Chapter 22:Petroleum and fuels 

Fuels

• A fuel is a substance which when burned, releases heat energy which can be transferred into electricity, which we use in our daily lives.
• Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas and hydrocarbons such as methane and propane.

Petroleum

• Petroleum is also called crude oil and is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons which also contains natural gas.
• It is a thick, sticky, black liquid that is found under porous rock.
• The fractions in petroleum are separated from each other in a process called fractional distillation.

Fractional distillation of Petroleum

• Fractional distillation is carried out in a fractionating column.
• The fractionating column is hot at the bottom and cools at the top.
• Crude oil enters the fractionating column and is heated so vapours rise.
• Vapours of hydrocarbons with very high boiling points will immediately turn into liquid and are tapped off at the bottom of the column,
• Vapours of hydrocarbons with low boiling points will rise up the column and condense at the top to be tapped off.

Properties of fraction

• [ ] Viscocity
• [ ] Melting and boiling points
• [ ] Colour
• [ ] Volatility

Products and uses

1. Refinery gas: heating and cooking
2. Gasoline: fuel for cars (petrol)
3. Naphtha: raw product for producing chemicals
4. Kerosene: for making jet fuel (paraffin)
5. Diesel: fuel for diesel engines (gas oil)
6. Fuel oil: fuel for ships and for home heating
7. Lubricating oil: for lubricants, polishes, waxes
8. Bitumen: for surfacing roads

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