Recovery of bitumen from Alberta oil sand using ultrasound irradiation

研究了低频率（28 kHz）和高频率（200 kHz）超声联合45℃和85℃热水处理对油砂沥青采收率的影响。用机械搅拌器对分离效率进行了比较。沥青回收试验分别在氩气、空气和氮气气氛下进行。结果表明，在85℃条件下，200 kHz的超声处理能有效地回收油砂中的沥青。对于低温（45℃）溶液，只有28 kHz的超声才能从油砂中回收沥青，这表明28 kHz的超声可以有效地将油砂聚集体分解成悬浮液。过氧化氢也被用来证实沥青回收的积极作用。研究了高浓度H_2O_2 （> ~ 100ppm）在超声处理过程中对沥青的回收作用。过氧化氢在沥青周围形成气泡，使其在超声过程中更容易上升到溶液表面。结果表明，该方法对沥青有较好的回收率。

Low (28 kHz) and high (200 kHz) frequency sonication combined with hot water treatments at 45 and 85℃ were investigated to assess the effects of different ultrasound frequencies and water temperatures on the recovery of bitumen from oil sand. A mechanical stirrer was also used to compare the efficiency of separation. Bitumen recovery tests were performed under argon, air, and nitrogen atmospheres. Sonication at 200 kHz was shown to recover bitumen effectively from oil sand at 85℃. For low temperature (45℃) solutions, only sonication at 28 kHz could recover bitumen from oil sand, demonstrating that sonication at 28 kHz can effectively breakdown the oil sand aggregates into a suspension. Hydrogen peroxide was also used to confirm the positive role for bitumen recovery. The role of highly concentrated H_2O_2 (>100 ppm) to recover bitumen during sonication was investigated. Hydrogen peroxide formed a bubble around the bitumen, which made it rise more easily to the solution surface during sonication. The result showed a good recovery rate of bitumen.