Patent ID: 9416325
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: C08F,C10G,C10L,G01F

Claim Text:
1. A method of predicting a need for introducing anti-fouling additives to a hydrocarbon stream in a hydrocarbon refinery, the method comprising: sampling the hydrocarbon stream to characterize whether the hydrocarbon stream is a non-HSDP crude; performing at least one of: (a) determining whether the hydrocarbon stream is subject to filterable solids levels greater than about 100 wppm; or (b) sampling the hydrocarbon stream to classify whether the hydrocarbon stream has an expected flow velocity lower than about 3 ft/s during normal operating conditions within a heat exchanger of the refinery; and indicating, using a processor, that anti-fouling additives are recommended if the hydrocarbon stream is characterized to be a non-HSDP crude and either the hydrocarbon stream is determined to be subject to filterable solids levels greater than about 100 wppm or the hydrocarbon stream is classified as having expected flow lower than about 3 ft/s within a heat exchanger of the refinery; introducing one or more antifouling additives to the hydrocarbon stream if the processor indicates that anti-fouling additives are recommended; wherein at least one of the one or more anti-fouling additives is a polyalkyl succinic anhydride derivative.