Low-temperature oxidation and thermal kinetics analysis of light and medium crude oils

ABSTRACT

In this research, low-temperature oxidation (LTO) and thermal kinetics analysis of light and medium crude oils were analyzed by static isothermal experiments and thermogravimetry (TG). The results elucidated that, during LTO process, medium oil possessed stronger oxygen consumption capability than light oil and oxygen addition was the dominating reaction path for both light and medium oils; more heavy components contained in medium oil were oxidized to form higher molecular-weight material with lower H/C. In TG experiments, three main reaction zones were identified known as LTO, fuel deposition (FD) and high-temperature oxidation (HTO). Compared with light oil, LTO range and corresponding mass loss were lowered for medium oil with more oxygenated compounds left behind to be converted into coke materials. The activation energy for medium oil were higher than that for light oil in LTO stage while less in HTO stage owing to the difference of oil components.

KEYWORDS:

• low-temperature oxidation
• thermal kinetics analysis
• light and medium crude oils
• static isothermal experiments
• thermogravimetry