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Tar sand extractions with microemulsions and emulsions
Author(s) -
Sarbar Mohammad,
Brochu Charles,
Boisvert Michel,
Desnoyers Jacques E.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450620215
Subject(s) - microemulsion , pulmonary surfactant , asphalt , kerosene , chemistry , toluene , aqueous two phase system , dispersion (optics) , phenol , aqueous solution , emulsion , chemical engineering , ternary operation , chromatography , organic chemistry , materials science , composite material , biochemistry , physics , computer science , optics , programming language , engineering
Extractions of bitumen from tar sands were studied in parallel with pseudo‐ternary phase diagrams for the dispersion of bitumen in microemulsions. The three components were an active mixture (aqueous solution of surfactant and cosurfactant), a cosolvent and bitumen. Both pure and commercial surfactants were investigated, and, in general, commercial surfactants were more effective than pure ones. There was general correlation between the dispersion phase diagrams and the extractions. The microemulsion using Dowfax 2A1 as surfactant was an exception, being quite effective as an extractant even though not much bitumen could be dispersed in it. Most experiments were made with 2‐butoxyethyanol (BE) as cosurfactant, although a few were also made with phenol and pyridine. The efficiency of the cosolvent decreased in the order toluene > naptha > kerosene. Except for the case where the surfactant was Atlas G3300, extractions were more effective at 80°C than 25°C. With anionic surfactants pH did not seem to have much effect on the extractions.