Kerosene, also spelled kerosine, also called paraffin or paraffin oil, flammable hydrocarbon liquid commonly used as a fuel. Kerosene is typically pale yellow or colourless and has a not-unpleasant characteristic odour. It is obtained from petroleum and is used for burning in kerosene lamps and domestic heaters or furnaces, as a fuel or fuel component for jet engines, and as a solvent for greases and insecticides.
Kerosene and gas oil fractions are generally extracted with selective solvents to effect marked reduction in the concentration of aromatics, acidic, sulphur, organometallic and nitrogen compounds and unstable materials. The resultant raffinates meet the product specifications which are becoming more and more stringent. Aromatics concentration in kerosene is reduced to produce jet fuels and/or illuminant kerosene.
The aromatic extracts obtained from kerosene, diesel/gas oil fractions are used as feeds for hydrocracking or for carbon manufacture or as plasticizers for rubber, depending on their suitability. A solvent suitable for refining kerosene, diesel and gas oils must have fairly high selectivity and capacity for aromatics. It should also have higher density than the feeds; low viscosity, melting point and specific heat; Good thermal stability and a marked difference in the boiling point from that of the feed. It is for this reason that liquid sulphur dioxide and furfural have been tried and used widely in the industry.