Refinery

A refinery is an industrial processing facility that converts raw materials into more refined products with higher value, by removing impurities and adjusting composition. They exist for various resources, notably petroleum, metals, and sugar. Refineries are designed to handle large volumes and operate continuously.

Petroleum refineries process crude oil into fuels and other products. Core operation is distillation to separate hydrocarbons by boiling point. Additional conversion processes such as catalytic cracking, hydrocracking, coking, and reforming transform heavier fractions into lighter, more valuable fractions. Treating units reduce sulfur and other contaminants. Blending units combine streams to produce gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG, and petrochemical feedstocks. Byproducts include sulfur, asphalt, and asphaltic bitumen.

Other refineries include metal refineries that purify metals from ores or recycled materials, using hydrometallurgical or electrorefining methods. Sugar refineries convert raw sugar (cane or beet) into white sugar via clarification, decolorization, filtration, and crystallization. They may also produce molasses, syrups, and bagasse byproducts.

Environmental and economic considerations include energy use, emissions management, water use, and waste treatment. Refining is subject to regulatory standards and safety requirements. Future trends emphasize energy efficiency, tighter pollution controls, and integration with petrochemical and bioproduct industries.