Oil sand processing by ultrasonic technique

Abstract

The kinetics of bitumen (asphalt), oil, and residual fuel oil extraction from oil sands by ultrasonic treatment has been studied. The influence of the working temperature of the process, characteristics of the separated components, fineness of the solid phase, and additive concentration on the extraction rate has been investigated. A schematic diagram of the installation for oil sands processing using an ultrasonic reactor is given. It is shown that ultrasonic devices could be an alternative to the presently used industrial equipment for bitumen and oil products extraction from oil-bearing rocks and oil sludge.Modern technologies for processing oil-bearing soils and rocks (oil sands and soils contaminated as a result of technological mishaps) are based on integrated use of hydromechanical, heat and mass exchange, and chemical processes [1-4]. Powerful ultrasound markedly intensifies these processes upon combined use, causes cavitation and heating up of water-pulped inhomogeneous systems, to which reagents are added, activates chemical and accelerates mass exchange processes. Under the impact of pulsating cavitation bubbles and shock waves, the aggregates of the solid phase break up, erosion and cracks appear in the contaminant films sticking to the particles, and they separate in layers. Through the cracks the leaching solution containing surface active agents formed as a result of sonochemical reactions of the components of the oil products and reagents may infiltrate into the originally closed pores under the action of capillary forces intensified by ultrasonic effect [5][6][7].The efficiency of oil sand processing using ultrasonic effect was assessed in the course of laboratory experiments on specimens obtained from a field in Canada as well as on artificial model mixtures prepared from various fractions of river sand (average particle diameter d = 0.02-1 mm) with addition of 13-14 % (mass) of oil or residual fuel oil. Aqueous sodium silicate, carbonate, and hydroxide solutions with temperatures of 30-75°and a pH > 7 were used as the working dispersion medium.The experiments were performed in ultrasonic reactors or in baths. A schematic diagram of the experimental setup is shown in Fig. 1. Elastic vibrations were introduced into the working medium of the reactor 1 with the aid of a rod waveguide 2 whose working end diameter was 15 mm. The magnetostriction transducer 4 connected to a 1 kW generator 9 was used as the source of ultrasonic vibrations. The amplitude of radiator vibrations generated during ultrasonic processing was 5-10 µm at a frequency of 22 kHz.An electric heater 7 maintained the required temperature of the working medium. Upon completion of ultrasonic action, after brief settling, the separated products (oil products, clarified water, washed sand, etc.) were successively removed from the reactor. In the course of the study of the kinetics of oil products yield, the floated-up drops were collected periodically. To get data for balance calculations, the sand and oil products were dewatered and wei...

Recent advances in applications of power ultrasound for petroleum industry

“…Ultrasound in the range of 20–40 kHz is usually used to study the effects of various factors (acoustic power, treatment time, alkali concentration and temperature) on bitumen recovery efficiency [47] , [48] . The published results on ultrasonic oil sand extraction are listed in Table 1 .…”

Structure Modifications of Hydrolytically-Degradable Polymer Flocculant for Improved Water Recovery from Mature Fine Tailings

“…Separating the bitumen from this mixture requires a large volume of hot water (40−80 °C), 2.5 m 3 of water per barrel of bitumen. 1,2 The residue from the extraction, known as oil sands fresh fine tailings (FFT), consists of clays, sands, and what remains of the bitumen suspended in water. The tailings separate into two phases after being transferred to settling ponds: the coarse sand and approximately half of the clay particles which settle quickly, and the bitumen and the rest of the fine clays which form a stable suspension in water.…”

Ultrasound‐Assisted Synthesis of Humic‐Silica Composites by the Isolation of Humic Substances from Peat and Lignite

“…This fact was probably caused by the high density and viscosity of the extractants, which contained a higher amount of sodium silicate, significantly blocking mass transfer between the raw material and the extractant. [46] Generally, effects related to extractant concentration may play a dominant role in the shape of the plots, where the mentioned parameter was an independent variable (P2, L2, P3, L3), although the slight increase in the isolation efficiency of HS can also be seen in them for higher temperature and time values.…”