Energy & Fuels, Vol.23, No.8, 4016-4020, 2009
Apparent Disaggregation of Colloids in a Magnetically Treated Crude Oil
"The new physical mechanism" of viscosity reduction of petroleum fluids Was Suggested in it series of recent publications. The key idea is that magnetic field treatment aggregates colloidal particles inside a Crude oil into larger ones, thus decreasing viscosity. On the basis of new experimental data and the analysis of well-proven theoretical models, we conclude that this "physical mechanism" in magnetically treated oils appears to be non-existent. In particular, as revealed by our optical measurements, magnetic treatment results ill disaggregation of colloidal particles in a crude oil.