Application of X-Ray CT imaging as an alternative tool for cloud point determination

This study explains the use of X-Ray CT (computerized tomography) as an alt ernative tool for cloud point determination of crude oils and dark fuel oil s by showing the results for artificially prepared transparent oils. The te chnique is fully computerized and data gathering and analysis are achieved by taking the advantage of the processing of the CT images. In the study, t he cloud points of diesel oil samples containing 5%, 10% and 15% additional wax were determined with this new technique. Results show that the cloud p oints determined with this technique and the standardized ASTM D-3117 metho d are very close. This encourages the use of the proposed technique to dete rmine the cloud point of transparent distillate fuels and dark fuel oils an d crude oils, whose cloud points can not be determined easily and accuratel y.