Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

The Centre for Energy Research and Clean Unconventional Technology Solutions at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology has partnered with Pathways Alliance to explore an innovative solution to inhibit the formation of organic deposits, thereby minimizing fouling-related disruptions, reducing maintenance requirements, and optimizing the performance of Once Through Steam Generators (OTSG) in oil sands operation. A significant challenge for OTSG operations is increased fuel consumption costs caused by fouling, which increases greenhouse gas generation during heating. This project will investigate organic fouling, fouling potential, and water chemistry dynamics in the context of boiler feed water (BFW) compositions, novel additive formulations, and OTSG performance. The project’s experimental runs seek to assess the organic fouling and deposition potential of three challenging BFW compositions at benchmark temperature and pressure conditions. The research expects to produce process data to assess the formation and determine the characteristics of organic fouling. The experimental runs will also provide water samples for laboratory analysis to determine the composition of organic fouling formed in boiler tubes in the presence and absence of fouling inhibitors, focusing on Total Organic Carbon content for quantitative analysis and using high-pressure ion chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography equipped with time-of-flight mass spectrometer for qualitive analysis. This three-year research project specifically targets mitigating organic fouling formation, which inhibits heat transfer and consequently reduces greenhouse gas emissions. By increasing water recycling and eliminating freshwater usage, the project aims to enhance sustainability in the oil sands industry. The project is expected to yield novel scientific insights into the mechanisms of organic fouling, laying the groundwork for the development of innovative chemical formulations tailored to disrupt organic fouling formation in high-pressure and high-temperature environments. Chemical wastewaters are a global environmental concern and require major efforts to find efficient and cost-effective treatment methods to remove pollutants. Project outcomes hold the potential to reduce the environmental impacts of wastewater disposal, aiding in moving toward achieving net zero and meeting national climate goals.