Experimental Investigation of Fe3O4-Chitosan Nanocomposite as a Nano-Demulsifier for Water in Crude Oil Separation
Subject Areas : Journal of NanoanalysisZ. Hasanshahi 1 , P. Parvasi 2 , M. M. Zerafat 3 , Samad Sabbaghi 4
1 - NanoChemical Eng. Dep., Faculty of Advanced Technologies, Shiraz University
2 - Department of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Shiraz University of Technology
3 - NanoChemical Eng. Dep., Faculty of Advanced Technologies, Shiraz University
4 - Nano Chem. Eng. Dep.
Faculty of Advanced Technologies
Shiraz University
Keywords: Crude oil Demulsifier Magnetic Nanoparticles Fe3O4, chitosan Nanocomposite,
Abstract :
Nowadays chemical and electrostatic demulsification techniques are typically usedto separate water-in-crude-oil emulsions. The need to improve demulsificationtechniques has led to the use of various additives among which nanoparticleshave emerged as a novel alternative. Most of the exploited crude oil exists in anemulsion state, where may cause serious problems during processing. Chemicaldemulsifiers, bottle tests, and electrostatic desalters are commonly used toseparate water from crude oil emulsions but there are some issues involved withthese methods. Therefore, using new technologies like nanotechnology can help improve the desalting process. First, Fe3O4 and Fe3O4-chitosan nanocompositewere synthesized via co-precipitation method. Fe3O4-chitosan nanoparticles werecharacterized by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.The results showed that ultrafine Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared and coatedby chitosan. In this study, Fe3O4 and Fe3O4-chitosan nanocomposite were utilizedto improve emulsion destabilization. The effect of different parameters on theseparation performance was studied and the best conditions were determined.The results showed that the application of certain nanostructures in crude oilemulsions improves the performance of demulsification up to 86% and decreasesthe amount of demulsifier consumption in the desalting process.