Zncl₂ catalyzed flash hydropyrolysis of +525°C pitch from cold lake bitumen

Abstract

Flash hydropyrolysis experiments have been performed on the vacuum bottoms fraction of Cold Lake bitumen, using zinc chloride as a catalyst. Milligram size samples of vacuum bottoms resid were heated rapidly (120 -400°C/s) by passing a large electric current through the reactor tube. The variables studied included temperature, heating rate, catalystlpitch ratio, vapour phase residence time and pressure. Temperature and catalystlpitch ratio caused major changes in yields. In contrast pressure had little effect. It was found that high conversions could be obtained at hydrogen pressures which are much lower than those normally used in catalytically hydrocracking residual oils.Nous avons men& des exptriences d'hydropyrolyse Cclair sur la fraction de rtsidus sous vide de bitumes de Cold Lake, avec du chlorure de zinc comme catalyseur. Des Cchantillons de l'ordre du milligramme de ces rtsidus ont tte chauffks rapidement (120-40O0C/s) en passant un courant tlectrique de grande intensitt dans le tube du rtacteur. Les variables ttudites comprennent la temp&ature, la vitesse de chauffe, le rapport catalyseudbrai, le temps de sejour de la phase vapeur e.t la pression. La temp6rature et le rapport catalyseudbrai entrainent des changements importants dans les rendements. A I'oppost, la pression exerce peu d'effet. Nous avons trouvt que des conversions tlevtes pourraient &tre obtenues des pressions d'hydroghe qui sont beaucoup plus basses que celles utilistes normalement dans les huiles rtsiduelles d'hydrocraquage catalytique.Keywords: flash hydropyrolysis, bitumen pitch hydropyrolysis, hydropyrolysis of pitch, zinc chloride catalysis. or many years delayed coking and fluid coking have