Which quality parameters of automotive gasoline can a atmospheric distillation unit control?
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The gasoline produced by atmospheric distillation units is naphtha, which serves as a raw material for reforming units. So, which quality parameters of the reformed gasoline are affected by this?
The atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit can control the boiling range of automotive gasoline, including the 10% point, 50% point, 90% point, and dry point (final boiling point).
One boiling range, one copper sheet corrosion
Gasoline (or naphtha) fractions with a low octane rating are subjected to high-temperature treatment using precious metal catalysts such as platinum, rhenium, and iridium. Through reactions including hexacyclic naphthenes’ dehydrogenation, isomerization of pentacyclic naphthenes or straight-chain alkanes, dehydrocyclization of alkanes, and dealkylation of aromatics, the cycloalkanes and alkanes contained in these fractions are converted into aromatics such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene. These aromatics are then used as raw materials for chemical industries or to produce gasoline with a higher octane rating. The gasoline produced during this reforming process is known as reformed gasoline; due to its high aromatic content, it can be used as a component in the formulation of high-octane gasoline. It’s mainly about controlling the boiling range.