Role of Water and Fine Solids in Onset of Coke Formation During Bitumen Cracking

• Author / Creator

  Nhieu, Paul

• The aim of this study was to examine the effect of steam and fine solids on coke formation during thermal cracking of bitumen. Experiments in a batch reactor at hydrothermal conditions determined the effects of fine solids and water on the onset of coke formation, total coke yield, and defined the overall conversion to light products of Athabasca vacuum tower bottoms. Removal of fine solids had significant effects on the onset time of coke formation while addition of water played a smaller role. The addition of water had no significant impact on onset time or total coke yield. The yield of cracked products, as determined by simulated distillation, was insensitive to water and fine solids. Based on the findings from this study, residual fine solids have a beneficial effect on thermal upgrading, while water gives little impact. Fine solids allows for longer reaction before coke formation, enabling increased bitumen conversions.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Coke
  • Bitumen Cracking
  • Supercritical Water

• Graduation date

  Fall 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3QR4NX5V

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.