Magnetic Field Treatment to Control Scale Growth and Oxygen Scavenger Performance in Mono Ethylene Glycol Regeneration Process

Magnetic fields application is gaining increased importance in all areas of industry, this includes physical and chemical applications. Even though these have excellent prospects, it is not understood whether magnetic fields treatment can work efficiently at MEG regeneration systems in oil and natural gas industries. Magnetic fields applications, the focus of this study, proposes non-chemical techniques to control scale (CaCO3) formation growth and oxygen contamination after conventional approaches have been exhausted

Effect of pretreatment process on scale formation in the re-boiler section of monoethylene glycol regeneration plant

Monoethylene glycol (MEG) regeneration plants often use pretreatment vessels to precipitate divalent cations, such as Fe2+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, in order to avoid or reduce fouling in downstream reboilers and heat exchangers. This pretreatment process operates under alkaline conditions and moderate temperatures (~ 80 °C) to accelerate the formation of low-solubility divalent salts. The objective of the present research was to determine whether the pretreatment process could be minimized, without negatively impacts on the MEG regeneration process from to the formation of scale on the heater bundle in the presence of low concentrations of divalent cations in the rich MEG stream. Scale formation was analyzed under MEG regeneration process conditions using a dynamic scale loop (DSL) test and verification experiments were performed in a MEG regeneration and reclamation pilot plant, both with and without pretreatment conditions. The scaling tendencies of several rich MEG–brine mixtures were evaluated at different pH pretreatment levels and dissolved CO2 concentrations. An evaluation temperature of 180 °C was chosen to match the skin temperature of the reboiler heater bundle during the MEG regeneration process. The experiments of pH 7.24 showed high amounts of precipitation scale within the reboiler due to high remaining concentrations of mineral ions. In addition, small concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions led to the precipitation of calcite, dolomite, and magnesium hydroxide on the reboiler bundle and within associated filtered outputs even when a pretreatment vessel was present. These results were confirmed by the differential pressure build-up and Scanning Electron Microscopy analyses for each experimental condition. Another interesting finding is that pH increased within the reboiler due to CO2 gas boiling off at high operating temperatures, thus contributing to increased alkalinity levels, which in turn promoted scale formation. These results indicate that pretreatment should not be reduced, even with divalent ion concentrations as low as ~ 5 ppm TDS, due to the harsh conditions within the reboiler heater bundle

Anti-obesity and antihyperlipidemic effects of Phaleria macrocarpa fruit liquid CO2 extract: In vitro, in silico and in vivo approaches

Objective: Phaleria macrocarpa fruit has been reported to be effectively used in Malaysia and neighboring countries to prevent obesity. Despite its anti-obesity potential, no research has ever predicted the compound-lipase, compound-HMG-CoA reductase interactions and in vivo investigations to further confirm its anti-obesity properties. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the anti-obesity and antihyperlipidemic effects of P. macrocarpa by in vitro, computational (in silico), and in vivo assays. Method: Initially, fruit was extracted through liquid CO2 and heating under reflux extraction methods to obtain liquid CO2 extracts (LCE-1 and LCE-2) and heating under reflux extract (HRE), respectively. Subsequently,allthreeextractswereassessedforantioxidantpotentialsthroughinvitrobioassaysand FTIRanalysistoidentifydifferenttypesoffunctionalgroupspresentintheexistingbioactivecompounds. Successively,themostactivefraction(LCE-2)wassubjectedtoGCMSanalysisfortheidentificationof lipidloweringandlipaseinhibitorsthroughmoleculardockingapproach.Finally,anti-obesityandlipid loweringeffectswerefurtherconfirmedthroughaninvivoassayusingmice. Result:LCE-2exhibitedhigherDPPH(IC50=0.172mg/mL)andFRAP(78.98AAEmg/g)antioxidantactivitiesandshowedmorepotentpeaksinFTIRchromatogramsthanLCE-1andHRE.Amongtheidentified tentativebioactivecompoundsviz.methylpalmitate,palmiticacid,ethylpalmitate,methyloleate,oleic acid,cis-vaccenicacid,3-deoxyestradiolandphenol,2,20-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methylwerefoundasananti-obesityandlipidloweringcompoundswhoseprotein–ligandinteractionwasconfirmedbybindingaffinity,aminoacidresiduesandbondinginteractions.Similarly,anti-obesityandlipid loweringfindingswerealsofoundinamicemodelafter6weekstreatmentatadoseof250mg/kgb.w. Conclusion:Basedontheaforementionedinvitro,insilicoandinvivofindings,itisconcludedthatthe LCE-2possesseslipaseandHMG-CoAreductaseinhibitorsthatcanassisttodevelopthisplant’sextract asanalternativesafelipidloweringherbalmedicineinfuture

Measurement of mono ethylene glycol volume fraction at varying ionic strengths and temperatures

The estimation of Mono Ethylene Glycol (MEG) concentration is an essential criterion during the industrial regeneration of MEG to evaluate the efficiency of regeneration process and to control the concentration of MEG reinjected at the wellhead. Although many laboratory methods to determine MEG concentration exist, their application may be costly in terms of the time required to perform sampling and laboratory analysis. For this reason, an alternative method for determination of MEG concentrations has been proposed. This method can be performed on-site utilizing physical properties that can be readily measured using portable measurement devices including refractive index (n D ), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS). The volume fraction (F vm ), n D , EC, and TDS of MEG solutions have been measured at (283.15, 298.15, and 323.15) K, (10–100) vol. %, and at (0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0) M NaCl total volume of solution) ionic strength (IS). The experimental results were then correlated to develop a simplistic model capable of estimating the volume fraction of MEG mixtures at varying ionic strengths. The proposed models will therefore allow a quick and convenient method for the determination of MEG concentrations in the field to quickly identify undesirable changes in produced lean MEG concentration

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

The influence of magnetic fields on calcium carbonate scale formation within monoethylene glycol solutions at regeneration conditions

One of the most discussed topics related to the effects of external magnetic fields (MF) on aqueous solutions is the influence on the scale formation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). However, the extent of the effect of these forces on the scale formation in the non-aqueous solutions has not been investigated so far. So MFs will be applied to non-aqueous mixtures to find out the behavior of scale formation. This study presents the results of inorganic scale formation within MEG solutions containing Ca2+ and HCO3- ions, which has been investigated using both static and dynamic scale loop (DSL) evaluation techniques. Furthermore, the influence of MFs on scale formation using the dynamic technique has also been studied. Results were generated using brine/MEG solutions exposed to an external MF produced by a 0.65 T Neodymium magnet for 2.5 s. The degree of scale formation was examined by measuring the pressure build-up across a capillary coil as scale was developed. Moreover, differences in CaCO3 morphologies were evaluated for the exposed and blank trials via the DSL technique and compared with the results obtained from the static scale evaluation method. The results of this research have demonstrated that the short exposure (2.5 s) to a powerful MF can significantly reduce scale-formation in the rich MEG solutions within the capillary coil. This is due to the alteration of the proton spin inversion in the field of diamagnetic salts. Furthermore, a significant difference in CaCO3 morphology was observed for the scale formed during dynamic and static conditions. The generating results help to reduce the use of chemical scale inhibitors with MEG solution during the gas hydrate treatments, especially when the concentration of MEG in formation water is low and scale formation is more likely to occur

Influence of magnetic fields on calcium carbonate scaling in aqueous solutions at 150° C and 1 bar

The experiments performed as a part of this study were conducted to evaluate the effect of magnetic field treatment upon the scale forming tendency of brine solution composed primarily of calcium bicarbonate ions. The reported results were generated using a Dynamic Scale Loop system with the brine solution exposed to a magnetic field generated by a 6480 Gauss magnet of grade N45 SH in a diametrical orientation for 2.5 s. Following magnetic exposure, the brine solution was exposed to an elevated temperature 150 °C at 1 bar to promote the formation of scale within a capillary tube. The extent of scaling was measured by recording the differential pressure across the tube as scaling proceeded. Three important conclusions regarding the effect of magnetic field treatment upon scale formation in calcium bicarbonate solutions were reached. Firstly, the ratio of calcium to bicarbonate plays a key role in determining how magnetic fields influence scale formation, whether promoting or inhibiting it. Solutions containing high concentrations of the bicarbonate, or equal concentrations of the bicarbonate and calcium species showed inhibited scale formation following magnetic exposure. Secondly, the electrical conductivity of the calcium carbonate solution was noticeably impacted by the exposure to the magnetic field through manipulation of the ionic hydration shell and may also provide a measure of the extent of scale formation. Finally, the application of magnetic field treatment fo r scale inhibition may provide an alternative eco-friendly scale inhibition strategy in place of traditional chemical scale inhibitors

Operation of a MEG pilot regeneration system for organic acid and alkalinity removal during MDEA to FFCI switchover

The switch over from pH stabilisation using MDEA to film forming corrosion inhibitors (FFCI) may be beneficial following formation water breakthrough during hydrocarbon transportation and processing to prevent scaling at elevated pH and to extend the operational lifespan of a field. Where formation water is present, organic acids including acetic can be expected within MEG regeneration systems and can impose a corrosion risk together with carbon dioxide. A case study was performed to evaluate the potential of simultaneous removal of organic acids and MDEA/alkalinity during the switch over from pH stabilisation to film forming corrosion inhibitors (FFCI). Experimental testing was conducted using a MEG pilot regeneration plant operated by the Curtin Corrosion Engineering Industry Centre. Sufficient removal of organic acids was achieved to prevent accumulation within the MEG regeneration loop and subsequent corrosion issues through distillation by lowering the pH of the rich glycol feed to six to promote removal of organic acids with the water distillate. Simultaneously, removal of MDEA and reduction of lean glycol alkalinity was achieved through the reclamation system to facilitate FFCI switchover more rapidly than a comparative industrial operational methodology