Study on the Mechanism of Magnetic Paraffin Control of Crude Oil Based on the Reorientation of Paraffin Crystals Induced by Magnetic Field
The wax deposition during pipeline transportation impedes the flow of crude oil and eventually blocks the pipelines. Magnetic paraffin control (MPC) technology has been extensively adopted for its advantage in energy saving and pollution reduction. In order to clarify the scientific essence of MPC problem, energy transition mechanism of paraffin control has been investigated based on the theory of molecular reorientation. Meanwhile, the mechanism of magnetic orientation of paraffin crystals was also studied in detail. Results show that diamagnetic anisotropy is the fundamental cause for which diamagnetic paraffin molecules can respond to magnetic field. Furthermore, magnetic field induced rotation of paraffin molecules could be remarkably enhanced by the ordered structure of paraffin molecules, such as liquid lamellar structures and paraffin crystallites, which could make it possible to overcome energy barrier and induce the orientation of paraffin molecules. In addition, the effect of magnetic orientation on the formation of paraffin crystal network was also investigated detailedly, and a novel MPC mechanism based on magnetic orientation of paraffin crystal was proposed. This research is of great significance to improve the paraffin control technology and its theoretical principle in our country.