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 ∼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.