Fouling of barium sulfate is often observed and difficult to clean up in the process of petroleum production. Barium sulfate deposition of simulated oilfield water in the microchannel reactor was studied by varying tube length

flow rate

concentration and temperature. Barium concentration and pressure drop in each microchannel section were obtained by flame atomic absorption and differential pressure method

respectively. The results show that the rate and amount of barium sulfate deposition in the microchannel increased with increase of tube length

flow rate

and concentration

which deposition rate was increased nonlinearly. With temperature increase

ion diffusion in the microchannel accelerated and deposition rate of barium sulfate increased. However

a slight rise of temperature did not change concentration of barium sulfate significantly and hence deposition amount of barium sulfate was increased very little. SEM morphology of barium sulfate in both inlet and outlet verified impacts of different factors on deposition and crystallization in the microchannel. Deposition of barium sulfate in pipeline is not just a simple homogeneous sedimentary process

as a result of influence of crystal nucleation. The barium sulfate crystal formation has two regular stages of nucleation and crystal growth.