THE FLUIDIZATION TECHNIQUE APPLIED TO DIRECT DISTILLATION OF OIL FROM BITUMINOUS SAND

Abstract

The fluidized solids technique has been applied successfully to the flash distillation of oil from Alberta bituminous sand on a laboratory scale. At 500 °C. a 76% oil recovery was obtained. The remaining 24% produced approximately equal weights of coke and gaseous compounds. At temperatures below 460 °C. trouble was experienced in maintaining a fluidized bed because of the slow rate of distillation. As temperatures were increased above 500 °C. the yield of oil decreased, with a corresponding increase in gas formation.