Effects of Ultrasonic Treatment and Petroleum Resin Type on the Composition and Properties of Precipitated Petroleum Paraffins

The present study investigated the effects of ultrasonic treatment and the type of petroleum resins on the composition and properties of precipitates settled out of a 6 wt % petroleum paraffin solution in n -decane. The addition of benzene and alcohol-benzene resins into the ultrasonically treated petroleum paraffin solution was found to reduce the precipitation, elevate the cloud and pour points of the precipitate, and have a major effect on the structure of resultant petroleum paraffin crystals. Furthermore, it was shown that benzene resins, which had a lower concentration of aromatics but contained longer branched aliphatic substituents, were more actively involved in precipitation. In the presence of benzene resins, dendrite crystals with high sedimentation stability were generated. The concentration of alcohol-benzene resins in the precipitates was lower than that of benzene resins. The alcohol-benzene resins present in the precipitates were distinguished by longer aliphatic substituents and a higher number of polar moieties than the starting sample. The resin addition or combined treatment of the tested system enriched the precipitated paraffins with C 29 H 60 –C 38 H 78 n -alkanes.