Cracking and Reforming of Petroleum

Cracking:

Cracking is the breaking up of longer hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones at high temperatures and pressure and in the presence of the catalysts.

Types of Cracking:

Thermal cracking: Thermal cracking involves heating heavy oil or large hydrocarbons e.g. diesel oil, or kerosene at high pressure to give low molecular mass hydrocarbons.

\( \scriptsize \underset{Kerosense}{C_{11}H_{24}} \overset{thermal \; cracking}{\normalsize\rightarrow} \scriptsize \underset{Petrol}{C_8H_{18}} \; + \; \underset{Propane}{C_3H_6} \)