Polymeric Pour Point Depressants for Crude Oils

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pour point depressants for crude oils, prepared by grafting alkyl (meth)acrylates onto ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers, often solidify in hydrocarbon solutions upon cooling, requiring additional processing steps like melting before use, which increases operational complexity and costs.

Innovation Solution

Developing polymeric compositions through free-radical polymerization of a mixture of alkyl (meth)acrylates with ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers, where the alkyl (meth)acrylates comprise a blend of linear, branched, and cyclic radicals, ensuring the solutions remain liquid at room temperature, thus allowing for easier handling and direct addition to crude oils without pre-treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional pour point depressants are prepared by grafting alkyl (meth)acrylates onto ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers, then they effectively lower the pour point of crude oils, but they solidify in hydrocarbon solutions upon cooling requiring additional melting processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepour point depression effectivenessVSAvoidhandling convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the polymer by using a mixture of different alkyl (meth)acrylates with varying alkyl chain lengths (C1-C11 linear, C4-C60 branched, and C5-C20 cyclic) instead of conventional single-type grafting. This compositional parameter change results in a polymer that remains liquid at room temperature while maintaining pour point depression effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite polymeric composition by combining multiple types of alkyl (meth)acrylates with ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer through free-radical polymerization. This composite structure integrates the benefits of different alkyl chain configurations (linear, branched, cyclic) to achieve both pour point depression and liquid state at room temperature, eliminating the need for melting processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If conventional pour point depressants are prepared by grafting alkyl (meth)acrylates onto ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers, then they effectively lower the pour point of crude oils, but additional processing steps like melting are required which increases operational complexity and costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepour point depression effectivenessVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic property (solidification upon cooling) from the conventional pour point depressant by fundamentally changing the polymer composition. The new composition using mixed alkyl (meth)acrylates eliminates the solidification issue, thereby removing the need for melting processing steps and reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention performs preliminary action by designing the polymer composition to inherently remain liquid at room temperature through the specific mixture of alkyl (meth)acrylates. This preliminary design prevents solidification before application, eliminating the need for subsequent melting processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional pour point depressants use single-type alkyl (meth)acrylates for grafting, then the polymerization process is simpler, but the resulting polymer solidifies upon cooling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolymerization process simplicityVSAvoidsolution state temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using different types of alkyl (meth)acrylates (linear C1-C11, branched C4-C60, cyclic C5-C20) in specific proportions within the polymer composition. Each component contributes different properties, and their combination ensures the polymer remains liquid at room temperature while maintaining manufacturability through free-radical polymerization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting polymeric compositions effectively lower the pour point of crude oils, preventing solidification and viscosity increases, facilitating uninterrupted oil transport and reducing operational burdens by maintaining a liquid state even at room temperature, thereby simplifying their application.

Implementation Method 1

polymeric compositions obtainable by free-radical polymerization of at least two different alkyl (meth)acrylates in the presence of at least one ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFree-radical polymerization:

Data Source

PatentUS10287384B2Polymeric compositions as pour point depressants for crude oils

Publication Date: 2019.05.14 BASF SE

AI summary

Polymeric compositions obtainable by free-radical polymerization of at least two different alkyl (meth)acrylates in the presence of at least one ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer, the alkyl (meth)acrylates used being a mixture comprising alkyl (meth)acrylates having linear C12- to C60-alkyl radicals and different alkyl (meth)acrylates having linear C1- to C11-alkyl radicals and/or branched C4- to C60-alkyl radicals and/or cyclic C5- to C20-alkyl radicals. The use of such polymeric compositions as pour point depressants for crude oils, mineral oils or mineral oil products.