Realization of a Technology for In-situ Real Time Measurements of Solids Content in Settling Tailings

拟议的研究项目是艾伯塔大学、油砂可持续发展中心和北艾伯塔省理工学院应用研究中心与帝国石油公司合作开展的。这项拟议的研究项目是目前NSERC-CRD项目的下一步，该项目名为“现场实时测量沉降尾矿中固体含量的技术”。在NSERC-CRD项目中，已经成功地开发了一种混合地下固体含量分析仪，该分析仪结合了光学和安全的伽马射线方法，用于在线连续监测油砂过程，并在实验室环境中证明了其有效性。我们详细地研究了激光散射颗粒的过程和伽马射线在复杂材料(尾矿)中的传播过程。基于从NSERC-CRD项目中获得的知识，将设计和建造一个可现场使用的原型，用于在油砂尾矿库测试该技术，并将与工业合作伙伴共同制定实施计划。现场固体含量测量技术的实现将使油砂行业能够将其纳入其油砂项目的设计中，以提供更有效和高效的工艺，并改善环境性能。

The proposed research project which is a collaborative effort of University of Alberta (U of A), the Centre for Oil Sands Sustainability (COSS), and the applied research centre at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), in partnership with Imperial Oil. The proposed research project is the next step for a current NSERC-CRD project "Technology for In-situ Real Time Measurements of Solids Content in Settling Tailings". In the NSERC-CRD project a hybrid subsurface solids content analyzer, combining optical and safe gamma ray methods for in-line continuous monitoring of oil sands processes, has been successfully developed and its effectiveness demonstrated in a laboratory environment. We have studied in detail the processes in laser light scattering from settling particulates and gamma ray propagation in complex materials (tailings). Based on the knowledge gained from the NSERC-CRD project, a field-ready prototype will be designed and built for testing the technology at an oil sands tailing pond and a plan for implementation will be developed with the industrial partner. The realization of the in-situ solids content measurement technology will allow the oil sands industry to incorporate it into the design of their oil sands projects to deliver a more effective and efficient process, together with improved environmental performance.