Module Five builds on the separation fundamentals introduced in Module Four by examining how refineries extend separation beyond primary distillation. While atmospheric and vacuum distillation establish the basic structure of refinery separation, additional processes are required to achieve tighter control of product quality and to recover value from both light and heavy streams.

This module introduces several key separation applications used throughout modern refineries:

• Light Ends Processing, which further separates the lightest overhead fractions from distillation units into fuel gas, LPG components, and stabilized naphtha streams.
• Analytical Evaluation of Light Fractions, where relatively simple molecular compositions allow engineers to assess separation quality using compositional data and equilibrium relationships.
• Non‑distillation Separation Techniques, which become necessary when boiling point differences alone are insufficient for further fractionation.
• Solvent Extraction Processes, including deasphalting and dewaxing, which rely on solubility differences to separate high‑molecular‑weight or waxy components that cannot be handled effectively by distillation.

Each of these topics will be explored in detail in the sections that follow. Together, they demonstrate how refineries apply multiple separation strategies to protect downstream units, meet product specifications, and maximize the value derived from crude oil.