Cyclone fouling in fluid cokers: model development and adsorption experiments

世界范围内由于能源需求增加而导致的轻质原油枯竭的趋势导致了沥青加工和改质的可行性和盈利能力。预计到2040年，全球能源需求将增长48%。尽管可再生能源正在增加，但到2040年，化石燃料预计将占全球能源需求的75%以上。加拿大是液体化石燃料的主要来源国，油砂中的可采储量为1660亿桶。流态化焦化反应器用于将沥青提升为轻质产品，方法是将热焦炭颗粒注入沸腾床反应器中，这是热裂化反应所必需的。在床层上方的旋风分离器中的污垢减少了气体出口管中的流动面积，增加了反应器和燃烧器的压力。由于燃烧器鼓风机的最大输出，这种压力积累需要降低进料速度，最终导致停机。拟议研究的主要目标是通过使用两种研究方法提出反应堆旋风分离器中的污垢缓解策略，以提高机组的可靠性。第一部分将根据相关的流体动力学特征、汽相反应和汽液热力学特征建立一个现象学模型来预测旋风污垢。该模型将被用来预测拟议的缓解策略对催化裂化反应器中感兴趣区域的相对影响。第二种方法将测量碳氢化合物蒸气在高温混合批次系统中的吸附，以确定焦炭表面特性的影响。这些测量将建立烃类吸附的动力学以及分子量对优先吸附的影响。该项目的成功完成将产生相关的实验数据和模拟方法，以减轻流体焦化旋风结垢。两名MESC学生将在项目期间接受培训，并将发展高度相关的技能，以便在加拿大的石油和能源行业工作。最后，当考虑到工艺生命周期时，通过减少二氧化碳排放和经济损失，改进的流体焦化能源效率具有有利的效果。

The worldwide trend of light crude oil depletion due to increasing energy demands led to the viability and profitability of bitumen processing and upgrading. Global energy demand is expected to increase 48% by 2040. Although renewable energy sources are increasing, fossil fuels are anticipated to account for over 75% of the world's energy needs through 2040. Canada is a major source of liquid fossil fuels with 166 billion barrels of recoverable reserves in the oil sands. Fluid Coker reactors are used to upgrade bitumen into lighter products by injection onto a fluidized bed reactor of hot coke particles, required for the thermal cracking reactions. Fouling in the cyclones above the fluidized bed reduces the flow area in the gas outlet tubes, increasing the reactor and burner pressures. This pressure buildup requires a reduced feed rate due to the burner blower's maximum output, eventually leading to a shut-down. The main objective of the proposed research is to improve the unit reliability by proposing fouling mitigation strategies in the reactor cyclones using two research approaches. The first will develop a phenomenological model to predict cyclone fouling based on relevant fluid dynamic characteristics, vapour phase reactions, and vapour-liquid thermodynamic characteristics. The model will be used to predict the relative impacts of proposed mitigation strategies on areas of interest in the Fluid Coker reactors. The second approach will measure hydrocarbon vapour adsorption in a high temperature well-mixed batch system to determine the impact of coke surface characteristics. These measurements will establish the kinetics of hydrocarbon adsorption as well as the impact of molecular weight on preferential adsorption. The successful completion of this project will generate relevant experimental data and modeling methods to mitigate Fluid Coker cyclone fouling. Two MESc students will be trained during the project and will develop highly relevant skills to work in Canada's oil and energy industries. Lastly, when the process life cycle is considered, improved Fluid Coker energy efficiencies have a beneficial effect by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and economic loss.