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Effect of Ultrasound On Viscosity
Effect of Ultrasound On Viscosity
, 2015.
Original Russian Text © M.S. Mullakaev, G.I. Volkova, O.M. Gradov, 2015, published in Teoreticheskie Osnovy Khimicheskoi Tekhnologii, 2015, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 302–311.
Abstract—The effect of ultrasonic treatment on the viscosity–temperature properties of crude oils of various
component compositions has been studied. The efficiency of ultrasonication depends on the group compo
sition of oil and treatment time. The ultrasonic treatment of lowparaffinic oils with a high tar and asphaltene
content leads to a substantial decrease in viscosity and the pour point, and the efficiency of ultrasonication
increases with an increase in the treatment time. For crude oils with a high nalkane content, ultrasonic treat
ment is not effective, which is due to the intensification of crystallization of highmolecular nalkanes. Cal
culations that evaluate the effect of ultrasonic treatment on variations in the viscosity of oils are performed
based on the fatigue mechanism, which have shown that experimental data are in agreement with the calcu
lated values.
Keywords: ultrasound, ultrasonication, ultrasonic treatment, crude oil, petroleum disperse system, asphalt
enes, paraffins, shear stress, shear rate, dynamic viscosity, effective viscosity, pour point, associates
DOI: 10.1134/S0040579515030094
287
288 MULLAKAEV et al.
Table 1. Physicochemical properties and group composition of crude oils under study
It is shown [9–11] that, after ultrasonic treatment, Effective viscosity was determined using an INPN
there is a change in the rheological properties of crude SX measuring instrument for lowtemperature char
oil due to dispersing the heavy components of a colloid acteristics of petroleum products, which is a rotational
and asphaltenes contained in oil. Combined treatment viscosimeter that measures the torsional moment at a
by ultrasound and chemical reagents [12–14] or ther constant shear rate of 250 rad/s. The accuracy of mea
moacoustic treatment [15–17] is more effective. suring the temperature of a sample was ±0.2°С, and
When the process is scaled up, it is expedient to per the accuracy of determining the viscosity was 2%. The
form cavitational treatment using hydrodynamic radi procedure takes into account the requirements of the
ators [18–20]. ASTM D2602 and ASTM D4684 international stan
The objective of this study is to investigate the effect dards.
of ultrasonic treatment on the viscosity and congela The pour point of the samples was determined
tion temperature of crude oils with different composi using an INPN KRISTALL device, the operating
tions regarding nalkanes and tar–asphaltene compo principle of which is based on the exposure of a sample
nents, calculate the dependence of viscosity on the to infrared radiation in the near wave band. The results
sizes of associates of supramolecular asphaltene struc of measurements are processed using a builtin micro
tures before and after ultrasonic irradiation, and processor, and the current information is displayed on
experimentally verify the calculation results. a liquidcrystal screen. A cryostat is manufactured
using Peltier elements. The accuracy of measuring the
temperature of the sample is ±0.2°C.
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS OF ANALYSIS The average radii of associates were measured using
a laser photon correlation spectrometer that consisted
The experimental procedure consisted in treating a
of an opticalmechanical unit, a system for thermosta
fixed amount of oil (300 mL) in a steel batch reactor
bilization and temperature measurement, an FEU
using an MSP 1/24 transducer connected to an MUG
136 system for counting photons, and an LG38
4/1827 generator with a power of 4 kW. Elastic vibra
helium–neon laser (λ = 0.6328 μm and Р = 50 mW)
tions were introduced into a load using a rod
at 20°C for an oiltohexane ratio of 1 : 100. The vol
waveguide with a working end 20 mm in diameter, the
ume of samples was 1 cm3, and the error of measure
vibration amplitude of which was 5–10 μm at a reso
ments was 3–5%.
nance frequency of 24.3 kHz.
The original and ultrasonically treated samples of
oil were temperature controlled for 30 min at a tem RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
perature of 20°C, and rheological parameters were The physicochemical properties and group compo
then determined using a Brookfield DVIII ULTRA sition of the oils under study are given in Table 1.
viscometer over a wide range of shear rates. The mea Highparaffinic oils 1, 2, and 3 were subjected to ultra
surements results were processed using the Rheocalc sonic treatment for 1–10 min. The temperature in the
software. The error of measurements for tangential reactor was maintained to be 25–30°C, since paraffins
stress was ±3 rel %. crystallized on the walls of the reactor at lower temper