Rapid Determination of Volumetric Mass Transfer Coefficients for CO2-Crude Oil Systems Using Microfluidics

The mass transfer between CO2 and crude oil is crucial for CO2-EOR. However, traditional methods are complex and time-consuming, leading to slow progress in the study of the mass transfer between CO2 and crude oil. This study employed microfluidic technology to generate gas-liquid slug flow for rapid investigation of the mass transfer process between CO2 and crude oil within similar to 30 s. A method was developed to eliminate the pressure drop term, suitable for mass transfer studies in gas-liquid systems where the liquid phase's high viscosity led to a high-pressure drop. This study systematically investigated the effects of gas and liquid flow rates, temperature, and the type and concentration of surfactants on the liquid-side volumetric mass transfer coefficients of CO2 and crude oil. These methods enable a rapid assessment of the influence of factors on other gas-liquid mass transfer systems and provide a data foundation for reactor design and optimization.