Crude Wax Suspension by Mixing

[MidstreamEgr]

I have an oilfield project, where the crude has a realtively high wax content (5%-30%). I am looking for a way to keep the wax from dropping out while in tank storage and piping to loadout (to rail and truck).

I have been reading about eductors (NciWeb.net/tank.htm) and heating systems. I like the idea of educotrs, since i want to keep the BS&W in suspension as well (kill two birds...), but not sure if just "mixing" the tank will be sufficient to avoid paraffin deposision in tank bottom. Basically, will just maintaining 1 tank turn per hour be sufficient to avoid deposition? Or do i need to add heat to keep it avoid wax appearance temp (and related safety features for heating crude...)

I assume I'll need to heat trace the lines to maintain the piping above wax appearance temp regardless (since the lines are run intermittently for loading, etc), but again maybe fluid velocity will "clean" the lines to avoid buildup?

 

[BigInch]

No, I doubt velocity will do anything for you, except break off chunks of the stuff, just when you don't want it. It's quite common to see the pipe walls coated with so much wax that it actually increases the velocity of the remaining crude flowing within the core space.

From "BigInch's Extremely simple theory of everything."

 

[MortenA]

In general you can use the minimum velocity approach to prevent wax deposition (as with e.g. sand). Wax is sticky. Higher velocity tends to promote deposition due to turbulence causing the wax particles to get close to the pipe wall. With regards to deposition in tanks im not sure.

You can get pigs that allows a flow through the pig (by-pass pigs). This mobilises the scraped of wax as an emulsion that is flowing downstream the pig. The velocity of the fluid is higher than the pig.

Best regards

Morten