US 12,473,485 B2
Method of pretreating a pipeline or apparatus
James A. Allred, Jr., Alba, TX (US)
Assigned to Pig Sweep, LLC, Kilgore, TX (US)
Appl. No. 18/263,030
Filed by PIG SWEEP, LLC, Kilgore, TX (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 8, 2023, PCT No. PCT/US2023/063896
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 26, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/183710, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 28, 2023.
Application 18/263,030 is a continuation of application No. 17/655,648, filed on Mar. 21, 2022, granted, now 11,692,126, issued on Jul. 24, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0179645 A1, Jun. 5, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C23C 24/00 (2006.01); C09K 8/584 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/584 (2013.01) [C23C 24/00 (2013.01); C09K 2208/08 (2013.01); C09K 2208/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of pretreating a pipeline or apparatus to reduce friction and/or lower pressure drop of fluid flowing over surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus and/or to reduce the formation of surface deposits on the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus, the method comprising:
selecting a colloidal particle dispersion having inorganic nanoparticles with an average particle size from 500 nm or less that exhibit properties of Brownian motion, at least some of the inorganic nanoparticles being ionically charged nanoparticles;
contacting the surfaces of a pipeline or apparatus with a treatment composition comprising the colloidal particle dispersion, wherein the treatment composition has a pH from 6 to 7, the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus being surfaces of a fresh pipeline or apparatus and/or surfaces of a non-fresh pipeline or apparatus where any residues or deposits that have been previously formed on such surfaces of the non-fresh pipeline or apparatus from prior fluid contact have been removed;
allowing the colloidal particles of the treatment composition to adhere the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus to facilitate a reduction in friction of the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus and/or lower the pressure drop of fluid flowing over the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus compared to the same fluid flow over the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus without undergoing the pretreatment and/or to reduce the formation of surface deposits on the surfaces of the pipeline or apparatus.