It is impossible to underestimate the importance of oil and oil products in many sectors at the moment. The hydrocarbon industry produces at least five hundred different kinds of products. Depending on the particular type, the requirements for them vary, because the application takes place in specific conditions. Nevertheless, the classification of oil and petroleum products is possible - for this it is enough to select the right criteria and selection parameters.
The main types and principles of their separation
The method can be based on a variety of variations. Petroleum products for commercial use, for example, can be subdivided according to parameters such as chemical composition, production method, physical properties or hazard class. The requirements are largely dictated by the market on the part of consumers. Due to this, the classifications are often narrowly focused and based on the possibility of using any particular product obtained in a particular industry according to the need for its practical use. Produced hydrocarbons are used in many national economic activities.
The most common can be called the classification of petroleum products by purpose. It looks like this:
- various types of motor fuels;
- special oil products;
- astringent and hydrocarbon materials;
- various petroleum oils;
- energy fuels;
- raw materials for petrochemical applications.
Each of the given groups has a certain number of branches, which further specify their scope of use.
Motor fuels
This category is considered the most popular in the modern world due to the widespread distribution of road transport. The principle for the classification of marketable petroleum products from this group is the type of engines in which they are used. Traditionally, motor fuel is divided into gasoline, jet and diesel. Moreover, the first of the listed also has two subspecies - aviation (kerosene) and automobile.
Each country may have its own designations for gasoline motor fuels. In Russia, the letter “A” is used for this and an indication of the octane number next to it through a hyphen, for example, A-76, A-80, A-92, A-95 and A-98. Drivers are well aware that you need to refuel only certain types of fuel for a particular car. The octane number should not be lower than that recommended by the manufacturer, otherwise the engine will begin to wear out much more, and continuous use will certainly lead to its breakdown.
Other types of motor fuels according to the classification of petroleum products are also used in certain scenarios. For example, jet only serves for jet type engines. The third type - diesel - begins to win the hearts of motorists across the country due to its more economical consumption than any gasoline variant. In addition, previously this option was also cheaper, however, you must initially purchase a car with the right engine.
State standard
In Russia, there are special GOST standards that govern the division of various hydrocarbon products into specific groups. These documents were developed and adopted back in the USSR. The writing was the responsibility of the Ministry of Chemical and Oil Refining Industries. The classification of petroleum products according to GOST is mentioned in regulatory documents under the numbers 28549.0-90 and 28577.0-90. You can find them in the public domain and the corresponding manuals.
This standard serves to establish a classification system for oil and other related products. The list also defines the classes of various lubricants and their designations. In general, the classification is quite similar to the one given above when divided by scope. However, if it was not possible to clearly differentiate the scope of use, specialists were guided by the type of product.
An example is the excerpt with the classification of petroleum products and other related products:
- Class F. Various fuels.
- Class S. Raw materials for the chemical industry and solvents.
- Class B. Various bitumen.
- Class L. Industrial oils, lubricants and other similar products.
- Class W. Various paraffins.
Flammability Division
This parameter is determined by the so-called flash point of vapors of a combustible substance, i.e., the one at which vapors and gases begin to actively form above the surface. It is precisely because of them that ignition occurs if there is a potential source of ignition nearby.
The three main groups in the classification of petroleum products by flash point include the following:
- Flammable. This includes all flammable substances and materials for which exposure to a low-energy ignition source is sufficient. An example of the latter is any spark, smoldering cigarette or burning match. Moreover, this effect should be short-term - no more than 30 seconds.
- Flammable or combustible. Such substances and materials can ignite on their own or burn after removing their direct source of ignition.
- Refractory or incombustible. This group of substances and materials is also capable of igniting from a fire source in the air, however, they cannot continue burning themselves after its removal.
Classification of hydrocarbon losses
There are many reasons why this process occurs. In particular, closed containers can “breathe”, part of the product escapes from their loose walls, vapors are lost during measurements and sampling during maintenance.
The classification of oil and oil product losses includes:
- Quantitative. Occur due to various options for leaks and spills.
- Qualitative. They occur due to the deterioration of the final level of quality of the oil product, provided that its quantity has not changed.
- Quantitatively qualitative. Such a scenario is usually possible with excessive evaporation of hydrocarbons.
However, this is not the only option provided for the unit in such situations. There is also a classification of petroleum products during storage. Two main options for this separation are presented below:
- Operational losses. Occur due to leaks of liquid petroleum products, as well as evaporation and mixing of various grades. Also, such losses are possible when cleaning storage facilities, pipelines or other directly related equipment.
- Accident loss. These include violation of the rules for the technical operation of structures and devices during operation or damage to any important components, including oil vessels, tank wagons or other structures. At times, natural disasters may be the culprits.
Tankers for oil products
Machines that are engaged in the transportation of hydrocarbons instead of the usual bodywork have special equipment and the tank itself. There are many versions of this design.
Among the main criteria by which the classification of tankers for petroleum products occurs, the following are distinguished:
- type of base chassis;
- purpose of the oil product;
- axle load of the base chassis;
- type of oil product;
- passability and type of the bearing element of the chassis.
As an example, we can give a classification with a breakdown into three main groups.
- Tank cars. They include fuel and transport. The chassis is selected for normal cross-country ability, and the design is made frame.
- Tank trailers. This includes refueling and fuel oil options. As a chassis, models with increased cross-country ability are used, and the design is frameless.
- Tank semi-trailers. They are used for transportation of oils. They can have a chassis and a basic structure from both the first and second groups.
Warehouses for the storage of hydrocarbons
These buildings, as a rule, include the totality of installations and structures that perform the functions of obtaining, storing and further dispensing oil products to final consumers. In this case, sending is carried out by means of various types of messages, including railway, water, pipeline or automobile.
The classification of oil and oil products warehouses is carried out according to one of the following criteria or their combination.
- Total capacity and maximum volume of one tank. Warehouses are also divided into categories according to SNiP 2.11.03.93.
- Annual freight turnover. It includes five subclasses, ranging from 500 or more thousand tons per year and ending with storage facilities, through which only 20 or less thousand tons per year pass. Regulated in VNTP 5-95.
- Functional purpose. The division of warehouse complexes takes place into transshipment, distribution and those that perform the functions of the first two at the same time.
- Nomenclature of stored petroleum products. In this case, classification by hazard degree is implied. There are tank farms for flammable products, as well as general tank farms.
- Transport connections for the acceptance of products. Any of the warehouses can have either one way of communication, or be mixed. For example, if the possibility of receiving and sending products through the pipeline, as well as sea and river water transport, is combined.
Solid fractions of petroleum products
This type includes hydrocarbons that are obtained by special separation and purification procedures. The procedures are carried out during dewaxing, that is, the removal of paraffin from various oil fractions. Such hydrocarbon chemical raw materials, for example, include ceresin.
In total, the classification of solid petroleum products includes three main groups:
- aromatic carbohydrates, among which are xylenes, benzene, toluene, and the like;
- petrochemical raw materials for pyrolysis;
- solid hydrocarbons like paraffins and ceresins.
In the GOST classification, paraffins are indicated by the Latin letter W. Among finished goods on store shelves, such fractions usually reach the final consumer at the household level in the form of the same solvents. In industry, this group is more than important in a variety of chemical industries.
Petroleum Lubricating Oils
It is one of the most used options as the final product for sale. The classification of petroleum products in this case is made with emphasis on the scope of use and includes motor, energy, industrial and transmission oils. Differences in the listed products allow them to be successfully used in highly specialized environments. So, for example, motor oils reduce friction in piston and jet engines, and transmission oils successfully lubricate gears for tractors, diesel locomotives, cars or cars.
Industrial options work well when interacting with a variety of parts of industrial machines and equipment. In addition, such oils are divided into three separate subgroups, including light, medium and heavy. The latter type - energy - lubricates the details of machines and mechanisms that are used in the industry of the same name. The fact is that the devices, as a rule, encounter increased loads there, exorbitant temperatures or are under the permanent influence of hot steam, air masses or liquids.
It is also worth highlighting in the classification of petroleum products by oil group special non-lubricating types. Their purpose is to fill such liquids in steam-jet pumps, braking systems or any capacitors, transformers, hydraulic mechanisms. In electrical cables, these oils act as insulators. Among the main types there are capacitor, hydraulic, transformer and vacuum. In other sectors, there are non-lubricating perfumes, cooling or medical oils.
Other classifications of oil and petroleum products
In addition to the standard, you can find other unit options. There are special petroleum products widely used in various fields of human activity and manufacturing industries.
Such a classification divides products into the following groups:
- raw materials for carbon black, or thermogaizol;
- elemental sulfur;
- hydrogen;
- kerosene for lighting;
- additives for fuel;
- demulsifiers;
- oil additives;
- greases.
In addition, among the last of the listed it is customary to distinguish between protective, sealing and antifriction. It is recommended that you use an official source, which may change over time. In Russia, this is the state standard, or GOST.