EFFECT OF VISBREAKING SEVERITIES ON ASPHALTENE AGGLOMERATION FROM RESIDUAL FUEL OILS

The physico-chemical properties of asphaltenes separated from the Nort h Gujarat visbroken short residues (150-degrees-C+) obtained at differ ent severity levels are reported. The experimental data generated on t he effect of different n-alkanes (as diluent) used for asphaltenes pre cipitation, the average particle size of asphaltenes, the sediment for mation on storage, are used to establish a possible relationship betwe en particle size distribution i.e. the agglomeration and the storage s tability. The effect of visbreaking severities as crucial parameter on asphaltene agglomeration is also discussed.