Development of New Perikinetic Collision Frequency Model Using Lifshitz Theory and Surface Energy Approach for...

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Colloid and Surface Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Asphaltene precipitation and aggregation during oil production are critical issues.
• Particle collisions, driven by Brownian motion and fluid flow, are the primary cause.
• Existing models inadequately capture the complexity of collision frequency.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop a novel perikinetic collision frequency model for asphaltene precipitation.
• Analyze asphaltene aggregation behavior using Lifshitz theory and surface energy.
• Identify key factors influencing asphaltene particle collision rates.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Lifshitz theory and a surface energy approach.
• Developed a new perikinetic collision frequency model.
• Investigated the influence of crude oil and asphaltene structural properties.

Main Results:

• Collision frequency is not constant; it depends on crude oil and asphaltene properties (e.g., Hamaker constant, fractal dimension, viscosity, particle size, interaction energies).
• Acid-base (AB) interactions significantly dominate over Lifshitz-van der Waals (LW) interactions in collision frequency.
• Asphaltene polarity and aromaticity critically affect collision rates.

Conclusions:

• The new model provides deeper insights into asphaltene aggregation dynamics.
• Accurate prediction of particle size distribution requires careful selection of collision parameters.
• Understanding dominant interaction energies (AB vs. LW) is key to controlling precipitation.