Testing and Development: Hydrogen Peroxide as a Separation
Aid
Slide 2
The Process Hydrogen peroxide decomposes in situ to produce
very small gas bubbles (~0.1 to 2 mm diameter) that aerate bitumen
droplets 2H 2 O 2 2H 2 O + O 2 Aeration = f(collisions,
attachment). In situ formation effectively increases the number of
collisions, especially if the gas bubbles form while in contact
with bitumen
Slide 3
Over the past 13 years, Prairie Creek Technologies staff have
participated in numerous studies directed at modifications to the
Clark hot water process to enhance separation of oil sands with
high fines, high salts and low bitumen content. The testing and
development work has been conducted at laboratory scale, bench
scale and industrial plant scale. The work was conducted
independently, with academic institutions and with operating
companies.
Slide 4
Studies Conducted in Oklahoma Lab-scale separation of bitumen
from oil sands using hydrogen peroxide, with loss-on-ignition
analysis, Dean Stark, gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer, over
a four-year period. Plexiglas extraction cell using
industry-supplied oil sands for the study of extraction process
hydrodynamics and recovery of bitumen. Designed, built and tested
mixer designs integrated into the extraction cell to study flow
patterns and separation dynamics. Designed, built and tested
continuous flow loop with oil sands and hydrogen peroxide to
benchmark original work: 160 feet of 2 pipe with transparent
separation cell downstream. Worked with oil sands operating
companies to design test procedures for commercial demonstrations
on several plants, including participation in haz ops.
Slide 5
Studies Conducted on Site in Canada Testing at Alberta Research
Center (ARC) over 13 years and in several phases on the
fundamentals of hydrogen peroxide separation enhancement, multiple
rounds with difficult-to-process ores under the guidance of several
oil sands companies: Effects on wettability of mineral substrates
Bubble generation Kinetics of bubble formation Size and efficiency
of bubbles in flotation Kinetics of separation Recovery
efficiencies Micro-photo analysis of process Degassing analysis
Effect on corrosion
Slide 6
Decomposition Kinetics Decomposition kinetics fits with
commercial process residence time
Slide 7
Typical Results from Poorly-Processing Oil Sand (Lab
Hydro-transport Loop) Economic decision re: dosage Simulation of
performance in a PSC with no sparged air. Higher recovery in the
PSC means less recovery in flotation and lower re-circulating load.
The economic opportunity arising from this needs to be
explored.
Slide 8
Collaboration by Industry Groups Worked with various oil sands
operating companies and consultants to determine whether and how
companies might work together in testing and sharing new processing
aids. Worked with two major peroxide suppliers to design a
full-scale test facility and process at an extraction plant. Ran a
test loop at the University of Alberta to study separation and
flotation. Ran an extraction loop test with ARC at an extraction
facility to determine pilot plant requirements.
Slide 9
Collaboration by Industry Groups Participated in three-month
test at SGS facility (Ft. McKay) with hydrogen peroxide and sodium
hydroxide which identified the limitations of the facility.
Conducted test program at McGill University to analyze the
mechanisms and chemistry of peroxide flotation and bitumen
recovery, including BSAF* and bubble dynamics and kinetics An
alternative in flotation to use of surfactants and specialty
chemicals being studied by McGill to engineer bubble size *Bubble
Surface Area Flux
Slide 10
Results from McGill Measured sensitivity of critical bubble
characteristics to peroxide dose, solids concentration and water
chemistry Process implications not yet evaluated (requires fluid
dynamic modeling and testing)
Slide 11
Effect on Corrosion Rate Classical corrosion studies showed a
decrease with increasing oxygen bubble formation from 0.6 mm/yr to
0.4 mm/yr Literature indicates that this is due to the formation of
a more highly resistant gelatinous ferric hydroxide film at high
oxygen rather than a porous black magnetic ferric oxide film at low
oxygen Not relevant to an oil sand process where corrosion
dominates over erosion Have seen no incremental rate of
corrosion/erosion in a slurry environment
Slide 12
Effect of Oxygen in Froth Froth generated in a WEMCO cell both
with and without peroxide in three pairs of experiments Analysis
error estimated to be +/-1% Increase in oxygen content of froth gas
in three tests were 0.1%, 1% and 2% Total gas content of peroxide
generated froths no higher with peroxide than without peroxide