Advancement of bitumen partial upgrading with consideration of alloy corrosion

加拿大石油和沥青是从油砂中提取的一种粘性燃料。据加拿大政府称，2019年油砂产量为290万桶/日，预计产量将继续增加。加拿大96%的沥青被运往美国炼油市场，其中大部分通过管道运输。由于稀释剂的粘度很高，约30%的稀释剂在输送前必须与沥青预混，才能达到管道粘度规范。添加稀释剂意味着沥青和温室气体排放的额外成本。为了提高沥青的利润率和竞争力，减少其碳足迹，申请人与CanmetMaterial，NRCan(CMAT)合作开发了一种经济高效的升级技术，将沥青部分升级为管道运输燃料，了解部分升级过程中的合金腐蚀机理，然后考虑合金腐蚀来优化工艺。合作研究与CMAT的核心研究很好地吻合。该项目的成功将促进经济增长，并加强加拿大在沥青油升级方面的领先地位。这是一项跨学科的研究，为培养在沥青改质和工艺优化领域拥有专业知识的下一代化学工程师提供了一个极好的平台。

Canadian oilsand bitumen is a viscous fuel extracted from the oil sands. According to the Government of Canada, the oil sands production was 2.9 million barrels per day in 2019 and continuous increase in the production is anticipated. 96% of Canadian bitumen are transported to US refining markets and most are transported through pipelines. Due to its high viscosity, around 30% diluent solvent must be premixed with bitumen prior to its transportation to achieve the pipeline viscosity specifications. Addition of diluent represents an extra cost of bitumen and greenhouse gas emissions. To increase the profit margin and competitiveness of bitumen and to decrease its carbon footprints, the applicant collaborates with CanmetMaterials, NRCan (CMAT) to develop a cost-effective upgrading technology to partially upgrade bitumen to pipeline transportable fuels, understand alloy corrosion mechanisms in the partial upgrading process and then optimize the process with consideration of alloy corrosion. The collaborated research well aligns with the core research of CMAT. The success of the project will promote economic growth and strengthen the Canada's leading position in bitumen oil upgrading. This is an interdisciplinary research that forms an excellent platform for training next generation chemical engineers with expertise in the field of bitumen upgrading and process optimization.