CHARACTERIZATION AND POTENTIAL UTILIZATION OF WHITEROCKS (UTAH) TAR SAND BITUMEN |
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Authors: | Chi Hslng Tsai Milind D. Deo Francis V. Hanson Alex G. Oblad |
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Affiliation: | Department of Fuels Engineering , Laboratory of Coal Science, Synthetic Fuels and Catalysis, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT The native Whiterocks (Utah) tar sand bitumen was separated into several boiling range fractions for detailed analysis and characterization. The lighter fraction (477-617 K) was evaluated for use as a transportation fuel and the residues (>617 K and >728 K) were evaluated for use as road asphalts. The 617 K plus residue from the Whiterocks bitumen can be classified as a viscosity grade AC-10 asphalt whereas the 728 K plus residue failed to meet asphalt specifications. Apart from the asphalt specification tests, several sophisticated techniques were used to characterize these fractions. The detailed structure of the low molecular weight portions of Whiterocks bitumen (477-617 K and 617-728 K) was determined by combined GC-MS. Several physical properties were also measured to evaluate the potential of the 477-617 K fraction as a high density/energy aviation turbine fuel. This lower molecular weight fraction of the bitumen contained predominantly naphthenic hydrocarbons and lesser concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons. This was confirmed by the FTIR spectra and by the GC-MS analyses. As a result, the 477-617 K fraction appeared to be an excellent candidate as a feedstock for the production of high density, aviation turbine fuels following mild hydro treating. The heat of combustion, 135,500 BTU/gal., exceeded the specification for the high density/energy JP -11 aviation turbine fuel. The naphthenic hydrocarbons included alkylcyclohexanes, alkyldecalins, tricyclic terpanes, steranes, tetracyclic terpanes, and pentacyclic terpanes. The aromatic constituents were determined to be alkylbenzenes, benzomono-cycloparaffins, phenyl(cyclohexyl) alkanes, alkylnaphthalenes, benzodicycloparaffins, benzotricycloparaffins. alkylacenaphthenes, and naphthalene monocycloparaffins. These compounds were similar in nature to those found in the Green River shale oil. |
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