Patent ID: 9188577
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: G01N,G01V,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for measuring coking propensity of a hydrocarbon fuel comprising crude oil, comprising: a) mixing a metal powder with the fluid hydrocarbon fuel, wherein the metal powder has an average particle size of less than or equal to 100 μm; b) reacting the metal powder with the fluid hydrocarbon fuel at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to allow coking for a period of time wherein the pressure is at least 1 MPa and less than 3 MPa and the period of time is at least five hours; c) separating said metal powder from any remaining fluid after said coking; and d) analyzing the metal powder for carbon content, wherein the carbon content is proportional to the coking propensity and wherein the analysis includes thermal-optical analysis to correct for organic carbon included in the measured carbon content.