Emulsification and pH Control for Sustainable Thermochemical Fluids Reactivity

Area of Science:

• Sustainable Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering
• Industrial Chemistry

Background:

• Managing chemical reactivity is vital for sustainable industrial practices, reducing waste and energy consumption.
• Thermochemical fluids (TCFs) like NH4Cl and NaNO2 offer potential but suffer from excessive reactivity, limiting their applications.
• Current limitations in TCF reactivity hinder their widespread adoption and success rates in various industrial processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate methods for controlling the high reactivity of TCFs.
• To explore emulsification and pH adjustment as techniques for moderating TCF reactivity.
• To assess the impact of these control methods on TCF reaction parameters and industrial applicability.

Main Methods:

• Emulsification of TCFs (50% and 70%) in diesel using three emulsifier systems at varying concentrations (1%, 3%, 5%).
• Reactivity assessment of neat and emulsified TCFs in an autoclave reactor across temperatures (65-95 °C).
• Investigation of TCF reactivity under different pH values (6-10) and initial pressures.

Main Results:

• Both emulsification and pH adjustment effectively control TCF reactivity.
• Emulsification demonstrated control over TCFs at 50% and 70% concentrations in diesel.
• pH adjustment influenced reaction initiation time, pressure, and temperature.

Conclusions:

• Emulsification and pH adjustment are viable strategies for enhancing TCF sustainability.
• These techniques can optimize downhole applications in the oil and gas sector.
• Controlling TCF reactivity improves operational efficiency and success rates, contributing to greener industrial processes.