This article presents a comparison
of the efficiency of d-limonene to other solvent-based microemulsions
(MEs) for the removal
of asphaltene deposits using a dual-permeability porous media microfluidic
device. The dynamics of removal of the deposited asphaltenes were
analyzed using optical microscopy and in situ pressure-drop measurements.
All MEs tested showed a higher asphaltene removal efficiency when
compared to the control ME formulation, a surfactant package without
a solvent. The amount and rate of asphaltene removal were strongly
dependent on the type and amount of solvent contained within the ME.
The dynamics of the asphaltene removal for the most effective formulations
were fit to a pseudosecond-order desorption kinetic model. The results
support a mechanism wherein the MEs solubilize the asphaltene deposits.