Propane, a widely used fuel, is purified through specific processes to separate it from other substances. Based on the provided information, a key method involves distillation when processing crude oil.
When propane is derived from crude oil, it undergoes refining where it is separated from a mixture of various hydrocarbons. According to the reference provided, "Distillation is the process in which crude oil is refined and the propane is separated from the other materials." This highlights distillation as the primary purification method in this context.
The Distillation Process
Distillation is a physical separation technique that utilizes differences in boiling points. In the refining of crude oil to obtain propane:
- Heating: Crude oil is heated to vaporize its components.
- Separation: The vapors rise into a distillation column. As they ascend, they cool and condense at different temperature levels based on their boiling points.
- Collection: Propane, being a lighter hydrocarbon, condenses at a specific point in the column and is collected, separated from heavier components like gasoline, diesel, and asphalt, as well as lighter components like methane.
This process effectively isolates propane, purifying it from the complex mixture found in crude oil. The purified propane, regardless of whether it originates from crude oil or natural gas, is then typically stored and transported as a liquid under pressure, as noted in the reference.
