Extraction of hydrocarbons from oil sand using supercritical carbon dioxid

• Main Author: Fang, Yi
• Other Authors: Dr. Selma E. Guigard (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: supercritical fluid extraction; supercritical carbon dioxid; oil sand; hydrocarbons; Dean-Stark extraction
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10048/1361

This study investigates the extraction of hydrocarbons from oil sand using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2). Experiments were carried out on three different types of oil sands. After some preliminary experiments, the feasibility of extracting hydrocarbons from oil sands by SC CO2 was confirmed and three experimental factors (pressure, temperature and mixing rate) were identified for further study. A two to the three factorial design was used to determine the significance of each factor and the significance of the interaction of the factors on the extraction efficiency. The extraction efficiency was calculated from Dean-Stark extraction analysis and was compared to the extraction efficiency based on gravimetric analysis. The results show that the extraction efficiency increased with pressure at a constant temperature. The effect of temperature on extraction efficiency is complex. The highest extraction efficiency was obtained at the high pressure (24.1MPa), high temperature (60C) and a mixing rate of 250rpm. === Environmental Science