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A Two Level Fractional Factorial Design to Test the Effect of Oil Sands Composition and Process Water Chemistry on Bitumen Recovery from Model Systems
Author(s) -
Fong Nelson,
Ng Samson,
Chung Keng H.,
Tu Yun,
Li Zaifeng,
Sparks Bryan D.,
Kotlyar Luba S.
Publication year - 2004
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.5450820417
Subject(s) - factorial experiment , asphalt , fractional factorial design , oil sands , illite , kaolinite , montmorillonite , sodium hydroxide , extraction (chemistry) , chemistry , petroleum engineering , mineralogy , environmental science , mathematics , soil science , chromatography , clay minerals , geology , materials science , statistics , composite material , organic chemistry
To overcome the compositional variability inherent to natural oil sands we use extraction tests with model oil sands (MOS) systems in a systematic, experimental design study. Eight significant variables from screening tests in earlier work are tested here. Namely, concentrations of bitumen, silica fines, sodium kaolinite, illite and montmorillonite. In addition, we tested different concentrations of Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Na + in the synthetic process water used with bitumen separation tests. A two level, fractional factorial experimental design allowed testing of the selected variables using only 16 runs. In addition, sodium hydroxide was added as a ninth variable and four repeat tests allowed evaluation of precision. The resulting bitumen recovery model explained 94% of the data variation. The associated parameter estimates were in general agreement with previous experimental observations and with actual operational experience.