Preparation and Performance Evaluation of a New Type of Polyethylene-vinyl Acetate/Polystyrene Microsphere Composite Pour Point Depressant for Waxy Crude Oil.

ABSTRACT

Polymer/inorganic nanocomposite pour point depressant (PPD) is a research hotspot in the field of waxy crude oil pipelining. However, the inorganic nanoparticles need to be organically modified to improve their organic compatibility, and the inorganic nanoparticles are harmful to crude oil refining. In this work, organic PSMS with an average size of 1.4 µm was first synthesized by dispersion polymerization. Then, a new type of EVA/PSMS composite PPD was prepared by melt blending. The effects of the PSMS, EVA PPD, and composite PPD on the pour point, rheological properties, and wax precipitating properties of a specific waxy crude oil were investigated. It was found that adding 50-200 ppm of PSMS alone slightly improves the crude oil rheology through a spatial hindrance effect, while adding 20 ppm of EVA PPD greatly improves the crude oil rheology by modifying the wax crystal morphology. Compared with EVA PPD, adding 20 ppm composite PPD improves the crude oil rheology further, and the rheological improving ability first enhances and then weakens with increasing the PSMS content in the composite PPD (0-10 wt %). At the PSMS content in the composite PPD 5 wt %, the EVA/PSMS 5% composite PPD makes the wax crystal aggregates more compact, thus showing the strongest rheological improving ability. The EVA molecules could adsorb on the PSMS and form the composite particles, which further regulate the wax crystal morphology and then improve the crude oil rheology further.