Advancement of bitumen partial upgrading with consideration of alloy corrosion

加拿大油砂沥青是从油砂中提取的一种粘性燃料。根据加拿大政府的数据，2019年油砂产量为290万桶/天，预计产量将持续增加。96%的加拿大沥青被运往美国炼油市场，其中大部分通过管道运输。由于其高粘度，在输送前必须将30%左右的稀释溶剂与沥青预混，以达到管道粘度规格。添加稀释剂意味着额外的沥青成本和温室气体排放。为了提高沥青的利润率和竞争力，减少其碳足迹，申请人与CanmetMaterials， NRCan （CMAT）合作开发一种具有成本效益的升级技术，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制，然后在考虑合金腐蚀的情况下优化工艺。该合作研究与CMAT的核心研究很好地契合。该项目的成功实施将促进经济增长，加强加拿大在沥青油升级方面的领先地位。这是一个跨学科的研究，为培养具有沥青升级和工艺优化领域专业知识的下一代化学工程师提供了一个很好的平台。

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.