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4.1 Introduction
In early refineries, distillation was the primary means by which products were
separated from crude petroleum. As the technologies for refining evolved, they
became much more complex; but distillation still remained the prime means by which
petroleum was refined. Indeed, the distillation section of a modern refinery is its most
flexible unit; since conditions can be adjusted to process a wide range of feedstocks
from the lighter crude oils to the heavier, more viscous materials. Generally, the
maximum permissible temperature, in the vaporizing furnace or heater, to which the
feedstock can be subjected is 350 C (660 F), although temperatures up to 390 C
(740 F) are known with suitable adjustment of the residence time in the hot zone to
mitigate cracking. The rate of thermal decomposition increases markedly above this
temperature, although higher temperatures (up to approximately 395 C, 745 F) are
part of the specifications for some distillation units. The level of serious cracking
occurring at these higher temperatures is subject to the properties of the crude oil
feedstock and the residence time in the hot zone. If unplanned cracking occurs within
a distillation unit, coke deposition can occur in the heater pipes or in the tower itself,
resulting in unit failure.