SPE 28966 Society of Petroleum Engineers

An Approach for Simulation of Paraffin Deposition in Pipelines as a

Function of Flow Characteristics With a Reference to Teesside Oil
Pipeline
A.A. Hamouda a, S. Davidsenb
a: Phillips Petroleum Company Norway and Rogaland University Center
b: Rogaland University Center

Copyright 1995, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE International Symposium on Oilfield Chemistry held in San Antonio, TX, U.S.A., 14-17 February 1995.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper,
as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The matenal, as presented: does not necessanly reflect
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of Petroleum Engineers. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspIcuous acknowledgment
of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A. Telex, 163245 SPEUT.

ABSTRACT developed experimental approach and the designed

equipment for simulating the pipeline conditions are
Paraffin deposition is experienced in pipelines during presented in this paper.
transportation of oil when the oil temperature is
cooled below its paraffin deposition temperature. The INTRODUCTION
formed paraffin crystals in the bulk flow is believed to
be transported by molecular, brownian diffusion and The Main mechanisms by which the paraffin
shear dispersion(l,2,3). Gravity settling mechanism in deposition occur are molecular diffusion, shear
previuos work in our laboratory has shown to dipersion and Brownian diffusion(l,6). These
contribute to the total paraffin deposition, however, to mechanisms are the driving forces for the
a lesser extent than the above mentioned mechanisms. transportation of dissolved and/or precipitated paraffin
to the pipeline wall. The gravity settling mechanism
The work done here demonstrates that the paraffin has also been identified(7). However, molecular
deposition by molecular diffusion mechanism is a diffusion is the predominant mechanism(l,7).
dominant one. This is in agreement with other
previous studies done on the paraffin depoition(4,S). In The driving force for the molecular diffusion at any
this study, however, experimental designe was made time, when the oil is cooled, is the radial
to quantify this statement. The paraffin concentration concentration gradient of the paraffin (dc/dr), where c
gradient (dc/dr) is the driving force of the molecular is the concentration of paraffin at a certain location
diffusion mechanism (where r is the pipeline radius). from the pipeline wall. This may be expressed as
In pipelines the cooling rate is one of many other follow:
factors that affect the paraffin deposition profile.
n =- p D (de / d1) (dT / dry (1)
Equipment was designed to simulate the flow
characteristics at pipeline pressure. A three
dimentional model was developed for paraffin where,
deposition rates at various flow regimes. The n = mass flux of dissolved paraffin molecules
D = diffusion coefficient of dissolved paraffin
References and illustrations at end of paper molecules
213
2 An Approach for Simulation of Paraffin Deposition
dc/dr =concentration gradient
p = the density of the solid paraffin
dT/dr = the temperature gradient
From the above equation, the paraffin deposition rate
reaches its maximum just below the paraffin
appearance point (W AT), and then gradually
decreases as the differential temperature between the
oil and the pipe wall decreases. In addition, small
particles of previously precipitated paraffin can be
transported laterally by Brownian diffusion and shear
dispersion.
EXPERIMENT
The equipment developed in this work is shown in
fig. 1. Crude oil is circulated from the oil tank through
the primary heat exchanger where it is cooled down to
a predetermined temperature. As the oil bulk
temperature is cooled below the paraffin precipitation
temperature, parafin crystals starts to form and
transported from the oil to the pipe walls. The oil will
then pass through the second heat exchanger where
the oil is heated to its inlet temperature (tank
temperature) before it enters the oil tank. The oil is
recirculated through the equipment following the
same process.
The primary heat exchanger is shown in fig. 2. It is 25
meter long and consists of aluminium pipe with an
outer diameter of W' where the oil flows. This was
designed to withstand pressure of 150 barg.
Surounding the oil pipe a stainless steel pipe with an
outer diameter of 1". The heat exchanger consisted of
four loops. In every loop a pressure and temperature
measurements were monitored. These four loops
consisted of eight sections. The first four have a
length of 3.75 m and the last four have a length of 2.5
m.
The pump used was a Moineau pump having a
pumping capacity range from 5 to 42 Llmin. The
equipment was designend to be able to remove the
pipe ends in each loop. This has made it possible to
remove and study the deposited paraffin in each
section. The paraffin deposition was monitored during
the experimental run by measuring the differential
214
SPE 28966
pressure across a predetrmined length of the pipe.
To avoid / minimize oxidation of the oil, the oil was
kept under nitrogen blanket. The nitrogen was, also,
used to obtain the desired pressure on the suction side
of the pump. In addition, nitrogen was used to remove
the oil from the pipe after the experiment was
terminated and before disconnecting the equipment
for the removal of the deposited paraffin .
A constant oil inlet temperature to the primary heat
exchanger was obtained by monitoring the outlet oil
temperature from the second heat exchanger and
adjusting the hot water flow in the second heat
exchanger with the valve V23 as shown in fig. 1 until
the two oil reached the same temperatures.
An intermittent check of the flowing oil was done in
order to verify that the composition of the oil has not
largely affected by the removal of the deposited
paraffin. The experiments conditions are in table 3.
DISCUSSION
In order to maximize and optimise the sensitivity of
the obtained data from paraffin deposition rate
(grlhr/q) was potted against the flowrate. Fig. 3 shows
a slight increase of the deposition rate at flow rate
between 5 to 7.7 Llmin (mean velocity U = 1.4 ~ 2.2
rnIs). While a drastic decrease in the paraffin
deposition rate was observed for flow rates above 7.7
Llmin where it reached zero at flowrate of about 11
Llmin (U = 3.1 rnIs). With the current equipment
design a flow rate less than 5 Llmin was below the
lower limit of the pump.
The increase in the paraffin deposition rate with the
flow rate up to 7.7 Llmin may be due to molecular
diffusion and / or the shear dispersion mechanisms
where both the temperature gradient (dt/dr) and
correspponding concentration gradient (dc/dt)
increase as the flow rate increases. While at flow rate
above 7.7 Llrnin the paraffin deposition rate decreased
from maximum 0.0067 to 0 gr/hr.w at about 7.7 and
11 Llmin, respectively. This may be explained based
on the increase of the shear stress ('t w) on the pipe
wall. Which intern esults in removal of the deposited
SPE 28966 A. A. Hamouda, S. Davidsen
paraffin and I or decreases the addherence of the
formed paraffin crystals onto the wall.
Paraffin deposition mechanisms
The two major mechanisms identfied are the
molecular diffusion and the shear dispersion. Since
the molecular diffusion mechanism for paraffin
deposition is controlled by the temperature gradient
(dT/dr). In a dynamic system at experimental flow
rates used here, it is rather difficult, if not impossible,
to avoid I minimize the contribution from the shear
dispersion to the overall paraffin deposition. It was
therefore, selected to minimize the contribution of the
molecular diffusion and study the effect of the shear
dispersion on the overall paraffin deposition at shear
rates between 3000 and 4000 sec· l .
In order to run this experiment, the test pipe was
divided into three sections ( fig. 4 ) 15 ,Sand 5 meter.
A flow rate of 7.05 Llmin was selected to study the
effect of the shear dispersion on the total paraffin
deposition. This flow rate was selected since it gave
maximum paraffin deposition rate.
In the first section, as shown in fig (4) the oil was
cooled down from the inlet temperature of 27 to 18°C
over a distance of 15 meter (Cooling gradient was
about 0.6°C/m). The paraffin deposition temperature
was reached after a distance of about 1.8 meter. At
this distance the paraffin deposition rate was about 2
mm/d. The deposition rate decreased down to about
0.5 mm/d at a distance of about 15 meter. In the first
section, as designed, no quantification of the relevant
contribution from the two mechanisms were made.
This is since the predominance of the molecular
diffusion mechanism is expected due to a high
temperature gradient.
In the second section ( 5 meter), however, the
temperature was stabilized at 1rc. This was done to
minimize the effect from the molecular diffusion
mechanism on the wax deposition rate. In other words
the temperature gradient (dT/dr) was reduced to
approximately zero. However, a small temperature
drop of about 0.04 °C/m (over the five meter) was
kept to avoid a negative heat flux.
215
3
In the last section (5 meter) a normal experimental
conditions were reestablished, to obtain a temperature
gradient of about 0.6 °C/m as in the first section.
As shown in fig. 4 almost no paraffin deposition was
detected in the second section when the radial
temperature gradient was approximately zero. It, also,
shows that the paraffin deposition returned when the
temperature gradient was reestablished. It may also, be
seen that the paraffin deposition rate in the third
section was slightly reduced from the level in the
boundary interface between the first and second
section. A natural extension of the rate declination
curve of the paraffin deposition rate may be observed
in the third section when the temperature gradient was
reestablished. The reduction in the paraffin deposition
rate may be due to that some paraffin was deposited in
the second section caused by the low differential
temperature 0.04°C/m across the second section.
Simulation of the paraffin deposition rate
corresponding to 0.04 °C/m was found to be about
0.07 mm/d. This is within the accuracy of the
measurements. The contribution of the shear
dispersion mechanism is in the range of about 7 times
lesser than that in the first section ( at the cooling rate
of 0.6°C/m ) at these conditions. This perhaps
represents the worst case since the deposition rate is at
its maximum at this rate.
If the shear dispersion was an influential mechanism
on the paraffin deposition, an appreciable amount of
the deposited paraffin would have appeared in the
distance between 15 ~ 20 m where the temperature
was stabilized. The shear dispersion may have larger
contribution in the first part qf the experiment along
with the molecular diffusion. This is based on the fact
that at low mumber of dispersed particles ( i.e. only
two particles - as an extreme case), their trajectories
are such that the particles curves around each other
and return to their original streamline(6). In this case,
there is no lateral displacement. Eckstein(8), has
investigated the multi particle interaction phenomenon,
which occures at high particle concentration. This
phenomenom will result in a lateral displacement. The
lateral tranport rate of solid particles to the pipeline
was given by(6)
4 An Approach for Simulation of Paraffin Deposition
(2)
where Db and Ds are Brownian diffusion and shear
dispersion coefficients, respectively. Since dc/dr is the
main driving force for the molecular diffision
mechanism, it may, therefore, be concluded that, the
molecular diffusion mechanism is a dominant.
Simulation of the paraffin deposition rate
Concedering only the molecular diffusion mechanism,
the flux of molecules is governed by
(3 )
where,
= Mass of wax deposition
= Molecular weight of wax
= Avogadro's Number
= Areal at deposit surface
= Diffusivity of dissolved wax molecules
= Radius at oil-deposit interface
by introducing a paraffin deposition tendency factor
(fdt ), this equation will be reduced to
(4)
fA- = Viscosity of the oil
fdt = Deposition tendency factor
where the radial temperature gradient was found by
numerical heat transfer calculations and deposition
tendency factor was obtained experimentally. The
obtained Fdt value from the previous work for the oil
to Tesside P/L was found experimentally to be
0.38.10- 10• However, the simulated paraffin deposition
using this factor gave a higher profile than that
obtained from the field data (6). This may be explained
based on the fact that in the previous work the
experiments were run at low shear rates.
At flow rate below 7.5 Llmin , the Fdt factor of
216
SPE 28966
0.19.10- 10 was obtained. Fig. 5 shows that the
simulated paraffin deposition was almost identical to
the experimental data.
At flow rate of about 8.0 Umin (using Fdt= 0.19.lO- lO )
the simulation was shown to slightly over estimate the
paraffin deposition rate at the beginning of the pipe
and slightly under estimate it at the end of the pipe as
shown in fig. 6. This may be due to the fact that the
simulation program was based solely on molecular
diffusion mechanism and at the end part of the pipe,
the molecular diffusion may play lesser part than that
at the beginning of the pipe. This may indicate the
importance of incorporating other mechanisms such as
the shear dispersion into the program for more
accurate prediction. This work is, currently on going
at our laboratory.
Burger AI(3) desribed the total paraffin deposition by
the following equation:
(5)
Where,
Wt = Total paraffin deposition rate
W md = Paraffin deposition rate due to molecular
diffusion mechanism
Wsd = Paraffin deposition rate due to Shear
dispersion mechanism
This general formula does not take into account the
effect of the flow regime. For example the combined
effect of the shear rate / shear stress and the turbulent
flow on the deposition rate.
Effect of shear rate
The effect of different shear rates on the adhesion of
the paraffin crystals onto the pipe walls is shown in
fig.7. For this particular paraffin, the effect of shear
rate of about 3500 S-l on the addision of paraffin
synthes onto the pipe wall was coincided with the
experimental data of the paraffin deposition rate was
shown to be lesser than the simulated deposition rate.
At shear rate of about 5500 S-l no paraffin was
detected.
SPE 28966 A. A. Hamouda, S. Davidsen
Equation (5) may be rewritten as follow:
~ctual = (t ( W md + Wsd )
( 6)
where,
Wactual =Total actual paraffin deposition at any flow
S {Y} =Constant, depends on the shear rate.
In this work it is expressed as " paraffin adhesion
constant ". As an example at the extreamest shear
rates, of about 5500 S-I , S {y} is equal to zero, while
at shear rate below 3500 s -I, S {y} is equal to one.
Effect of the flow regime on Paraffine Deposition
In order to experimentally simulate the paraffin
deposition profile in a pipeline, different flow
characteristics were taken into account. However,
because of the intercross effect of the variables in flow
regimes it becomes difficult to experimentally
simulate actuall combined flow regime variables
simultaneously. An overview of the experimental
design compared to field operation is illustrated in
fig(8). The single hatched area in fig.8 symbolizes the
area that is attainable by thedesigned experiments.
The cross hatched area symbolizes the area of the
shear rate / Reynolds number that is characteristic for
a field pipeline (Teesside pipeline).
The effect of various combinations of flow
characteristic variables on the paraffine deposition
rates were investigated. This is presented as a 3D
model (fig. 9) for the behaviour of 011 to Teesside
pipeline at different combination of flow regimes.
The wax deposition is shown in different shades based
on the deposition rate. These are (from the bottom) the
first to the fifth shade show a wax deposition rate
under 0.1, between 0.1 and 0.2, between 0.2 and 0.3
and the last two shaded areas .are above 0.3 mg/m s.
This figure demonstrates the drastic change of the wax
deposition rate when the flow shifted from laminar to
turbulent flow (Re :::;2700). It may also be seen that as
Reynolds number increases, the maximum limit of the
shear rate, at which, no wax deposition was observed,
has increased.
217
5
Since in the pilot loop the oil was circulated, samples
of the oil were taken to detect any change in the
molecular weight, before stopping the circulation.
This measurments were done usinge the Rhoebling
Automatic Micro-Osmometer.
The molecular weight of the deposited paraffine was
analysed at different locations in the pilot test loop
presented as temperature in fig. 10. It can be seen, as
expected, that the molecular weight of the wax
increases as the wax deposition temperature increases.
However, since the wax samples were taken from
different parts of the pipe, it might be that the shear
rate has an effect on the relationship between the
molecular weight as presented in fig .10.
In order to investigate this observation a GC
compositional analysis of the deposited paraffine was
done using gas chromatography technique (GC). Four
GC runs were made on different wax samples as
shown in table 2 and 3.
Sample 1 and 3 were both deposited at high
temperature ( first part of the pipe line ) but at
different shear rates. Sample 2 and 4 were both
deposited at low temperatures ( end of the pipeline)
but at different shear rates.
At high temperature the entrained oil forms about 60
% of the total wax deposition while at low
temperature the amount of the entrained oil was about
75 %. This may indicate that it is the temperature or
rather the temperature gradient that controlls the
amount of the intrained oil and not the shear rate. This
is also in agreement with work done at our
laboratory(5) using a concentric rotating cell where it
was concluded that the shear rate showed
inconsiderable effect on the composition of the
deposited paraffine.
CONCLUSIONS
1) The molecular diffusion mechanism seems to
be the dominant mechanism. However, in order to
simulate a paraffine deposition profile in pipelines
other mechanisms should not be overlooked. The
shear dispersion mechanism becomes more
6 An Approach for Simulation of Paraffin Deposition
pronounced as the temperature gradients decreases.
2) The observed wax deposition rate with the
flow rate may be explained by the increase of the
temperature gradient until the point where the shear
stress on the wall becomes large enough to affect the
addhision of the wax crystal onto the pipe wall. The
wax deposition limit was found to be below a shear
rate of about 5500 S-I where within this shear rate no
wax was detected.
The above work are being processed for different
types of hydrocarbon to be able 10 build a kinetic
model for predition of paraffin deposition in pipelines.
NOMENCLATURE
A = Areal at deposit surface
D = Diffusion coefficient of dissolved paraffin
molecules
Db = Brownian diffusion coefficient
Ds = Shear dispersion coefficient
dc/dr = Concentration gradient
Dm = Diffusivity of dissolved wax molecules
dT/dr = Temperature gradient
fdt = Deposition tendency factor
md = Mass of wax deposition
MW w = Molecular weight of wax
n = Mass flux of dissolved paraffin molecules
Na = Avogadro's Number
rd = Radius at oil-deposit interface
T = Temperature
p = Density of the solid paraffin
f.-l = Viscosity of the oil
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authours acknowledge the permission to publish
the work presented in this paper from Phillips
Petroleum Company Norway and Co-ventures,
including Elf Petroleum Norge AS, Fina Exploration
Norway u.a.s, Norsk Hydro a.s, Norsk Agip NS, Den
norske oljeselskap a.s, Total Norge AS, Elf Rex
Norge NS and Norminol.
218
SPE 28966
REFERENCES
1) Bern, P. A, Winthers, V. R. and Cairns, J.
R.1980. "Wax Deposition in Crude Oil
Pipelines" ,European Offshore Petroleum Conferance
& Exhibition, London, page21-24.
2) Bott and Gudmundsson, 1997."Deposition of
Paraffin Wax From Flowing Systems", IP 77-007,
Institute of Petroleum, University of Birmingham.
3) Burger, E. D., Perkins, T. K. and Striegler, J.
H., 1981."Studies of Wax Deposition in the Trans
Alaska Pipeeline", Journal of Petroleum Techology,
June.
4) Hamouda, A A, Ravnjijy, J. M.,Houston May
1992 "Prediction of Wax Deposition in Pipelins and
Field Experience on the Influence of Wax on The
Drag-Reducer performance", Offshore Technology
Conference, 7060,pp 669-679.
5) Ravnjijy, J. M., 1991."Prediction of Wax
Deposition in pipelines and A Study of Drag Reducer
Performance", M. Sc. Thises, Rogaland university
Center.
6) Burger E. D., Perkins T.K. and Stiegler J. H.,
June 1981"Studies of Wax Deposition in Trans
Alaska Pipeline", Journal of Petroleum Technology.
7) Hamouda, A. A, Ravnjijy, J. M.,
1992 "Prediction of Wax Deposition in Pipelines and
Field Experience on the influence on the Wax on Drag
Reduction Performance. OTe.
8) Eckstein, E. e., 1975 ,"Particle Migration in
Linear Shear Flow", pH.D Thesis, Mannachugetts Ins.
of Techonogy, Cambridge, MA
Table 1. Experimental conditions

1Temperature ( °C) I I
Pressure ( Bar)
Intel oil I 25 - 27 l
----------------------4-----------------------4-----------------------
I I
Outlet oil l 13 - 14 l
----------------------4-----------------------4-----------------------
I I
Inlet cooling water l 5-8 l
----------------------4-----------------------4-----------------------
I I
Outlet cooling water l 6-9 l
----------------------4-----------------------4-----------------------
I I
Total pressure inlet l l 100 - 102

The experimental time was approximately between land 2 hrs.

Table 2. Wax Deposition conditions

Sample no. Experiment no. Location Deposition shear rate

[m] temperature [C] [S-I]
I I I I

1. l 1080 l 0 - 3.75 l 23.5 l 4460

----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------
I I I I
2. l 1080 l 22.5 - 25 l 13.375 l 2100
----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------
I I I I

3. l 15544 l 0 -3.75 l 24.5 l 2275

----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------
I I I I

4. l 15544 l 22.5 - 25 l 13.75 l 1430

Table 3. Wax Composition

Sample no. %Components %Components %Components %Components

< Cn C n - C38 > C22 (wax) > C 18 (asph.)
I I I I
1. l 59 l 38 l 41 l 3
----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------
I I I I

2. l 73 l 25 l 27 l 2
----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------
I I I I
3. l 57 l 40 l 43 l 3
----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------r----------------
I I I I

4. l 79 l 20 l 21 l 1

219
 V23
_ _CQ:j- TO Air
.. Hot Water

~
:'on
-cnk

To Air

'2 ~)---~
r-
Oil Tank I
(lOOOL) I
(
\
y ex<
N2

- x - Gc:c YOlVe
lr -+- line crossing
l Measuring temperature
to multi logging meter
-1:1-

-®-
Orifice plate

Turbine meter
rvui
ED
MOlneou Pump

ElectriC heat
exchanger

--
-+-
Be" va've
~
-::::J;:- Line joining Pheumatic pump Heat exchanger
-2:- 3ut~e"ly vo!ve Direction of flow l Measuring Pres. or Oif ,Pres.
to multi logging meter
~ Cooling oil

~
5,- Sel~ cct,votea ores sure
con:'o: "c've (:lCY)
~ Insulated line ~ Piston pump G- Centrifugal pump
~
Heat exchanger
Heattng oil

Figure 1 A pilot testloop

The wax area

---------......
The ~atn- --
heat I The second
(fa Oil -ta~ 'f1 eat
excha1nger
I Exchanger
I

V23

V3
Oil
in
'--- -----
'- - --

Cooling
out CDR in Cooling in
Heat exchanger
Measuring Pres. or Dif.pres~
Measuring Temperatur Cooling oil B'£7j
to multi logging meter ....,.....,....,...,,..,
to multi logging meter
Gata valve -iOI- Ball valva

Figure 2 The two heat exchanger

Heat exchanger
Healing oil e
220
Wax deposition rate as a function of the flow rate
Total deposition In the 011 pipeline

Wax deposition [gr/hr W]

o,007.,---------:---------------,

0,006

0,005

0,004

0,003

0,002

0,001

o~-~-~--~--~-~-~~~~~
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Flow rate [lImln]

Figure 3 The wax deposition rate as a function of the flow rate

Wax deposition

Wax deposition [ mm/d ] Temp. [ C ]

2.5 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ; - - - - - , - - - - - - , 30
FIrIt IICIIon 8eDand IIGIIan

2 25
' .
. . . . . ·011 temperature
. . . . . . . . .. d:T/dX - 0 20
1.5 ' ...... .

15
1
10

0.5
r-----i 5

o~-----------~-----~--~o
o 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Distance [ m ]

Figure 4 Deposition rate as a function of the distance in the pilot test loop

221
 Wax deposition Exp. < > Sim.

Wax deposition [ mm/d 1 Temp. [ C )

4~-------------------------------.~

3,5 ...... . ... Sim. Fdt = O.38*E-10

3 .-::: ... ". 25
". -Slm. Fdt = 0.19*E-10
". 20
2,5 ". .. OIl·btmpel'llUre
'. ~ ................ . - -Wax experiment
'. '"
2 '. ".
". ". 15
1,5
.............................. 10
1
0,5
____~_~_~__~_~-~--=_=_=-~5
o 0
o 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Distance [ m )

Figure 5 Simulation of the wax deposition rate at different wax deposition tendencies for
flow rate of 7.56 Umin

Wax deposition Exp. < > 81m.

Wax deposition [ mm/d ] Temp. [ C )

4~----------------------------------~30
.. 81m. Fdt "" 0.38*E-10
25
3 -81m. Fdt - 0.19*E-10
'. . . '. . ...... . 011 temperatu,. 20
- - Wax experiment
2 16

'" " . 10
1 " ..... ......
......
---------.... .. -:":.,
5

OL-----------------------------------~O
o 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Dl8tance [ m J

Figure 6 Simulation of the wax deposition rate at different wax deposition

tendencies for flow rate of 8.0 Umin
222
 Function for remove of wax No depoaltlon of
wex observed
Shearing of wax

% Remove of wex deposition

100r-------------~------------------------~--------~

50

Start of remove of

o~----~----~~----~--~~------L-----~----~
o 2 4 5 6 7
Shear rate [5-1] (Thousands)

Figure 7 The susceptibility of the deposited paraffine to the shear rate.

Shear rate

.r---------<- •

Unattainable area
with this setup

Reynolds number
Figure 8 Experimental design for simulation of pipeline

223
 Wax deposillon I1Ite
[mglm

0.'

Shear I1Ite
(1·11

Figure9 The wax deposition rate as a jUllction of the shear rate and Reynolds number

The molecular weight of wax as a

function of the temperatur
Moleeuler weight ot the 011 18g .0 g/mol

CM~W~W~.~x~I~.~rl~m~O~I~I__________________________________- ,
500 I

'00
++ + ++
+
+
......+f.++

'" :
300 +
+ + ++
.p+-
++ ++ ....
200

100

0
20
12 18 18
Temperatur ( C]
22
" "
Figure 10 The molecular weight 0/ the deposited paraffine as a/unction of the deposition
temperature.

224