Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of tailings flow in pipelines for enhanced bitumen recovery

此次合作的目标是开发一种在管道水力运输过程中从尾矿流中分离沥青的技术。目前的工业水基萃取过程会产生大量尾矿副产品，主要由残余沥青、工艺水、沙子和粘土组成。尾矿通过几公里长的管道水力输送到储存池，固体在土地复垦之前在那里沉降和固结。在处置之前，回收尾矿中的残留沥青对于减少池塘的温室气体排放和减轻与沥青分解相关的环境危害至关重要。在该项目中，将进行计算流体动力学 (CFD) 模拟来预测流动条件，并开发利用管道水力输送尾矿至池塘的强化沥青分离技术。 该研究项目将通过从废物中获取有价值的成分，为油砂行业创造潜在利益，并通过减少尾矿库的温室气体排放，为环境做出贡献。基于管道运输的分离技术可转移到其他工业和环境过程中，用于废物管理和贵重物品的回收。该项目将为高素质人才提供极好的研究培训机会。

The goal of this partnership is to develop a technology for bitumen separation from the flow of tailings during pipeline hydrotransport. The current industrial water-based extraction process produces a vast volume of tailings as by-product that mainly consist of residual bitumen, process water, sand and clays. Tailings are hydrotransported in pipelines over several kilometers to a storage pond where the solids settle and consolidate before land reclamation. Prior to disposal, recovery of residual bitumen in tailings is crucial to reduce greenhouse gas emission from the ponds and to mitigate the environmental hazard associated with bitumen decomposition. In this project, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations will be conducted to predict the flow conditions and develop the technology for enhanced bitumen separation by taking advantage of pipeline hydrtransport of tailings to the pond. This research project will potentially create benefits to oil sands industry by obtaining valuable components from the waste, and make contribution to environment by reducing greenhouse gas emission from tailing ponds. The separation technology based on pipeline transport is transferrable to other industrial and environmental processes for waste management and recycle of valuables. This project will offer excellent research training opportunities for highly qualified personnel.