Abstract
Experimental studies on the conversion of asphaltene during the co-processing of coal and bitumen are described. Athabasca bitumen (15.4 % asphaltenes) was co-processed with a sub-bituminous coal (1.14% asphaltene) in a batch autoclave under hydrogen pressure at reaction temperatures varying from 400 to 440°C. Both thermal and catalytic co-processing experiments were conducted. The catalysts used were molten halide type and included ZnCl2, MoCl5, KC1, CuCl, and SnCl2. Higher reaction temperature resulted in higher conversion of asphaltenes into both maltenes and coke and gases. As a result the H/C atomic ratio of the unconverted asphaltenes decreased with temperature. Higher reaction time on the other hand allowed maltenes to be converted to asphaltenes. While all the catalysts tested had catalytic effects on asphaltene conversion, MoCl5 was found to provide the highest conversion of asphaltenes due to its ability to hydrogenate the radicals formed due to asphaltene cracking.
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