Small-scale laboratory experimental verification of batch transportation of naphtha and light fuel oil in refined-products pipelines
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: To examine interfacial mixing and wall adhesion after naphtha and light fuel oil are introduced into a batch transportation system for refined-products pipelines, DN20 small-scale laboratory loop tests were conducted. The loop was 20 m long, and the temperature was maintained at 20°C. Typical flow velocities of 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.5 m/s were selected. Normalized concentration curves and mixed-oil tailing behavior were compared for diesel, gasoline, light fuel oil, and naphtha under different batch sequences. The results show that mixed-oil length decreases as flow velocity increases. A higher velocity enhances near-wall shear and promotes desorption of residual oil from the pipe wall. The curve for naphtha displacing light fuel oil is similar to that for gasoline displacing diesel, indicating a similar mixed-oil development pattern. The curves for diesel displacing naphtha and light fuel oil displacing naphtha change rapidly, and no obvious tailing is observed. When naphtha displaces diesel, the concentration decreases more slowly, and the tailing effect is stronger than that for naphtha displacing light fuel oil. Product properties indicate that viscosity is dominant under this condition. Near-wall retention of high-viscosity diesel is an important cause of tailing. The results provide experimental support for batch sequencing, operating velocity optimization, and mixed-oil cutting strategies in batch transportation of naphtha.
Institution: China University of Petroleum, Beijing
Subfield: Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes
Field: Chemical Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7212014395