Currently the typical way that crude oil is processed involves a fractional distillation column, in which heated crude oil is separated into the various hydrocarbon compounds using distinct boiling… ...

In distillation towers, the elements of crude oil are heated, so diesel can be separated from the other components. Diesel, specifically, boils between 450 and 650 degrees, resulting in a distillate.

Hollow, pumpkin-shaped molecules can efficiently separate valuable hydrocarbons from crude oil, KAUST researchers have shown. These "molecular sieves," known as cucurbiturils, could enable a more ...