Problems Hydrocarbons

Kister, H. Z., When Tower Startup Has Problems, Hydrocarbon Processing, February 1979, p. 89. 

How er, T. C. and H. Z. Kister, Solve Process Column Problems, Hydrocarbon Processing, Part 1-May 1991, Part 2-June 1991. 

Godard, K. E., Gas Plant Startup Problems. Hydrocarbon Processing, September 1973, p. 151. 

Pollard, Eniest 1., Synchronous Motors. . . Avoid Torsional Vibration Problems, Hydrocarbon Processing, February 1980, pp. 97-102. 

Holland, C. D., G. P. Pendon, and S. E. Gallun, Solve More Distillation Problems, Hydrocarbon Processing June, 101 (1975). 

Pollard, E. L, Synchronous Motors—Avoid Torsional Vibration Problems, Hydrocarbon Processing, p. 97, Eeb. (1980). 

Air contains approximately 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen and <1% of other elements such as carbon dioxide and argon. Since oxygen is known to react with numerous materials, it can be a source of fuel problems. Hydrocarbons which have reacted with oxygen from air can yield a variety of compounds such as peroxides, organic acids, and gums. 

Barrows, G.L. Save Energy with Ceramic Fiber Insulation. Hydrocarbon Processing, October 1977, p. 187. Hackman, L.E. and Chambers, H. New Refractories Solve Old Problems. Hydrocarbon Processing, November... 

Kitterman, L., and M. Ross, "Tray Guides to Avoid Tower Problems, Hydrocarbon Proc. 46(5), 1967, p. 216. 

The concentrations of hydrocarbons which may exist at these various points in the cycle define the hazard problem. Hydrocarbons which are present in excess of their solubility limit at any point in the process may concentrate and become hazardous. Those which remain dissolved are more predictable in location and behavior. Hence our interest in solubility. 

Schueppert, S., 2013. Dropped Tools are a Dangerous Problem. Hydrocarbon Processing — Safety, Security and the Environment. 

In oil bearing formations, the presence of polar chemical functions of asphaltenes probably makes the rock wettable to hydrocarbons and limits their production. It also happens that during production, asphaltenes precipitate, blocking the tubing. The asphaltenes are partly responsible for the high viscosity and specific gravity of heavy crudes, leading to transport problems. 

Identification of normal paraffins by chromatography presents no special problems with the exception of biodegraded crudes, they are clearly distinguished. The problem encountered is to quantify, as shown in Figure 3.14, the normal paraffin peaks that are superimposed on a background representing other hydrocarbons. 

Liquid chromatography is preceded by a precipitation of the asphaltenes, then the maltenes are subjected to chromatography. Although the separation between saturated hydrocarbons and aromatics presents very few problems, this is not the case with the separation between aromatics and resins. In fact, resins themselves are very aromatic and are distinguished more by their high heteroatom content (this justifies the terms, polar compounds or N, S, 0 compounds , also used to designate resins). 

To avoid these problems, refiners commonly use additives called detergents" (Hall et al., 1976), (Bert et al., 1983). These are in reality surfactants made from molecules having hydrocarbon chains long enough to ensure their solubility in the fuel and a polar group that enables them to be absorbed on the walls and prevent deposits from sticking. The most effective chemical structures are succinimides, imides, and fatty acid amines. The required dosages are between 500 and 1000 ppm of active material. 

In a conventional gasoline containing hydrocarbons or even ethers, the presence of water is not a problem in fact, water is totally soluble up to about 50 ppm at ambient temperature. Beyond this value water separates without affecting the hydrocarbon phase and the water leg can be withdrawn if necessary. On the other hand, in the presence of alcohols (ethanol and especially methanol), trace amounts of water can cause a separation of two phases one is a mixture of water and alcohol, the other of hydrocarbons (Cox, 1979). 

Hydrocarbons generally have very low electrical conductivities and manipulation of these fluids creates electrostatic charges that can result in fire or explosions. This problem is encountered with gasoline and kerosene. 

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a very common contaminant in hydrocarbon fluids, especially in gases and gas condensate, and is a source of corrosion problems. CO2 in the gas phase dissolves in any water present to form carbonic acid (H2CO3) which is highly corrosive. Its reaction with iron creates iron carbonate (FeCOg) ... 

Most LB-forming amphiphiles have hydrophobic tails, leaving a very hydrophobic surface. In order to introduce polarity to the final surface, one needs to incorporate bipolar components that would not normally form LB films on their own. Berg and co-workers have partly surmounted this problem with two- and three-component mixtures of fatty acids, amines, and bipolar alcohols [175, 176]. Interestingly, the type of deposition depends on the contact angle of the substrate, and, thus, when relatively polar monolayers are formed, they are deposited as Z-type multilayers. Phase-separated LB films of hydrocarbon-fluorocarbon mixtures provide selective adsorption sites for macromolecules, due to the formation of a step site at the domain boundary [177]. 

For my part, although I may be somewhat of a visionary, I see a solution to the problem by chemical recycling of excess carbon dioxide emissions into methyl alcohol and derived hydrocarbon products. 

Saturated hydrocarbons were a problem because they have no functionality. It can be just as bad when a molecule has several functional groups aU apparently unrelated. Bisabolene (TM 384) has three double bonds, aU rather widely separated. Comment on possible strategies in terms of the hkely origin of each double bond and the probable order of events. 

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