High Melting and Boiling Points: A Characteristic of Petroleum?

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SUMMARY

High melting and boiling points are characteristic of heavier fractions of petroleum, such as diesel and kerosene, while lighter fractions like petrol exhibit low melting and boiling points due to their volatility. The volatility of these fractions directly influences their evaporation rates, with lighter components evaporating quickly. The principle of fractional distillation is utilized to separate crude oil into its various constituents based on these boiling point differences. ASTM D 86 serves as a key reference for understanding distillation curves in petroleum products.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of fractional distillation processes
  • Familiarity with petroleum fractions and their properties
  • Knowledge of volatility and its impact on boiling points
  • Basic grasp of ASTM standards, specifically ASTM D 86
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of fractional distillation in petroleum refining
  • Study the properties of various petroleum fractions, including gas oil and paraffin
  • Explore ASTM D 86 and its application in analyzing distillation curves
  • Investigate the impact of volatility on the handling and storage of petroleum products
USEFUL FOR

Petroleum engineers, chemists, and anyone involved in the refining and analysis of crude oil and its fractions will benefit from this discussion.

faisal
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quick question
WOULD high melting points and boiling points be a property of petrolium aka crude oil.
 
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Crude oil is made up of lots of components, - fractions.

The lighter fractions tend to be very volatile, and have relatively low melting and boiling points. Think of petrol; if you spill it, it evaporates more quickly than you can mop it up. Heavier fractions (diesel, kerosene) aren't as volatile, so their melting and boiling points are higher. The heavy fractions (gas oil, paraffin) are less volatile still.

The difference in boiling points is the principle by which fractional distillation works; the process by which crude oil is broken down into its constituents.
 
Excellent reply. A+ for Brewnog. ASTM D 86 is a good reference if distillation curves for a petroleum product.
 
Last edited:

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