Refining

Name:
Refining
Detailed information:
Essentially a separation process whereby undesirable components are removed from various types of mixture to give a concentrated and purified product. Such separation may be effected (1) mechanically, by pressing, centrifuging, filtering, etc.; (2) by electrolysis; (3) by distillation, solvent extraction, or evaporation; and (4) by chemical reaction. One or more of these operations is applied to (1) food products, (2) petroleum, (3) lubricating oils, and (4) metals. As regards petroleum, refining is generally understood to include not only fractional distillation of crude oils to naphthas, low-octane gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, and asphaltic residues, but also the processes involved in thermal and catalytic cracking (hydroforming, reforming, etc.) for production of high-octane gasoline.