Determining the Kinetics of Asphaltene Adsorption from Toluene: A New Reaction–Diffusion Model

Abstract

Fouling by asphaltene, which constitutes the densest, most polar fraction of crude oil, poses a serious problem for the oil production industry. In order to obtain a fundamental understanding of asphaltene deposition, it is necessary to determine both the thermodynamics and kinetics that govern this process. In recent years, there have been numerous studies of the kinetics of asphaltene adsorption; however, a consensus on the model that best describes asphaltene adsorption remains elusive. In this work the adsorption of asphaltene from solution in toluene onto a gold surface is investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance inside a flow cell. The kinetics of adsorption depends on the state of the asphaltene in solution, and the adsorption behavior is altered with long-time aging of asphaltene solutions. A model is developed that links the kinetics of asphaltene adsorption to the bulk solution properties in terms of coexisting monomer and multimer states. A large portion of deposited asphaltene is effectively irreversibly bound and not easily removed by rinsing with toluene. The model suggests that asphaltene–asphaltene interactions play an important role in the formation of irreversibly bound deposits, which could lead to fouling problems.