Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture

The crystallization behavior of wax molecules is the root cause of wax deposition. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the aggregational crystallization behavior of wax molecules in a crude oil system. The results show that wax molecules produce ordered wax crystal...

Descripció completa

Guardat en:
Dades bibliogràfiques
Autors principals: Hengguang Cao, Xuewen Cao, Xiangyang Zhao, Dan Guo, Yang Liu, Jiang Bian
Format: Article
Idioma:anglès
Publicat: Elsevier 2022-09-01
Col·lecció:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Matèries:
Accés en línia:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2022.102298
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X2200541X
Etiquetes: Afegir etiqueta
Sense etiquetes, Sigues el primer a etiquetar aquest registre!
_version_ 1878755200219480064
author Hengguang Cao
Xuewen Cao
Xiangyang Zhao
Dan Guo
Yang Liu
Jiang Bian
author_browse Dan Guo
Hengguang Cao
Jiang Bian
Xiangyang Zhao
Xuewen Cao
Yang Liu
author_facet Hengguang Cao
Xuewen Cao
Xiangyang Zhao
Dan Guo
Yang Liu
Jiang Bian
author_sort Hengguang Cao
collection DOAJ
description The crystallization behavior of wax molecules is the root cause of wax deposition. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the aggregational crystallization behavior of wax molecules in a crude oil system. The results show that wax molecules produce ordered wax crystal structures from the disordered liquid phase crude oil system under van der Waals forces at low temperatures. The crystallization of wax molecules consists of three main processes: carbon chain extension, nucleation of wax molecules and wax crystal growth. The lower the temperature of the crude oil system and the lower the cooling rate, the higher the degree of aggregation of wax molecules, the smaller the number of wax crystals and the larger the crystal size. In addition, asphaltene molecules are found to aggregate by face-to-face stacking and T-shaped stacking at low temperatures. Based on the spatial steric hindrance effect, the asphaltene aggregates prevent further aggregation between wax crystal clusters. Asphaltenes lead to an increase in the liquid content of the wax deposit layer, causing the yield stress of the deposit to decrease and the structural strength to weaken.
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.csite.2022.102298
format Article
id doaj-4e903904aaa14030bdfd2230b414606c
institution Biblioteca Central PEMEX
issn 2214-157X
language English
publishDate 2022-09-01
publishDateRange 2022-09-01
publishDateSort 2022-09-01
publisher Elsevier
publisherStr Elsevier
record_format Article
series Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
spelling doaj-4e903904aaa14030bdfd2230b414606cengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2022-09-013710229810.1016/j.csite.2022.102298Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixtureHengguang Cao0Xuewen Cao1Xiangyang Zhao2Dan Guo3Yang Liu4Jiang Bian5College of Pipeline and Civil Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, ChinaCorresponding author.; College of Pipeline and Civil Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, ChinaCollege of Pipeline and Civil Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, ChinaCollege of Pipeline and Civil Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, ChinaCollege of Pipeline and Civil Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, ChinaCorresponding author.; College of Pipeline and Civil Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, ChinaThe crystallization behavior of wax molecules is the root cause of wax deposition. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the aggregational crystallization behavior of wax molecules in a crude oil system. The results show that wax molecules produce ordered wax crystal structures from the disordered liquid phase crude oil system under van der Waals forces at low temperatures. The crystallization of wax molecules consists of three main processes: carbon chain extension, nucleation of wax molecules and wax crystal growth. The lower the temperature of the crude oil system and the lower the cooling rate, the higher the degree of aggregation of wax molecules, the smaller the number of wax crystals and the larger the crystal size. In addition, asphaltene molecules are found to aggregate by face-to-face stacking and T-shaped stacking at low temperatures. Based on the spatial steric hindrance effect, the asphaltene aggregates prevent further aggregation between wax crystal clusters. Asphaltenes lead to an increase in the liquid content of the wax deposit layer, causing the yield stress of the deposit to decrease and the structural strength to weaken.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X2200541XWaxy crude oilMolecular dynamics simulationWax crystalAggregationAsphaltene
spellingShingle Hengguang Cao
Xuewen Cao
Xiangyang Zhao
Dan Guo
Yang Liu
Jiang Bian
Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Waxy crude oil
Molecular dynamics simulation
Wax crystal
Aggregation
Asphaltene
title Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
title_full Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
title_fullStr Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
title_full_unstemmed Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
title_short Molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
title_sort molecular dynamics simulation of wax molecules aggregational crystallization behavior during cooling of crude oil mixture
topic Waxy crude oil
Molecular dynamics simulation
Wax crystal
Aggregation
Asphaltene
url https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2022.102298
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X2200541X
work_keys_str_mv AT hengguangcao moleculardynamicssimulationofwaxmoleculesaggregationalcrystallizationbehaviorduringcoolingofcrudeoilmixture
AT xuewencao moleculardynamicssimulationofwaxmoleculesaggregationalcrystallizationbehaviorduringcoolingofcrudeoilmixture
AT xiangyangzhao moleculardynamicssimulationofwaxmoleculesaggregationalcrystallizationbehaviorduringcoolingofcrudeoilmixture
AT danguo moleculardynamicssimulationofwaxmoleculesaggregationalcrystallizationbehaviorduringcoolingofcrudeoilmixture
AT yangliu moleculardynamicssimulationofwaxmoleculesaggregationalcrystallizationbehaviorduringcoolingofcrudeoilmixture
AT jiangbian moleculardynamicssimulationofwaxmoleculesaggregationalcrystallizationbehaviorduringcoolingofcrudeoilmixture