Mahnaz Younesi - Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili
Behruz Mirzayi - Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

Asphaltene is the heaviest organic compound in the heavy crude oils that causes many negative effects on oil production such as leading to operational problems, safety hazards, and overall decrease in production rate and increase in operating costs. Recently, various nanoparticles were used to enhance upgrading and recover of crude oil. Due to their high stability, functionalizable surface, high surface area to volume ratio, superior adsorption and catalytic activity and high degree of dispersion, the nanoparticles have been taken into consideration in oil industries. In the present study different metal nanoparticles such as γ-Fe2O3, α-Fe2O3, Fe3O4, γ-Al2O3, AlNi15 and Al that applied for removal of asphaltene from crude oil were reviewed and their adsorption capacity was investigated. It was inferred that each nanoparticle presents different adsorption capacity toward asphaltene. Among these nanoparticles AlNi15 exhibited the higher adsorption capacity.

Asphaltene, Nanoparticles, Adsorption