Salt Detection in Hydrocarbon Fluids via Electropolymerization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining salt concentration in hydrocarbon fluids are inefficient, unreliable, and prone to corrosion, especially at sub-ppm levels, due to the need for extensive sample preparation and offline testing, which limits their application in real-time monitoring and online detection.
Innovation Solution
A conductivity sensor system using a hydrocarbon testing solution with an electropolymerizable monomer and non-aqueous solvent, which forms a resultant associated polymer at a peak potential, allowing for the detection of salt concentration through peak current measurement, eliminating the need for adjustments based on temperature and other process conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conductivity sensors use conductive electrodes inserted into flowing crude oil to detect salt concentration, then online real-time detection is enabled, but corrosion occurs on the sensor probes due to conductive-metal reduction-oxidation reactions and salt precipitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a non-conductive liquid paraffinic material as an intermediary medium between the conductivity sensor electrodes and the crude oil. This mediator allows the sensor to function without direct contact with corrosive salt components, enabling real-time detection while preventing corrosion and salt precipitation on the probe surfaces.
2Measurement precision
If ASTM D 3230 electrometric method is used to measure salt concentration, then accurate salt concentration determination is achieved, but extensive sample preparation with numerous solvents is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex sample preparation step by using a non-conductive liquid paraffinic material that can be directly mixed with crude oil samples. This approach removes the need for extensive solvent preparation while maintaining accurate salt concentration measurement capability.
3Reliability
If conductivity sensors directly test non-conductive paraffinic materials to detect salt, then the testing apparatus is protected from corrosion, but measurement accuracy decreases due to general non-conductivity of the bulk hydrocarbon fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The non-conductive liquid paraffinic material serves as a dual-function intermediary: it protects the sensor from corrosion while its specific interaction with salt components enables accurate detection. The mediator creates a conductive pathway for salt detection without requiring the bulk hydrocarbon fluid to be conductive.
4Measurement precision
If offline laboratory testing is used to determine salt concentration, then reliable and accurate measurements are obtained, but the testing process is not expedient and cannot meet commercial transportation and refining needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical offline laboratory testing system with an online conductivity sensor system using non-conductive liquid paraffinic material. This substitution enables continuous real-time monitoring that meets commercial speed requirements while maintaining measurement reliability through the specialized mediator material.
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 system provides fast, reliable, and reproducible data for salt concentration determination, avoiding corrosion and physical degradation, enabling continuous and periodic conductivity detection without lengthy sample preparation, and accurately measuring sub-ppm levels of salt in hydrocarbon fluids.
Implementation Method 1
an electropolymerizable monomer operable in said hydrocarbon testing solution to form a resultant associated polymer at a peak potential of said electropolymerizable polymer
Implementation Method 2
a conductivity sensor operable to detect a salt concentration of said hydrocarbon testing solution
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining a salt concentration of a hydrocarbon fluid using a conductivity sensor and a hydrocarbon testing solution includes forming the hydrocarbon testing solution. The electropolymerizable monomer is operable to form a resultant associated polymer at a peak potential of the electropolymerizable polymer. The method includes introducing the hydrocarbon testing solution into the conductivity sensor. The method includes inducing a range of potential across the hydrocarbon testing solution such that at least a portion of the electropolymerizable monomer polymerizes. The range of induced potential includes the peak potential of the electropolymerizable polymer. The method includes detecting a range of electrical current associated with the range of potential induced. The method also includes the step of determining the salt concentration of the hydrocarbon fluid using the range of potential induced and the range of electrical current detected.