Patent ID: 8609429
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: C10G,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining temperature sensitivity related to propensity of a hydrocarbon stream to foul process equipment, comprising: a. introducing a hydrocarbon stream to a test unit, the test unit comprising a chamber defined by a wall for the hydrocarbon to flow through, an inlet for feeding the hydrocarbon into the chamber, an outlet to discharge the hydrocarbon stream, and a heating element maintained at a substantially constant surface temperature Tc and disposed within the chamber to heat the hydrocarbon flowing across the surface of the heating element to cause fouling; b. obtaining a series of temperature measurements over time of the hydrocarbon stream exiting the outlet of the test unit, including: c. determining a parameter value indicative of a propensity of the hydrocarbon to foul process equipment by a regression of ΔT(t) according to the following expression: where ΔT(t) is a time-dependent quantity which is defined as ΔT(t)=[T(t)−T d. repeating steps (a)-(c) at a second and different surface temperature of the heating element to obtain a fouling parameter value at the second temperature of the surface of the heated element; and e. determining the activation energy Ea of the fouling by the hydrocarbon stream based on the Arrhenius principle using the determined fouling parameters obtained at the first and second temperatures.