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Fractional Distillation

About this simulation

Fractional Distillation is an interactive 3D industrial chemistry simulation of a crude-oil fractionating tower. Crude petroleum enters a heated furnace at the base (up to 400 degrees Celsius) and passes into a tall vertical column with a steady temperature gradient cooling toward 25 degrees Celsius at the top dome. Six internal bubble-cap collection trays capture condensing hydrocarbon fractions as rising vapour molecules reach a tray cooler than their boiling range. Students can drag the glowing furnace heat knob, vary crude feed rate, highlight individual carbon chain lengths from C1 to C35+, and click any tray or outlet flask to compare boiling ranges, intermolecular London dispersion forces, and industrial uses.

What students can explore

  • Click each of the 6 bubble-cap collection trays from bottom to top to compare chain lengths and boiling ranges from Bitumen up to Petrol and Refinery Gas.
  • Drag the orange furnace heat knob down to 220 degrees Celsius and observe which heavier hydrocarbon fractions fail to vaporize and remain at the base.
  • Use the Carbon chain highlight slider to isolate a single hydrocarbon fraction and trace its rise from the furnace pipe to its condensation tray.
  • Raise the Crude feed rate slider and observe how vapor flow through the bubble caps and liquid outflow through the side pipes accelerate.
  • Switch between Upper Trays and Furnace camera views to inspect how bubble caps force rising hydrocarbon vapour to bubble through condensed liquid.

Learning objectives

  1. 1Explain how a vertical temperature gradient inside a fractionating column separates crude oil hydrocarbons by boiling point.
  2. 2Relate hydrocarbon carbon-chain length to molecular surface area, strength of London dispersion forces, and boiling temperature.
  3. 3Order the major crude oil fractions from lowest to highest boiling point: Refinery Gas/Petrol, Naphtha, Kerosene, Diesel, Fuel Oil, and Bitumen.
  4. 4Describe the role of bubble caps in promoting thermal equilibrium between rising vapours and condensing liquids on each tray.

Questions teachers ask

How does fractional distillation separate crude oil?

Crude oil is heated in a furnace until most hydrocarbons vaporize and enter the bottom of a fractionating tower that is hot at the base and cool at the top. As vapours rise through trays, each hydrocarbon fraction cools and condenses into liquid at the height where the tray temperature matches its boiling point.

Why do longer hydrocarbon chains have higher boiling points?

Longer alkane chains contain more electrons and have a larger molecular surface area, creating stronger temporary dipole-induced dipole (London dispersion) attractions between molecules. More thermal energy is required to overcome these attractions and separate the molecules into a gas.

What happens to bitumen at the bottom of the column?

Bitumen and heavy residue molecules contain 30 to over 50 carbon atoms per chain with boiling points above 350 degrees Celsius. They do not boil at normal furnace temperatures and are drawn off as a thick hot liquid from the bottom tray for road surfacing and roofing.

Why are bubble caps used on the collection trays?

Bubble caps cover the vapour risers on each tray and force rising hot gas to bubble through the cooler liquid already pooled on that tray, ensuring efficient heat exchange and clean condensation of high-boiling components.

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