Abstract
Supercritical water upgrading of heavy oil has attracted considerable attention, as the upgrading process can reduce the sulfur content and decrease the average molecular weight of the oil. Understanding the flow and mixing behavior of heavy oil in supercritical water is important to improve the process efficiency. We performed neutron radiography experiments to directly visualize the behavior of heavy oil in supercritical water. Atmospheric residue was used as a heavy oil sample, and the heavy oil and supercritical water were supplied countercurrently to a 1/2-inch tube reactor packed with Al2O3 particles with a diameter of 3 mm; the pressure and temperature were set to 25 MPa and 400°C. The behavior of the heavy oil in the supercritical water depended on the oil and water flow rates. This study demonstrates that neutron radiography is a feasible visualization technique for the investigation of heavy oil behavior in supercritical water.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
