Optical fiber extrinsic refractometer to measure RI of samples in a high pressure and temperature systems: Application to wax and asphaltene precipitation measurements

An optical fiber extrinsic sensor for measurement of changes in the refractive index of liquids confined in chambers for high pressure and temperature experiments is described. One head sensor composed by two fibers is fixed in front of a high pressure and temperature cell filled with the sample. The operation principle is based in the reflectivity dependence in the refractive index of the glass–liquid interface. Excellent results and a sensitivity of 10−5 RI were obtained for pure liquids. The applicability of the sensor is demonstrated following the changes in the refractive index for pure liquids at different pressure and temperatures and by measuring the asphaltenes and wax precipitation in crude oils under pressure. The extrinsic probe designed for refractive index measurement proves to be a reliable tool for measuring heavy organics deposition in crude oils under high pressures and temperatures where the sample to be measured is not very accessible.