Transport of viscous crudes as concentrated oil-in-water emulsions

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00036a047· OSTI ID:6628624

Sanchez, L E; Zakin, J L ^[1]

---

1. Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

Stable concentrated oil-in-water emulsions were prepared from a very viscous Grosmont heavy crude oil in a Sorvall mixer. The viscosity of the concentrated oil-in-water emulsions was minimized by increasing the emulsification temperature, reducing rotational speed of the mixer and using an NaOH dosage well below the total acid number. A pilot plant was designed and built, and a semicontinuous process was developed to produce 45 liter batches of concentrated Grosmont oil-in-water emulsions (52--70 vol % crude). With NaOH treatment equivalent to 45% of the TAN, emulsions with oil concentrations up to 65% were Newtonian at shear rates between 200 and 1,872 s[sup [minus]2]. Viscosities at 700 s[sup [minus]1] were close to the predictions of Frankel and Acrivos (1967). Measured turbulent pressure losses in a 0.0211 m diameter tube increased with increasing oil concentration. The specific energy loss, however, decreased with increasing oil concentrations. Excellent agreement with von Karman predictions of friction factor was obtained for emulsions with oil concentrations up to 60%. For the 65% emulsions, drag reduction of about 11% was observed. Because of the high viscosity, no turbulent data for the 70% emulsion could be obtained.

• OSTI ID: 6628624
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States), Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States) Vol. 33:12; ISSN IECRED; ISSN 0888-5885
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
022000* -- Petroleum-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
ADDITIVES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FREIGHT PIPELINES
FUEL SLURRIES
FUELS
HYDRAULIC TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
MIXTURES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PIPELINES
PRESSURE DROP
PRODUCTION
RHEOLOGY
SLURRIES
SLURRY PIPELINES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SUSPENSIONS
TRANSPORT
VISCOSITY