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Real Time Investigations of Aggregation of Sulfur-Rich Asphaltene

Hammond, Christian B
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1587405713284981

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Civil Engineering (Engineering and Technology).
Asphaltene aggregation is critical to many aspects of petroleum utilization, from oil recovery, transportation to refining. As such, this area has attracted significant amounts of research attention in the past few decades. The majority of studies have focused on the characterization of the colloidal properties of asphaltene with limited effort to linking asphaltene aggregation to its chemical composition. However, new evidence suggests that sulfur, the most important heteroatom in asphaltene molecule, has non-trivial effects on asphaltene aggregation. Specifically, sulfur-rich asphaltenes form dense consolidated nanoaggregates which will ultimately affect the kinetics and morphology of micro-sized asphaltene aggregates. However, the mechanisms that govern aggregates formation of sulfur-rich asphaltenes remain poorly understood. The central hypothesis of this study is that the aggregation behavior of sulfur-rich asphaltene has different characteristics compared to those predicted by colloid aggregation theories. To test this hypothesis, the growth kinetics of sulfur-rich asphaltene aggregates and their morphology evolution were investigated by customized in-situ microscopy. The aggregates formation kinetics, colloidal structural evolutions, and aggregate morphologies were examined by the analysis of growth curve, particle size distribution, and fractal structure, respectively. This analysis was based on advanced image processing algorithms, allowing for the examination of sulfur-rich asphaltene aggregation in greater detail. To isolate the effects of sulfur on the formation and geometry of aggregates, model oil composed of toluene and asphaltene was used to reduce the effects of complex components typically found in crude oil. The measurements indicate that aggregates assembled from sulfur-rich asphaltene obtain time-dependent self-similarity with morphologies and growth rates that are aligned with a crossover behavior between classic reaction-limited aggregation and diffusion-limited aggregation. A possible explanation for the sulfur effect on observed aggregates formation was also discussed.
Lei Wu (Advisor)
Daniel Che (Committee Member)
Sumit Sharma (Committee Member)
Gang Chen (Committee Member)
75 p.
Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Energy; Petroleum Engineering; Physics
Asphaltene aggregation; Sulfur content; Colloidal stability; Aggregation kinetics; Aggregate growth; Aggregate structure

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hammond, C. B. (2020). Real Time Investigations of Aggregation of Sulfur-Rich Asphaltene [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1587405713284981

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hammond, Christian. Real Time Investigations of Aggregation of Sulfur-Rich Asphaltene. 2020. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1587405713284981.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hammond, Christian. "Real Time Investigations of Aggregation of Sulfur-Rich Asphaltene." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1587405713284981

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1587405713284981
155
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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.