Method for determining asphaltene stability of a hydrocarbon-containing material

A method for reducing fouling in one or more crude hydrocarbon refinery components located within a refinery the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting one or more hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks having a stable plurality of asphaltene components therein, wherein the selection of the one or more hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks comprises:
• (i) intentionally precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a hydrocarbon-containing material with an alkane mobile phase solvent in a column that has a substantially chemically inert stationary phase established therein, wherein the substantially chemically inert stationary phase is substantially chemically inert relative to the precipitated asphaltenes;
• (ii) dissolving a first amount and a second amount of the precipitated asphaltenes by gradually and continuously changing the alkane mobile phase solvent to a final mobile phase solvent having a solubility parameter that is at least 1 MPa0.5 higher than the alkane mobile phase solvent;
• (iii) monitoring the concentration of eluted fractions from the column;
• (iv) creating a solubility profile of the dissolved asphaltenes in the hydrocarbon-containing material;
• and
• (v) determining one or more asphaltene stability parameters of the hydrocarbon-containing material;
• and
• (b) feeding the selected one or more crude hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks to the one or more crude hydrocarbon refinery components.

A system capable of experiencing fouling conditions associated with fouling selected from the group consisting of particulate fouling and asphaltene fouling, the system comprising:

• (a) one or more crude hydrocarbon refinery components;
• and
• (b) one or more hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks having a stable plurality of asphaltene components therein and in fluid communication with the one or more crude hydrocarbon refinery components, wherein the one or more hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks are selected by a process comprising the steps of:
• (i) intentionally precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a hydrocarbon-containing material with an alkane mobile phase solvent in a column that has a substantially chemically inert stationary phase established therein, wherein the substantially chemically inert stationary phase is substantially chemically inert relative to the precipitated asphaltenes;
• (ii) dissolving a first amount and a second amount of the precipitated asphaltenes by gradually and continuously changing the alkane mobile phase solvent to a final mobile phase solvent having a solubility parameter that is at least 1 MPa0.5 higher than the alkane mobile phase solvent;
• (iii) monitoring the concentration of eluted fractions from the column;
• (iv) creating a solubility profile of the dissolved asphaltenes in the hydrocarbon-containing material;
• and
• (v) determining one or more asphaltene stability parameters of the hydrocarbon-containing material.