Sweep flocculation in froth treatment and demulsification

该项目探索改进的加工方法，通过在加工过程中更早地去除更多的咸水滴，最终提高石油(沥青)的回收率。这些改进还旨在保护数百万美元的过程容器，这些容器用于在稍后的过程中将沥青升级为可加工原油。 我们正在考虑扫掠絮凝的机制，在这种机制下，水滴不必凝聚-它们只是形成一个松散连接的凝聚体，当粘土和细水滴通过稀释的沥青泡沫沉淀时，它会捕获粘土和细水滴。你可能会认为这是一个移动的过滤器，通过稀释的沥青泡沫沉淀下来。 如果能够清楚地确定这一机制，它将使我们更好地了解分离过程，并为继续改进过程、延长加工厂寿命和更安全的操作打开大门。

This project explores improved methods of processing that would ultimately increase the recovery of oil (bitumen) by removing more of the salty water droplets earlier in the process. These improvements also aim to protect the multi-million dollar process vessels used to upgrade the bitumen into processable crude later in the process. We are considering the mechanism of sweep flocculation, where the water droplets do not have to coalesce - they simply form a loosely connected agglomerate which captures clays and fine water drops as it settles through the diluted bitumen froth. You might think of this as a moving filter, settling through the diluted bitumen froth. If this mechanism can be cleanly identified, it would give us a better understanding of the separation process and open the doors to continued process improvement, longer process plant life, and safer operations.