The cloud point of a fluid is the temperature at which dissolved solids are no longer completely soluble, precipitating as a second phase giving the fluid a cloudy appearance. This term is relevant to several applications with different consequences.
In the petroleum industry, cloud point refers to the temperature below which wax in diesel or biowax in biodiesels form a cloudy appearance. The presence of solidified waxes thickens the oil and clogs fuel filters and injectors in engines. The wax also accumulates on cold surfaces (e.g. pipeline or heat exchanger fouling) and forms an emulsion with water. Therefore, cloud point indicates the tendency of the oil to plug filters or small orifices at cold operating temperatures.
In crude or heavy oils, cloud point is synonymous with wax appearance temperature (WAT) and wax precipitation temperature (WPT).
The cloud point of a nonionic surfactant or glycol solution is the temperature where the mixture starts to phase separate and two phases appear, thus becoming cloudy. This behavior is characteristic of non-ionic surfactants containing polyoxyethylene chains, which exhibit reverse solubility versus temperature behavior in water and therefore "cloud out" at some point as the temperature is raised. Glycols demonstrating this behavior are known as "cloud-point glycols" and are used as shale inhibitors (see Talk). The cloud point is affected by salinity, being generally lower in more saline fluids.
Famous quotes containing the words cloud and/or point:
“Perhaps I stand now on the eve of a new life, shall watch the sun rise and disappear behind a black cloud extending out into a grey sky cover. I shall not be deceived by its glory. If it is to be so, there is work and the influence that work brings, but not happiness. Am I strong enough to face that?”
—Beatrice Potter Webb (1858–1943)
“A route differs from a road not only because it is solely intended for vehicles, but also because it is merely a line that connects one point with another. A route has no meaning in itself; its meaning derives entirely from the two points that it connects. A road is a tribute to space. Every stretch of road has meaning in itself and invites us to stop. A route is the triumphant devaluation of space, which thanks to it has been reduced to a mere obstacle to human movement and a waste of time.”
—Milan Kundera (b. 1929)