(347a) The Effect of New Nanocomposites on Fluidity of Waxy Crude Oil in Low Temperature

The Effect of New Nanocomposites on Fluidity of Waxy Crude Oil in
Low Temperature

ABSTRACT: Improving the fluidity of waxy crude oil through
different pour point depressants (PPDs) at low temperature is of great operable
and economic interest. Various new PPDs have made great progress in the
research of this problem with different mechanisms. In
this work, a new nanocomposite
(NPPD-1) has been developed based on melt blending of organically modified
montmorillonite and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA).
The microscopic and macroscopic properties of waxy model oil, with and without
new nanocomposite were investigated through X-ary
diffraction (Figure1), polarizing microscope, rheometer,
and differential scanning calorimeter. Compared to conventional EVA, the model
oil with adding nanocomposite presents a decreasing trend with increasing dose
in diffraction intensity and interplanar spacing,
which exits great difference to EVA. It is noted that the three-dimensional
network structure is not conducive because of the lattice parameters of wax
crystals changed, which weakens the interaction of each other, so that there
are less likely to form large crystals and remarkably improves the low
temperature fluidity of waxy oil. Moreover, the rheological parameters
demonstrate that doped nanocomposite can reduce the gel point, depress yield
stress and viscosity more significantly than EVA (Figure2). The morphology of
the wax crystals observed by polarizing microscope shows
fewer wax crystals and dispersed finely in doped oil. These conclusions make it
possible for us to provide a theoretical basis that the interaction mechanism
between paraffin and nanocomposites including nucleation,
co-crystallization, adsorption and solubility.

Figure 1.  The XRD curves of
doped/undoped oil with
PPDs

Figure 2.  Yield curves of undoped/oped oil with PPDs