Effect of energy dissipation rate on bitumen droplet size

• Author / Creator

  Mussbacher, Scott Louis

• The extraction of bitumen (heavy oil) from the oil sands is predominantly achieved through a water-based technology. This involves a slurrying process, typically called conditioning, which is categorized into three equally important steps: bitumen-sand liberation, bitumen coalescence, and air-bitumen attachment. Previous studies found that bitumen recovery was dependent upon process variables such as energy dissipation rate, temperature and caustic addition. Correlations between bitumen droplet size and recovery have also been established; however no investigations linking the aforementioned process variables to the resultant bitumen droplet size had been performed. This work investigates the development of a Batch Extraction Unit built specifically for this investigation as well as a study of the bitumen droplet size as a function of the rate of mechanical energy input.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Energy
  • Dissipation
  • Size
  • Droplet
  • Bitumen

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3X03C

• 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.