Synergistic Effect of Mixed Biosurfactant System on Emulsification of Heavy Crude Oil
نویسندگان
1 Daana Pharmaceutical Company, Tabriz, I.R. IRAN
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, I.R. IRAN
3 Sungun Copper Complex, National Iranian Copper Industries Company (NICICO), Ahar, I.R. IRAN
4 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Science, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, NORTH CYPRUS
5 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Science, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, NORTH CYPRUS
doi
10.30492/ijcce.2026.2077059.7367چکیده
In this study, the synergistic impact of rhamnolipid and saponin emulsifiers on the emulsion processing of heavy oil was studied. Emulsions were formulated by 10, 20, and 30% water content using mixed biosurfactants at various HLB values (9.6–10.8) to determine the optimum HLB. The total biosurfactant concentration was adjusted to 1.2 g/L, with the rhamnolipid to saponin ratios adjusted according to HLB calculations. Emulsion droplet sizes were measured microscopically, and stability was assessed using the emulsification index (E24) over a temperature range of 45–120°C. Results showed that the optimum HLB for stable W/O emulsions was 10.4, corresponding to an 82% rhamnolipid and 18% saponin composition. At this HLB, when the water content increased from 10% to 30%, the droplet size ranged between 16 and 70 µm, and emulsions remained stable at temperatures up to 90°C. The combination of rhamnolipid and saponin exhibited a clear synergistic effect, forming a compact interfacial film and enhancing emulsion stability compared with individual biosurfactants. These findings suggest that mixed biosurfactants represent promising and sustainable substitutes to synthetic emulsifiers in heavy oil upgrading and other industrial applications.
