Determination of Wax Content in Crude Oil: Evaluation of Oil Quality

Why Check Wax Content in Crude Oil?

Lubricants

Lubricants (or industrial oils) are lubricants used to keep engines, machinery and other equipment running efficiently and safely. These oils are widely used in various industrial applications and in the automotive sector.

Types and Uses

• Engine Oils:

• Gasoline Engine Oils: Used for gasoline engines.
• Diesel Engine Oils: Formulated according to the needs of diesel engines.

• Hydraulic Oils: Used as hydraulic fluid in hydraulic systems.
• Transmission Oils: Used in manual and automatic transmissions.
• Industrial Gear Oils: Used in gearboxes and gear systems carrying heavy loads.
• Metal Working Oils: Used in metalworking processes such as cutting, drilling and turning.
• Greases: It has a thicker structure and is used in bearings, hinges and other friction surfaces.

Petroleum Waxes

Although initially considered as waste by the petroleum refining industry, wax was widely used in manufacturing after its properties such as flexibility, friction index, hardness coefficient and melting point were determined. Thus, varieties such as petrolatum, loose, crude paraffin, recrystallized paraffin, mixture can be preferred.

Petroleum waxes are of two general types: paraffin or macrocrystalline waxes. These are microcrystalline waxes consisting mainly of straight-chain saturated hydrocarbons with 18-36 carbon atoms and containing a large proportion of branched and cyclic hydrocarbons with carbon numbers in the range of 30 to 60. Various crude oils found in the world have a wax content of up to 32.5%. Determination of wax content in crude oil is important for the determination of other oil properties such as vaporization and dispersibility.

Wax Determination in Crude Oil

The effects of weathering and low ambient temperatures cause significant changes in the rheological properties of even moderately waxed crude oils. Wax determination in crude oil is therefore valuable. The most common method used for the determination of waxes in crude oil is precipitation from cold solvent mixtures by gravimetric determination of recovered waxes.

In particular, the ability to predict and prevent wax plugging is essential to ensure that quality and business process can be carried out without disruption. The effects of the environment, weather conditions and low ambient temperatures on waxes are also important considerations.

However, since the wax in the oil is an important factor affecting the physical properties, it should be checked at regular intervals. Evaluations in terms of oil and machine quality are important.

As Nanolab Laboratories Group, you can contact our expert and authorized team for all your questions about Wax Detection in Crude Oil. We also provide services in Mineral Oil Analysis, you can visit our website for detailed information.

For more information visit our website: https://www.nano-lab.com.tr/

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