PREFRACTIONATOR Meaning and
Definition
-
The term "prefractionator" refers to a specialized apparatus or equipment used in the refining and petrochemical industries to facilitate the separation and fractionation process of crude oil or other complex hydrocarbon mixtures. It acts as a preliminary or pre-separation unit before the main fractionation column.
A prefractionator typically consists of multiple distillation trays or plates stacked one above the other in a vertical column. The feedstock, which may be crude oil or a mixture of various hydrocarbons, is introduced at the bottom of the column and heated to its boiling point. As the liquid feedstock rises through the column, it encounters vapor rising from the bottom trays.
The prefractionator's primary function is to separate the feedstock into several intermediate product streams with different boiling points. This separation occurs as a result of the different boiling points of the individual components within the mixture. Each tray in the prefractionator enables the vaporization and condensation of specific hydrocarbon fractions, allowing them to be collected separately.
The intermediate products obtained from the prefractionator are then further processed in the main fractionation column or other refining units to obtain various valuable products like gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Prefractionator units play a crucial role in facilitating the overall refining process by eliminating impurities, separating mixture components based on boiling points, and improving the efficiency of subsequent separation stages. They help to optimize the production of valuable hydrocarbon products with different boiling ranges, contributing to the economic and efficient operation of petroleum refineries.
Common Misspellings for PREFRACTIONATOR
- orefractionator
- lrefractionator
- 0refractionator
- peefractionator
- pdefractionator
- pfefractionator
- ptefractionator
- p5efractionator
- p4efractionator
- prwfractionator
- prsfractionator
- prdfractionator
- prrfractionator
- pr4fractionator
- pr3fractionator
- predractionator
- precractionator
- prevractionator
- pregractionator
- pretractionator
Etymology of PREFRACTIONATOR
The word "prefractionator" has a fairly straightforward etymology based on its component parts.
The prefix "pre-" means "before" or "prior to". It is derived from the Latin word "prae", which has the same meaning. In English, "pre-" is often used to indicate that something is done beforehand or in preparation.
The word "fractionator" is derived from the noun "fractionate", which means to separate or divide into fractions. The suffix "-ate" denotes a verb and indicates an action or process.
Therefore, when combined, "prefractionator" describes a device or process that performs fractionation (separation into fractions) before another process or operation.
