New antifoulant for refinery applications

Abstract

Antifoulant compositions and methods of using the compositions to control fouling are provided herein. The compositions may be added to a medium, such as crude oil or a crude oil fraction. The medium may include a foulant, such as an asphaltene, and the compositions and methods provided herein are capable of dispersing the foulant, such that fouling of equipment in connection with the medium is minimized.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of inhibiting fouling, comprising:
 adding an effective amount of an antifoulant composition to a medium, wherein the antifoulant composition comprises a combination of a nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine and an ethoxylated nonylphenol, a combination of a nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine and a phosphonothioic acid ester, a combination of an ethoxylated nonylphenol and a phosphonothioic acid ester, or a combination of a nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine, an ethoxylated nonylphenol, and a phosphonothioic acid ester.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a molecular structure of the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine is selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and any combination thereof, wherein each R is independently selected from a C 1 -C 20  alkyl group, wherein each R′ is independently selected from a C 1 -C 20  alkyl group, wherein n is an integer selected from 0 to 100, and wherein m is an integer selected from 0 to 100. 
       
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphonothioic acid ester comprises the following molecular structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R is selected from a C 1 -C 100  substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group, and 
         wherein R 1  is a C 1 -C 100  substituted or unsubstituted, linear or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group having from zero to six hydroxyl groups. 
       
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the R 1  substituent further comprises a heteroatom and/or wherein the Ri substituent is derived from a tertiary amino alcohol, an ether alcohol, or a thioether alcohol. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the R 1  substituent is derived from a mono alcohol, a diol, a triol, or a tetraol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphonothioic acid ester comprises the following molecular structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R is selected from a C 1 -C 100  substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group, optionally wherein the phosphonothioic acid ester comprises polyisobutenyl phosphonothioic acid pentaerythritol ester. 
       
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ethoxylated nonylphenol comprises the following molecular structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n is an integer selected from about 1 to about 30. 
       
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine, from about 1 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of the ethoxylated nonylphenol, and/or from about 1 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the phosphonothioic acid ester. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount is from about 1 ppm to about 50,000 ppm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition consists of or consists essentially of the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine and the ethoxylated nonylphenol, the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine and the phosphonothioic acid ester, the ethoxylated nonylphenol and the phosphonothioic acid ester, or the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine, the ethoxylated nonylphenol, and the phosphonothioic acid ester. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medium is selected from the group consisting of a petroleum product, crude oil, a hydrocarbon feedstock, a hydrocarbon stream, slop oil, heavy residua, atmospheric or vacuum residua, shale oil, liquified coal and tar sand effluent, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is carried out in a crude unit, a coker unit, a visbreaker unit, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dispersing and/or minimizing a foulant and/or a foulant precursor in the medium. 
     
     
         14 . A method of inhibiting fouling, comprising:
 adding an effective amount of an antifoulant composition to a medium, wherein the antifoulant composition comprises nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine, ethoxylated nonylphenol, and a phosphonothioic acid ester.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a molecular structure of the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine is selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and any combination thereof, wherein each R is independently selected from a C 1 -C 20  alkyl group, wherein each R′ is independently selected from a C 1 -C 20  alkyl group, wherein n is an integer selected from 0 to 100, and wherein m is an integer selected from 0 to 100. 
       
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the phosphonothioic acid ester comprises the following molecular structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R is selected from a C 1 -C 100  substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group, and 
         wherein R 1  is a C 1 -C 100  substituted or unsubstituted, linear or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group having from zero to six hydroxyl groups, optionally wherein the phosphonothioic acid ester comprises polyisobutenyl phosphonothioic acid pentaerythritol ester. 
       
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the ethoxylated nonylphenol comprises the following molecular structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n is an integer selected from about 1 to about 30. 
       
     
     
         18 . An antifoulant composition, comprising:
 about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of a nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine, about 1 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of an ethoxylated nonylphenol, and about 1 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of a phosphonothioic acid ester.   
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein a molecular structure of the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine is selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and any combination thereof, wherein each R is independently selected from a C 1 -C 20  alkyl group, wherein each R′ is independently selected from a C 1 -C 20  alkyl group, wherein n is an integer selected from 0 to 100, and wherein m is an integer selected from 0 to 100. 
       
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the composition consists of or consists essentially of the nonylphenol formaldehyde ethylenediamine, the ethoxylated nonylphenol, and the phosphonothioic acid ester.