Xiang Chaoyue, Zhu Yangwen, Liu Guanghao, Liu Tao, Xu Xinru, Yang Jingyi
International Joint Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Meilong Road 130, Shanghai 200237, China.
Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, SINOPEC, Beijing 100083, China.
Molecules. 2024 Mar 6;29(5):1184. doi: 10.3390/molecules29051184.
Heavy crude oil poses challenges in terms of extraction and transportation due to its high viscosity. In the pursuit of effective methods to reduce viscosity in heavy crude oil, this study investigates the potential of imidazolium chloride ionic liquids with varying alkyl chain lengths as viscosity reducers. The experimental results demonstrate that the addition of 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazole chloride ([C12-MIM]Cl) leads to a maximum viscosity reduction of 49.87%. Solubility parameters were calculated based on characterization of the average molecular structure of the asphaltenes. The viscosity reduction effect is enhanced when the solubility parameter of the ionic liquid closely matches that of the asphaltene. The initial asphaltene deposition point of heavy crude oil is increased from 63% to 68% with the addition of 150 mg/L [C12-MIM]Cl. Furthermore, the average particle size of asphaltene deposits decreases from 79.35 μm to 48.54 μm. The viscosity of heavy crude oil is influenced by the aggregation of asphaltenes. The ability of ionic liquids, especially those with longer alkyl chains, to disperse asphaltene molecules and reduce viscosity has been confirmed through molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical simulations.
由于其高粘度，重质原油在开采和运输方面面临挑战。为了寻求降低重质原油粘度的有效方法，本研究考察了不同烷基链长度的氯化咪唑鎓离子液体作为降粘剂的潜力。实验结果表明，添加1-十二烷基-3-甲基咪唑氯化物（[C12-MIM]Cl）可使粘度最大降低49.87%。基于对沥青质平均分子结构的表征计算了溶解度参数。当离子液体的溶解度参数与沥青质的溶解度参数紧密匹配时，降粘效果增强。添加150 mg/L [C12-MIM]Cl后，重质原油的初始沥青质沉积点从63%提高到68%。此外，沥青质沉积物的平均粒径从79.35μm减小到48.54μm。重质原油的粘度受沥青质聚集的影响。通过分子动力学和量子力学模拟证实了离子液体，特别是那些具有较长烷基链的离子液体，分散沥青质分子和降低粘度的能力。
