Parameters of Solvent Extraction for Bitumen Recovery from Oil Sands

Abstract:

Solvent extraction was applied in the separation of oil sands and considered as a promising technology. Results in this study indicated that the factors such as the volume of solvent to mass of oil sand (v/m), solvent aromatic content (the amount of aromatic hydrocarbons in the solvent), and the polarity of the solvent significantly influenced the oil sands bitumen recovery. A value of v/m greater than 5 was proposed in the extraction. The bitumen recovery increased with the increase of the solvent aromatic content. In addition, an appropriate polarity of the solvent with the range from 1.5 to 3.0 was suggested in the solvent selection. Hence, results demonstrated that the solubility of the composite solvent of n-heptane and toluene was less than the sum of the single ones. This study provided useful guidance for the solvent selection in the subsequent works.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 347-353)
• Pages: 3728-3731
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.347-353.3728
• Online since: October 2011
• Authors: Lin He, Xin Gang Li, Yong Liang Du, Guo Zhong Wu, Hong Li, Hong Sui
• Keywords: Bitumen, Polarity, Solvent Extraction

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