Effect of Supercritical Water on Cracking of Oil Sand Bitumen

Abstract

Canadian oil sand bitumen was treated at 450°C for 60 and 120 min, using supercritical water(SCW)or high-pressure nitrogen as a reaction medium, to clarify SCW effect on its pyrolysis reaction. Through analyses of heavier products obtained using both media, it was found that distillation residue fraction prepared in SCW consisted of compounds having smaller molecular weight distribution and more condensed structure than in case of nitrogen. As a result, SCW was considered to be able to highly disperse reactants and show so-called the cage effect. This SCW effect led to suppression of coupling reaction and consequent coking reaction, resulting in the higher conversion.