Main Product
Heavy Fuel Oil
Segment
Refined Products
Main-Family
Refinery Liquids
Sub-Family
Residual Fuels
Physical State

Liquid

Sub-Product
Pyrolysis Fuel Oil
Abbreviation
PFO
Alt. Names
Steam Cracking Residue; Industrial Boiler Oil
Description

Pyrolysis Fuel Oil is obtained as the residual fraction from the distillation of the products of a steam cracking process (including steam cracking to produce ethylene)[1].

This product is a dark coloured, oily liquid with a pungent odour whose odour threshold is < 1 ppm[2].

It is known that yield, composition and properties of PFO depend mainly on steam cracking feedstock (gas / naphtha / gas oil fractions):

  • According to one source, it is a complex combination of hydrocarbons consisting predominantly of unsaturated hydrocarbons having carbon numbers predominantly greater than C14 and boiling above approximately 260°C (500°F). This stream is likely to contain 5 wt. % or more of 4- to 6-membered condensed ring aromatic hydrocarbons[1].
  • Another source reports that the main components of PFO are bi- and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The PFO cut with boiling point = 200–330°С consists mainly from C10–C14 hydrocarbons; naphthalene and alkylnaphthalenes account for up to 82% wt; about 10% wt are acenaphthenes, biphenyls and fluorenes. The content of naphthalene, alkylnaphthalenes and biphenyl in the volatile part of PFO is about 77 wt %[3].
  • A third source mentions that PFO is a complex mixture of naphthalene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, indene, and dicyclopentadiene[2].

It finds uses as chemical intermediate feedstock or industrial fuel[2].

References

  1. ECHA, Substance Infocard, Residues (petroleum), steam-cracked.
  2. NOVA Chemicals, Product Backgrounder, Pyrolysis Fuel Oil (PFO).
  3. V.O. Samoilov et al., 2nd Jan 2024, The production of a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) and jet fuel fractions by hydroprocessing of pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO),
    International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Volume 49, Part B, 2024, Pages 1386-1400, ISSN 0360-3199.
Product #Tags
#steamcracking #fueloil
Identifiers

logo CAS Number
64742-90-1
logo EC Number
265-193-8
logo ECHA InfoCard
100.059.249
Chemical Data

Molecular Weight (g/mol)
170
Specific Gravity
1.00
Properties

Default
Status
A
System Info

Update by
UserPic  Kokel, Nicolas
Updated
10/15/2024 6:08 AM
Added by
UserPic  Kokel, Nicolas
Added
10/15/2024 5:20 AM
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Title Date
  UserPic Pyrolysis Fuel Oil added. 10/15/2024