What are the major products resulting from the coking process?

The major products resulting from the coking process are petroleum coke, which is the primary solid product, and a range of hydrocarbon gases and liquids, including gas oil, naphtha, and fuel gas. Coking is a thermal cracking process used to upgrade heavy, low-value residues from crude oil refining into lighter, more valuable products. The process involves heating the residue to high temperatures (typically 480-550°C) in the absence of oxygen, causing it to decompose into lighter hydrocarbons and a solid carbon residue called petroleum coke. The petroleum coke is a high-carbon material that can be used as a fuel, in the production of electrodes for the aluminum industry, or as a feedstock for gasification. The gas oil and naphtha fractions are liquids that can be further processed in other refinery units, such as catalytic cracking or hydrotreating, to produce gasoline and diesel. The fuel gas is a mixture of light hydrocarbons, such as methane, ethane, and propane, which can be used as a fuel within the refinery. The specific yields and properties of these products depend on the type of coking process (delayed coking, fluid coking, flexicoking) and the operating conditions.