Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The goal of the present study is to develop a new thermodynamic model for the simulation of the saturation*vapour pressure in Dilbit-water-sand/clay slurries, in proportions relevant to the NRU (Naphtha Recovery Unit)*and using actual Syncrude NRU Feed samples. Experiments will be developed using a Recat LV Cell, which*has been tested and implemented by Prof. de Lasa's team at the CREC(Chemical Reactor Engineering Centre)*-UWO (University of Western Ontario) laboratories. The Recat LV Cell allows the quantification of the vapour*pressure, as well as the identification of adequate mixing slurry conditions. In this respect, the proposed new*research under combined NSERC CRD and Syncrude Canada sponsorship will involve enhancing the Recat*LV Cell further. The patented CREC Optiprobes will be used for gas phase sampling as well as online*measurement of droplets and particle sizes. It is anticipated that the use of this strategy will provide critical*data for the identification of best mixing conditions and power input, for highly dispersed*Dilbit-water-sand/clay slurry phases and NRU feeds. Furthermore, a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD)*model will be developed for this test cell. The proposed CFD model will be validated using data from the Recat*LV Cell. This model will also use relevant fluid dynamic parameters for CFD simulation such as viscosity,*surface tension and sand agglomerate sizes. This CFD model will provide a description of mixing patterns in*the Recat LV Cell and the best conditions required for achieving liquid-vapour equilibrium. These identified*mixing conditions, as well of liquid-vapour thermodynamics will provide Syncrude valuable engineering*information for the efficient processing of their Froth Treatment tailings and fine tune their operation for*minimizing solvent loss.