Catalytic Effect of Heavy Metal Oxides on Crude Oil Combustion

Abstract

Abstract Crude oil combustion was studied in the presence of titanium, ferric, nickel, cupric, vanadium and chromium oxides. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied to the crude oil combustion in the presence and absence of the metal oxides. It was found that the effect of titanium oxide was similar to that of silica and alumina. The fractional amount of heat released in the lower temperature region increased with increasing quantities of the titanium oxide and attained a maximum level. The coke combustion peak shifted slightly to the lower temperature region and peak shifted slightly to the lower temperature region and became smaller. Vanadium, nickel and ferric oxide behaved similarly in enhancing the endothermic reactions. The effect of a small amount of metal oxides (about 1% by weight) on the crude oil combustion in the presence of silica powder was insignificant. However, the same amount of metal oxide affected the DSC curves produced from the combustion of the crude oil/sand mixture significantly. It appears that, in the presence of the large surface area such as silica, the surface reactions are predominant and unaffected by the small amount of the metal oxide present.