Conference Dates

July 1-6, 2007

First Page

13

Abstract

Maya crude oil fouling reveals a seemingly straightforward dependency of initial fouling rate on surface temperature but a maximum is found in the initial fouling rate – velocity relationship which mirrors that found in a model chemical system of styrene polymerization. The linear dependency of the logarithm of the pre-exponential factor on apparent activation energy for the crude oil is also found in the styrene system. The apparent activation energy for the crude oil ranged from 26.4 kJ/mol at 1.0 m/s to 245 kJ/mol at 4.0 m/s. Such strong dependencies of apparent activation energy on velocity, even at high velocity, are consistent with Epstein’s mass transfer-reaction-attachment model. Surface temperatures at which the fouling rate becomes velocity-independent are 274°C and 77°C for Maya crude oil and styrene, respectively. For surface temperatures in excess of this isokinetic temperature, an increase in velocity would lead to an increase in the rate of fouling.

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