentane#s
ection=Boiling-Point
Natural Gas Boiling Points for common Liquids and
Gases. Engineeringtoolbox.com. Retrieved 17
December 2017, from
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/boiling-points-
fluids-gases-d_155.html
Petroleum Naphtha

Naphtha

Kerosene

Diesel

Lubricants

Bitumen/Asphalt Kerosene

Diesel

Lubricants

Bitumen/Asphalt
 Column # Light Key Heavy Key Operating Temperature Range
1 Natural Gas Naphtha 36.1-97oC
2 Naphtha Kerosene 97-220oC
3 Kerosene Diesel 220-360oC
4 Diesel Lubricants 360-600oC
5 Lubricants Bitumen/Asphalt 600-700oC

With the specified light and heavy key components, the Fenske Underwood Gilliland
method may then be used to calculate for the actual number of trays in the columns. First,
the Fenske equations must be used to determine the minimum number of trays at infinite
reflux. Next, the minimum reflux must be determined using the Underwood equations.
Finally, using the results from both Fenske and Underwood, the Gilliland equation may
then be used to calculate for the actual number of trays.
The FUG method is done for the succeeding trays and is taken to be accurate up until the
fourth column. The fifth column which separates lubricants from bitumen/asphalt is to
operate at vacuum conditions while the calculations provided for it are at atmospheric
conditions. The calculated number of trays are then only taken to be approximations.
Legend: i – light key component D – Distillate
j – heavy key component B – Bottoms
k – light non-key components
heavy non-components (Kerosene, Diesel, Lubricants, Bitumen/Asphalt)