WEATHERING EXPERIMENT ON SPILLED CRUDE OILS USING A CIRCULATING WATER CHANNEL

摘要

Crude oil spilled in the sea is mixed with the sea water by the wind and waves resulting in increases in its water content and viscosity as time passes. We have constructed a small, transfer type circulating water channel of an elliptical circuit-track form. Using an attached circulating unit, together with a wind tunnel, artificial waves are generated to enable simulation corresponding to the natural circumstances in the sea. The experiment disclosed the following results. ? Drastic changes in the properties (water content and viscosity) of the oil depend on the power of waves. ? Contrasting processes are observed between heavy and light crude oils during weathering. ? Heavy crude oils form a massive water-in-oil emulsion (mousse) with increases in both water content and viscosity. ? Light crude oils behave differently at summer sea temperatures, dispersing into the sea water without making a massive mousse, but forming a fragile mousse containing air bubbles at winter sea temperature.