Correlation between Wax Content and Wax Texture

The gelling of waxy crudes and the deposition of wax on the inner walls of subsea
crude oil pipelines present a costly problem in the production and transportation of
oil. The objective of this work is to investigate the correlation between wax content
and wax texture by understanding the mechanism and kinetics of the wax
crystallization in accordance to A vrami theory. Another is to understand the texture
of wax by using Leatherhead Food Research Association Texture Analyzer. The
scopes of study for this project involve investigating of the effect of parameters such
as temperature, wax composition and organic solvent variance. There will be two
different types of solvents and these two will be mixed at three different weight
percentages to assume several different oil models which will be tested on two sets
of experimentation that is LFRA at three different point of temperature. For LFRA
Texture analysis, a generalized texture profile analysis curve is expected to be
obtained such as in Instron Universal Testing Machine. From the curve, several
texture profile parameter can be identified and a correlation will be. made. It is found
that hardness plays a significant role in wax texture and wax content. An absolute
correlation can be made from the three scopes of study.