Theoretically clarifying the sources of viscosity of heavy oil is an essential premise for achieving effective exploitation and viscosity reduction. However, the complicated dispersion behavior of asphaltenes hinders the elucidation of the underlying viscosity mechanisms. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between heavy oil viscosity and asphaltene dispersion, identifying an unconventional nonlinear V-shaped trend. A generalized physical model is then proposed to elucidate the determining sources of heavy oil viscosity. This viscosity model emphasizes the dynamic balance role of external molecular friction and internal structural deformation of asphaltene aggregates in their contribution to viscosity, deepening the understanding of the nature of high viscosity in heavy oil. These results provide valuable theoretical support to enhance our understanding of the microscopic molecular mechanisms underlying heavy oil viscosity, which is expected to contribute to a better comprehension of the intricate viscosity phenomena and the development of more effective viscosity reducers.

中文翻译：

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稠油粘度与沥青质分散度之间的非线性关系：分子动力学模拟研究


从理论上明确稠油粘度来源是实现有效开采降粘的重要前提。然而，沥青质复杂的分散行为阻碍了潜在粘度机制的阐明。因此，我们研究了重油粘度与沥青质分散度之间的关系，发现了非常规的非线性 V 形趋势。然后提出了一个广义的物理模型来阐明重油粘度的决定来源。该粘度模型强调外部分子摩擦和沥青质聚集体内部结构变形对粘度贡献的动态平衡作用，加深了对稠油高粘度本质的认识。这些结果为增强我们对稠油粘度微观分子机制的理解提供了宝贵的理论支持，有望有助于更好地理解复杂的粘度现象和开发更有效的降粘剂。