Pour Point Research Articles

Impact of morphology of hydrophilic and hydrophobic bentonites on improving the pour point in the recycling of waste cooking oils

Waste Cooking Oils (WCOs) are generated worldwide through industrial food processing and household use, posing environmental concerns upon disposal. Bentonites often showed to be effective in removing minor contaminants in vegetable oil refining. The present research focused on the processing of raw WCOs using four bentonites, two commercials and two obtained by ball milling of the latest. The different bentonites (hydrophobic and hydrophilic) were characterized before and after ball milling (BM) procedure, including an exhaustive analyses of crystal structure, morphology and surface area via x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N2-physisorption technique. Optimization of BM processing in terms of milling time was achieved within 60 min. The milled powders were then tested as adsorbents for recycling WCOs with different degrees of decomposition (expressed in terms of free fatty acids, FFAs, content). Employing a design of experiments approach, the impact of five parameters (FFAs content, temperature, specific surface area, stirring, BM time) on the resulting pour point (PP), taken as a quality benchmark for recycled oil, was assessed. Quantitative multivariate statistical analysis revealed temperature's negligible role and identified the significant impact of two characteristics of the bentonite (specific superficial area and ball milling time), as well as the relevant role of the stirring during the treatment. At the end, hydrophilic bentonite resulted able to improve the PP of waste oils with a low content of free fatty acids of about 10 °C.

Pour Point Depression of Waxy Crude Oil Using Unmodified African Pear (Dacryodes edulis) Seed Oil

The pour point depression of a Nigeria waxy crude oil was investigated using unmodified African pear seed oil. Crude oil sample collected from a marginal field in Delta state was analyzed for its physiochemical parameters such as; specific gravity, API, kinematic viscosity, pour point and wax content. African pear seeds sourced from choba Port Harcourt were extracted of their oil content and the oil was analyzed for some oil quality parameters such as; free fatty acid (FFA), acid value, saponification value and iodine value. The results showed a crude oil of high wax content and extracted oil of low FFA and high saponification and iodine values. The waxy crude oil was dosed with the unmodified African pear seed oil of concentrations 0.1ml, 0.2ml and 0.3 ml. The result showed no reduction in the pour point of the crude oil at all concentrations. Therefore the African pear seed oil cannot be used as a pour point depressant in its pure state.

New intelligent models for predicting wax appearance temperature using experimental data – Flow assurance implications

Wax deposition is a major problem during petroleum production causing flow rate reduction and blockage of tubing, pipelines, and surface facilities. Wax deposition occurs when crude oil temperature falls below wax appearance temperature (WAT). WAT is an important parameter for wax deposition modeling and developing, testing, and selecting appropriate wax inhibitors. WAT can be determined in laboratory using several different techniques. Although, each method has its own disadvantages including being time-consuming, expensive, inaccurate, or posing health and safety risks. Experimental WAT data are very scarce in the literature. Reliable and accurate correlations and models for WAT prediction are rare, as well. Hence, development of fast, easy, and reliable models for prediction of WAT is inevitable. The main objective of this research work was to develop and introduce novel intelligent models for precise production of WAT. The artificial intelligent (AI) algorithms used include least-squares support-vector machines (LSSVM), recurrent neural network (RNN), and Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). A high-quality dataset was assembled using experimental WAT data collected from the literature. The dataset consists of 81 experimental which is the largest dataset ever reported. The gathered dataset covers a wide range of density from 0.71 to 0.89 g/cm3, wax content from 0.61 to 25.78 wt%, and Pour point from −36 to 37°C. The selected input parameters include oil density, wax content, and pour point determined using a rigorous feature selection analysis. Statistical analysis showed that pour point has the highest impact on WAT prediction. The modeling results showed that the LSSVM model is the superior model with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9893, a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.1655, and an average absolute relative deviation (AARD) of 9%. The LSSVM model outperformed the only existing smart model in terms of both performance and accuracy. The proposed smart model can be used for prediction of WAT which is an essential parameter in all wax related research.

Boosting the cold flow properties and oxidation stability of diesel-biodiesel blends by novel polymethacrylate graft copolymer nanocomposites

The applications and development of biodiesel fuels are restricted by the poor low-temperature fluidity and oxidation stability. Meanwhile, typical antioxidants are usually compounds containing phenyl groups, which have the disadvantages of high toxicity and carcinogenicity. To address these defects, our study originally synthesized a multifunctional additive using both post grafting and nanocomposite technology, as well as apply a biofuel antioxidant free of benzene ring group, 4-Amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine. Our findings reveal that the delayed crystallization behavior of B20 (20 vol%. biodiesel +80 vol%. diesel) is strongly dependent on the additive structure and amount, which the pour point (PP) and cold filter plugging point (CFPP) are decreased by 20 and 16 °C respectively at 1000 ppm. The post grafting technology enhanced additive antioxidant properties, which extend the induction period of B20 from 2.0 to 6.9 h. Our study confirmed the synthesized additives through possess synergistic enhancement effects on both cold flow properties and oxidation stability. In addition, DFT calculations simulating the potential energy changes of B20 solutions forecast copolymer structure affects the low-temperature fluidity. Hence this study pioneered the proposal for developing multifunctional additives through both post grafting and nanocomposite technology of methacrylate copolymer for biofuels, and provide a theoretical prediction strategy for exploring optimum copolymer pour point depressant for fuels.

Pour Point Prediction Method for Mixed Crude Oil Based on Ensemble Machine Learning Models

Pour Point Prediction Method for Mixed Crude Oil Based on Ensemble Machine Learning Models

Effect of R/A Mass Ratio on the Rheology of Model Waxy Oils Undoped/Doped with EVA Pour Point Depressant

Effect of R/A Mass Ratio on the Rheology of Model Waxy Oils Undoped/Doped with EVA Pour Point Depressant

Evaluated the effects of nature α-olefins (limonene, β-caryophyllene and camphene) as additives on the cold flow properties of diesel fuel

Pour Point Depressants (PPDs) are currently deemed the most efficacious methodology to enhance the low-temperature fluidity of diesel fuel. However, the majority of these PPDs present complications such as high costs, intricate synthesis procedures, and exhibit potential biotoxicity. To address these challenges, natural α-olefins (β-caryophyllene, limonene and camphene) with 1-hexadecene in varying ratios (5, 10, 15, 20, 25:1) were successfully polymerized at ordinary temperature as poly-α-olefine pour point depressant (PAO PPD), and designated as 1-hexadecane-β-caryophyllene (C16-SZX), 1-hexadecane-limonene (C16-NMX), 1-hexadecane-camphene (C16-KX). An in-depth examination was conducted on the cold filter plugging point (CFPP) and solid point (SP) of both untreated and PPD-added diesel. Subsequently, the finding clearly demonstrates that the CFPP and SP were separately reduced 10 and 32 °C in diesel treated with a molar ratio of 10:1 of C16-KX at the dosage of 2000 ppm. Meanwhile, a comprehensive study was undertaken to investigate the influence of natural α-olefins on the reduction of low-temperature fluidity in diesel fuel. The inhibitory impacts of natural molecular formations on wax crystals were meticulously scrutinized, particularly their roles in modifying the growth patterns of these crystals. Eventually, a novel mechanism by which poly-α-olefine alters the crystalline behavior of wax crystals is proposed.

Utilizing combusted PET plastic waste and biogenic oils as efficient pour point depressants for crude oil

The deposition of paraffin on pipelines during crude oil transit and low-temperature restart processes poses a significant challenge for the oil industry. Addressing this issue necessitates the exploration of innovative materials and methods. Pour point depressants (PPDs) emerge as crucial processing aids to modify paraffin crystallization and enhance crude oil flow. This study focuses on the combustion of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste, a prevalent plastic, in two distinct oils (castor and jatropha). The resulting black waxy substances (PET/Castor and PET/Jatropha) were introduced in varying weights (1000, 2000, and 3000 ppm) to crude oil. The PET/castor oil combination demonstrated a remarkable reduction in pour point from 18 to −21 °C at 3000 ppm concentration, significantly more effective than PET/jatropha blends. Substantial decreases in viscosity (up to 75%) and shear stress (up to 72%) were also observed for both blends, most prominently at lower temperatures near the pour point. The synergistic effect of PET and oils as nucleating agents that alter crystallization patterns and restrict crystal growth contributes to this enhanced low-temperature flow. This highlights the potential of PET plastic waste as an economical, abundant, and eco-friendly additive to develop high-performance PPDs for crude oil.

Preparation and Performance Evaluation of a New Type of Polyethylene-vinyl Acetate/Polystyrene Microsphere Composite Pour Point Depressant for Waxy Crude Oil.

Polymer/inorganic nanocomposite pour point depressant (PPD) is a research hotspot in the field of waxy crude oil pipelining. However, the inorganic nanoparticles need to be organically modified to improve their organic compatibility, and the inorganic nanoparticles are harmful to crude oil refining. In this work, organic PSMS with an average size of 1.4 μm was first synthesized by dispersion polymerization. Then, a new type of EVA/PSMS composite PPD was prepared by melt blending. The effects of the PSMS, EVA PPD, and composite PPD on the pour point, rheological properties, and wax precipitating properties of a specific waxy crude oil were investigated. It was found that adding 50-200 ppm of PSMS alone slightly improves the crude oil rheology through a spatial hindrance effect, while adding 20 ppm of EVA PPD greatly improves the crude oil rheology by modifying the wax crystal morphology. Compared with EVA PPD, adding 20 ppm composite PPD improves the crude oil rheology further, and the rheological improving ability first enhances and then weakens with increasing the PSMS content in the composite PPD (0-10 wt %). At the PSMS content in the composite PPD 5 wt %, the EVA/PSMS 5% composite PPD makes the wax crystal aggregates more compact, thus showing the strongest rheological improving ability. The EVA molecules could adsorb on the PSMS and form the composite particles, which further regulate the wax crystal morphology and then improve the crude oil rheology further.

Investigation of bionano additives in red algae Cyanidioschyzon merolae ultrasonified MgO/MWCNT catalyzed biodiesel in optimized engine performance

Renewable energy research is burgeoning with the anticipation of finding neat liquid fuel. Ultra sonification assisted biodiesel was derived from red algae Cyanidioschyzon merolae, with biodiesel yield of 98.9%. The results of GC MS of the prepared biodiesel showed higher concentration of methyl palmitate, methyl oleate, and stearate. This composition is appreciable, as this plays significance in desirable pour & cloud point properties. NMR spectrum revealed the ester linkages, presence of olefins, and α methyl position in olefins. Mixture of 30 wt% of biodiesel in diesel exhibited work efficiency, and also exhibited low pour point and, lower viscosity values. CeO2 and Fe2O3 nano particles were bio reduced, and were added as nano additive in biodiesel. 1:1 ratio of CeO2 and Fe2O3 added to biodiesel maximised the combustion ability of fuel owing to the oxygen storage capacity of CeO2. Further, this combination produced a satisfactory calorific value. Imbalanced ratios disrupted the catalytic and oxygen storage effects, reduced the overall energy release and calorific value of the biodiesel blend. Pour point and cetane number value of biodiesel blend ultrasonifacted with 1:1 mass ratio of Fe2O3 and CeO2 was observed to be around −7 °C and 53 °C respectively, and was better than other compositions. 1:1 mass ratio of NPS blended with 30 wt% BD in diesel showed tremendous increase in brake thermal efficiency, torque, and power. HC, NOX, and SOX emissions were reduced by 42.8%, 19.3%, and 57% respectively with 1:1 Fe2O3 and CeO2 mixed biodiesel blend. CeO2 favourably improved the oxygen storage capacity of the fuel, whereas Fe2O3 showed decrease in formation of gums and sediments in biodiesel.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of novel undecylenic estolides: Modeling and Tribological characterization

Abstract To overcome the issues related to low-temperature characteristics and thermal degradation of fatty acid based lubricant base stocks, chemical modification is essential. To mitigate these shortcomings, considering unsaturated undecylenic acid, the formation of estolides is one of the best transformations considering application in lubricants. Ultrasonic-assisted sulfuric acid-catalyzed synthesis of estolides of undecylenic was modeled using response surface methodology (RSM) and subsequently validated using artificial neural network (ANN) for known and unknown input variables. At optimal reaction conditions of reaction temperature of 56°C, catalyst loading of 0.63 mole-equivalent, and reaction time of 1.61 hours, estolides with estolide number (EN) of 2.58, extraordinary low pour point (PP) of −52°C and better resistance to thermal degradation was obtained. The thermal degradation was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to find improved resistance toward degradation due to the formation of estolides. Further, tribological properties like wear characteristics, load carrying capacity, and oxidative stability were studied for 5% blends in SN 70 base oil. The anti-wear ability of the estolides was found to be superior to undecylenic acid, with a lower coefficient of friction, scar diameter, depth, and volume. The blend containing estolide was found to have load carrying capacity as high as 800 kgf. Moreover, owing to the double bond migration during the reaction, the oxidative stability of estolides was found to be inferior to the terminally unsaturated undecylenic acid.

Synthesis of polyol esters of estolide and evaluation of their tribological properties

Polyol esters of oleic acid estolides with propylene glycol (PG), neopentyl glycol (NPG), trimethylolpropane (TMP), and pentaerythritol (PE) were synthesized. A qualitative analysis of the role of the structure of various physicochemical and tribological properties was carried out. The synthesized esters were evaluated based on physicochemical properties like pour point (PP), kinematic viscosity (KV), viscosity index (VI), surface tension, and thermo-oxidative stability with commercial and reported data of esters. To gauge the potential of the esters as a lubricity additive, the esters were blended with SN 500 base oil. The tribological assessment showed the ability of the esters to reduce wear & friction and increase the load-carrying capacity.

Novel Pour Point Depressants for Crude Oil Derived from Polyethylene Solution in Hexane and Coal Fly Ash

Oil transportation becomes much more complicated due to the solidification of paraffins in them at low temperatures and the resulting increase in oil viscosity. To solve this problem, special additives as pour point depressants (PPDs) are used to prevent the agglomeration of paraffin crystals. In this work, 15 PPDs were obtained and tested, consisting of a solution of polyethylene in hexane and also, in some cases, from magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) extracted from coal fly ash. The most effective result was observed with a mixture of 0.25% polyethylene in hexane and 2% MNPs, which managed to lower the oil’s pour point from 18 °C to −17 °C.

Investigation of Styrene based Terpolymers as Pour Point Depressant for Waxy Crude oils

Investigation of Styrene based Terpolymers as Pour Point Depressant for Waxy Crude oils

Research Status and Outlook of Mechanism, Characterization, Performance Evaluation, and Type of Pour Point Depressants in Waxy Crude Oil: A Review

Research Status and Outlook of Mechanism, Characterization, Performance Evaluation, and Type of Pour Point Depressants in Waxy Crude Oil: A Review

Prediction of the cold flow properties of biodiesel using the FAME distribution and Machine learning techniques

Burning fossil fuels is a significant contributor to global warming due to CO2 emissions. To mitigate these emissions, alternative bio-based fuels, such as biodiesel, have been developed. The cold flow properties of biodiesel, including pour point (PP), cold filter plugging point (CFPP), and cloud point (CP), are crucial. Predicting these properties can aid in selecting bio-oils for biodiesel production. Machine learning techniques were utilized to reveal intricate connections between the content of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in biodiesel and its cold flow properties. This study created three machine learning models based on a database of over 200 biodiesel samples to predict the aforementioned cold flow properties. The models' performance was assessed using three standard regression metrics: mean absolute error, mean squared error, and coefficient of determination. The experimental results show that the optimal algorithm for PP, CFPP, and CP has an average error of 4.51 °C, 3.56 °C, and 4.17 °C, respectively. The study also investigated the significance of various biodiesel attributes in making precise predictions, revealing that the distribution of FAME and the number of double bonds in the biodiesel are crucial factors for accurate predictions.

Introducing Pour Points: Characteristics and Hydrological Significance of a Rainfall‐Concentrating Mechanism in a Water‐Limited Woodland Ecosystem

AbstractThe interception of rainfall by plant canopies alters the depth and spatial distribution of water arriving at the soil surface, and thus the location, volume, and depth of infiltration. Mechanisms like stemflow are known to concentrate rainfall and route it deep into the soil, yet other mechanisms of flow concentration are poorly understood. This study characterizes pour points, formed by the detachment of water flowing under a branch, using a combination of field observations in Western Australian banksia woodlands and rainfall simulation experiments on Banksia menziesii branches. We aim to establish the hydrological significance of pour points in a water‐limited woodland ecosystem, along with the features of the canopy structure and rainfall that influence pour point formation and fluxes. Pour points were common in the woodland and could be identified by visually inspecting trees. Throughfall depths at pour points were up to 15 times greater than rainfall and generally comparable to or greater than stemflow. Soil water content beneath pour points was greater than in adjacent controls, with 20%–30% of the seasonal rainfall volume infiltrated into the top 1 m of soil beneath pour points, compared to 5% in controls. Rainfall simulations showed that pour points amplified the spatial heterogeneity of throughfall, violating assumptions used to close the water balance. The simulation experiments demonstrated that pour point fluxes depend on the interaction of branch angle and foliation for a given branch architecture. Pour points can play a significant part in the water balance, depending on their density and rainfall concentration ability.

Synthesis of terpolymer from Helianthus annuus (natural oil) and evaluation as pour point depressant and viscosity reducer on Indian crude oil

Pour Point Depressant is introduced to crude oil at ppm level to overcome transportation problem of crude oil because of its complex chemical structure. Synthesized PPDs improve flow property, viscosity and also improve its numerous parameters to improve performance of crude oil. Low molecular weight and high molecular weight, copolymer having better PPD types. In present work, synthesized Terpolymer, from natural source, was formed from the reaction with Helianthus annuus oil and ester of Erucic Acid with various fatty alcohol. It was evaluated for its properties on Indian waxy crude oils, i.e., From Limbodra well. Structure and molecular weight of synthesized polymer was confirmed by Spectral data and Gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Also its effect on crude oil was evaluated by Rheological studies, SARA Analysis, Pour point depressant effect. Cross–polarizing microscopic studies were performed to study changes in morphology of wax crystals in crude oil with and without additive. A zero friction advanced Rheometer AR-500 was used to determine the viscosity by applying Bingham plastic-flow model.

DEWAXING OF DISTILLATE OIL FRACTION (400- 500 ºC) USING UREA

De-waxing of lubricating oil distillate (400-500 ºC) by using urea was investigated in the present study. Lubricating oil distillate produced by vacuum distillation and refined by furfural extraction was taken from Al-Daura refinery. This oil distillate has a pour point of 34 ºC. Two solvents were used to dilute the oil distillate, these are methyl isobutyl ketone and methylene chloride. The operating conditions of the urea adduct formation with n-paraffins in the presence of methyl isobutyl ketone were studied in details, these are solvent to oil volume ratio within the range of 0 to 2, mixer speed 0 to 2000 rpm, urea to wax weight ratio 0 to 6.3, time of adduction 0 to 71 min and temperature 30-70 ºC). Pour point of de-waxed oil and yield of wax produced were determined to show the effect of these operating conditions. The most favorable operating conditions were solvent to oil volume ratio of 1, mixer speed of 1500 rpm, urea to wax weight ratio of 5, time of adduction of 13 min and temperature of 30-52 ºC.

Analysis of Breakdown Voltage of Low Pour Point Synthetic Ester Insulating Liquids Under Lightning Impulse Voltage of Both Polarities

Analysis of Breakdown Voltage of Low Pour Point Synthetic Ester Insulating Liquids Under Lightning Impulse Voltage of Both Polarities