Pipestills at an oil refinery
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Pipestills at an oil refinery
Oil refinery. Atmospheric pipestill (right) and a vacuum pipestill (left). These are distillation towers (stills) where hot crude oil is separated into parts called fractions. The crude oil, a mix of hydrocarbons, is heated to around 400 degrees Celsius and piped into the base of the atmospheric pipestill. Hydrocarbon gases from the boiling oil rise up the tower towards the coolest area at the top. The fractions are collected at different levels, depending on their boiling points. Ones with a low boiling point (petroleum gases, petrol) rise towards the top of the tower. Ones with a higher boiling point (jet fuel, diesel) condense lower down. The part that doesn t boil is sent to the vacuum pipestill, where vacuum boiling yields parts such as fuel oil and bitumen. Photographed at ExxonMobils Fawley Oil Refinery, Hampshire, UK
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Media ID 6457585
© PAUL RAPSON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Building Chemical Engineering Chemical Plant Distillation Distilling Esso Exxon Exxon Mobil Fawley Hampshire Mobil Oil Industry Oil Refinery Petrochemical Industry Product Products Refined Refinery Refining Structural Engineering Tower Towers Distillation Tower Stills
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the intricate pipestills at an oil refinery, providing a glimpse into the fascinating process of distillation. The image features two towering structures - an atmospheric pipestill on the right and a vacuum pipestill on the left. These imposing distillation towers play a crucial role in separating hot crude oil into various fractions. As the mix of hydrocarbons is heated to extreme temperatures, reaching around 400 degrees Celsius, it is then piped into the base of the atmospheric pipestill. Within this tower, hydrocarbon gases rise upwards towards cooler areas at different levels based on their boiling points. Lighter fractions with lower boiling points like petroleum gases and petrol ascend towards the top, while heavier ones such as jet fuel and diesel condense lower down. The remaining portion that does not undergo boiling enters the vacuum pipestill for further processing. Here, under vacuum conditions, this residual mixture yields valuable parts like fuel oil and bitumen through controlled boiling. Captured at ExxonMobil's Fawley Oil Refinery in Hampshire, UK, this photograph exemplifies both technological prowess and industrial ingenuity within Britain's thriving oil industry. It highlights how structural engineering and chemical plant expertise combine to refine crude oil efficiently using fractional distillation techniques. This visually striking image from Science Photo Library invites viewers to appreciate both the beauty and complexity found within these essential components of modern petrochemical production facilities.
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