Heavy oil upgrading in a hydrodynamic cavitation system: CFD modelling, effect of the presence of hydrogen donor and metal nanoparticles

Abstract

The cavitation technique with the use of a proper hydrogen donor can be used to upgrade heavy oils, such as atmospheric and vacuum residues and lower the difficulties of their transportation and exploitation. On the other hand, the very high localized temperature experienced in collapsing bubbles may activate the dispersed metal nanoparticles, and therefore the cracking or hydrogenation reactions may be catalyzed through the cavitation process of heavy oils. This paper investigated numerically the formation of a vapour phase in the cavitation chamber of a home‐made laboratory hydrodynamic cavitation setup and also investigated the upgrading of a sample of heavy fuel oil in the presence of gasoline as a hydrogen donor and metal nanoparticles. The results indicated that adding 0.01 L/L gasoline to a 10‐min cavitational cracking process at 80 °C and atmospheric pressure can reduce the viscosity of heavy oil by about 20 %. In addition, the presence of iron nanoparticles can increase the rate of hydrogenation and/or cracking reactions in the heavy oil cavitational upgrading process (HCUP) in the presence of a hydrogen donor.

Recent Approaches, Catalysts and Formulations for Enhanced Recovery of Heavy Crude Oils

“…In surface upgrading, the viscosity of the heavy oil may rise due to the absence of hydrogen donors or the presence of oil-insoluble hydrogen donors [91,114]. Fortunately, the synergistic effect between the catalyst and ultrasonication (a physical process) can reduce up to 86 % of the original viscosity of heavy oil [115].…”

Determining the influence of cavitation treatment on the octane number of gas-condensate gasoline modified with isopropanol

“…Paper [2] studied the effect of hydrodynamic cavitation on the viscosity of heavy oil in the presence of metal nanoparticles and a hydrogen donor, which could be a gasoline fraction. It is shown that the addition of 0.01 liters of gasoline per 1 liter of heavy oil and 10-minute cavitation cracking process at 80 °C and above-the-atmospheric pressure reduces the viscosity of heavy oil by about 20 %.…”

Ultrasound Applied in the Reduction of Viscosity of Heavy Crude Oil

“…Askarian et al [55] evaluated the effect of the presence of hydrogen donors in combination with metal nanoparticles, where they achieved a 20% viscosity reduction. Avvaru et al [56] show how this technology can be applied to several processes related to the handling of heavy oil and explain the theoretical mechanisms of its operation.…”