Effects of H2O Addition on Oil Sand Bitumen Cracking Using a CeO2–ZrO2–Al2O3–FeOx Catalyst

Abstract

The behavior of a CeO2–ZrO2–Al2O3–FeOx catalyst typically employed during heavy oil decomposition was investigated in conjunction with the addition of H2O, as a means of improving the upgrading activity and suppressing coke formation on the catalyst. The upgrading of oil sand bitumen diluted with benzene was examined with this catalyst at various FH2O/Fbitumen ratios [where FH2O is the water flow rate (g h–1) and Fbitumen is the bitumen feedstock flow rate (g h–1)] in a fixed-bed flow-type reactor. Under optimal conditions (FH2O/Fbitumen equal to approximately 20) and at a reaction temperature of 693 K, effective catalytic decomposition of the bitumen was observed with the lighter component (gas oil and vacuum gas oil) yield reaching 71 mol % C. In addition, the formation of coke on the catalyst was decreased to less than 14 mol % C. Analyses using quadrupole mass spectrometry determined that this catalyst upgrades the heavy oil through oxidation reactions, in which the lattice oxygen of the iron oxide is...