Antifouling compositions for petroleum process streams

Abstract

Disclosed herein are antifouling compositions including a combination of one or more dispersant polymers and one or more inhibitors, the one or more dispersant polymers including the polymerized residues of one or more α-olefins and maleic anhydride, further wherein the maleic anhydride residues are reacted with a primary amine; and the one or more inhibitors including a functionalized p-phenylene diamine. Concentrates of the antifouling compositions in solvents are stable and pourable at temperatures of 0° C. to −40° C. The antifouling compositions are added to a petroleum product to form a treated petroleum product, wherein fouling by the treated petroleum product is reduced and a stable dispersion is formed over a wide range of processing conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An antifouling composition comprising one or more dispersant polymers and one or more inhibitors, wherein the one or more dispersant polymers comprise the polymerized residues of one or more α-olefins and maleic anhydride, further wherein 80 mol %-100 mol % of the maleic anhydride residues are reacted with a primary amine defined by the formula R—NH 2 , wherein R is a linear or branched hydrocarbon moiety comprising 6 to 30 carbon atoms or a mixture of two or more such moieties; and the one or more inhibitors comprise a functionalized p-phenylene diamine defined by the formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R′ are independently selected to be linear, branched, aromatic, or alicyclic moieties comprising 1 to 12 carbon atoms optionally including one or more O, S, N, or halogen atoms with the proviso that the functionalized p-phenylene diamine includes no primary amine moieties. 
       
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the one or more dispersant polymers are characterized by the substantial absence of anhydride moieties. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the one or more dispersant polymers are characterized by the substantial absence of imide moieties. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the one or more dispersant polymers are characterized by the substantial absence of or both anhydride and imide moieties. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein one or more R comprises 16 to 20 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein one or more R′ is phenyl, substituted phenyl, or branched alkyl. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the inhibitor comprises 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n is an integer of 1 to 8. 
       
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the one or more dispersant polymers to the one or more inhibitors in the antifouling composition is about 10:1 to 1:10 by weight. 
     
     
         9 . A concentrate comprising a solvent and about 15 wt % to 90 wt % of the antifouling composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The concentrate of  claim 9  wherein the solvent is HAN. 
     
     
         11 . The concentrate of  claim 9  characterized as stable and pumpable or pourable at a temperature between about 0° C. and −40° C. 
     
     
         12 . A treated petroleum product comprising a petroleum product and about 1 ppm to 1000 ppm of the antifouling composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The treated petroleum product of  claim 12  wherein the product is present at a temperature between about 20° C. and 400° C. and is characterized as a stable dispersion. 
     
     
         14 . The treated petroleum product of  claim 12  wherein the treated petroleum product is a treated petroleum process stream. 
     
     
         15 . A method of reducing fouling in one or more petroleum process streams, the method comprising
 adding about 1 ppm to 1000 ppm by weight of an antifouling composition to a petroleum product to form a treated petroleum product; and   applying the treated petroleum product to a petroleum process equipment to form a treated petroleum process stream,   wherein the antifouling composition comprises one or more dispersant polymers and one or more inhibitors, wherein the one or more dispersant polymers comprise the polymerized residues of one or more α-olefins and maleic anhydride, further wherein 80 mol %-100 mol % of the maleic anhydride residues are reacted with a primary amine defined by the formula R—NH 2 , wherein R is a linear or branched hydrocarbon moiety comprising 6 to 30 carbon atoms or a mixture of two or more such moieties; and the one or more inhibitors comprise a functionalized p-phenylene diamine defined by the formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R′ are independently selected to be linear, branched, aromatic, or alicyclic moieties comprising 1 to 12 carbon atoms optionally including one or more O, S, N, or halogen atoms with the proviso that the functionalized p-phenylene diamine includes no primary amine moieties. 
       
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the adding the antifouling composition is carried out prior to the applying of the treated petroleum product to the petroleum process equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the adding the antifouling composition is adding directly to the petroleum process stream while the petroleum process stream is disposed within the petroleum process equipment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the method further comprises subjecting the treated petroleum process stream to a temperature of about 20° C. to 400° C. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the subjecting is hydrotreating.