The metallic soaps of napthenic acids — Part 5

Copper naphthenate has been used in chemicals for cleaning oil heating systems, and it has been employed as a fuel oil additive, improving combustion and fluidity, decreasing soot formation and preventing corrosion. Along with lauryl and xylyl mercaptan the metallic soap has been used to gel fuels, and to remove hydrogen sulphide, mercaptans and disulphides from hydrocarbon gases and oils. The naphthenate has been used to stabilise sulphur compounds in crude oils, so that on distillation they do not form the above mercaptans, etc. Along with chromium naphthenate plus sodium 2‐ethylhexyl sulphosuccinate, the material has been employed to prevent sludge formation in diesel fuels. Oil products have been rapidly sweetened in their storage tanks by treatment with the naphthenate.