DEVELOPMENT OF AN ULTRASONIC OIL STABILITY MONITOR FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF ASPHALTENE AGGREGATION IN HYDROCARBON STREAMS

Fouling is defined as the undesired accumulation of solid material at phase interfaces and so includes many kinds of deposit in various industries. In oil refining, it applies to the build-up of solids from the degradation of hydrocarbon streams, providing an obstruction to heat transfer and fluid flow, and resulting in increased operating costs. One of the major fouling mechanisms in refinery processes is asphaltene aggregation. The paper discusses the use of ultrasound to monitor this aggregation and thereby to predict fouling rates.