Biofuels Spring 2013

Turning Chemical Energy into Mechanical Work C 8 H 18 (l) + 25/2 O 2 (g)  8 CO 2 (g) + 9 H 2 O(g) + energy

Crude Oil Composition Petroleum Terms Paraffins Naphthenes Aromatics Asphaltics Organic Terms Alkanes Cycloalkanes Aromatic hydrocarbons Composed mainly of polyaromatic carbon rings Also contain O, N, or S heteroatoms mw ranges between 400 – 1500 g/mol Trace amounts heavy metals V and Ni

Natural Gas Primarily CH 4 (gas) –CO 2 –N 2 –H 2 S – “sour gas” if present in high concentrations (~4ppm) Dissolved in crude oil in oil well

Fractional Distillation Laurence M. Harwood, Christopher J. Moody. Experimental organic chemistry: Principles and Practice (Illustrated ed.). pp. 145–147

Low m.w. High m.w.

Petroleum Product Groups Light Distillates –3-12 carbons –Propane (gas at RT) –Butane –Octane Middle Distillates –Kerosene (6-16 carbons) –Diesel fuel (8-21 carbons) Heavy Distillates –Fuel oils –Paraffin waxes (>30 carbons) –Asphault / tar