Study on the slurrying properties of semi-coke with dispersants and the interaction between semi-coke particles based on E-DLVO theory

Abstract

It is essential to prepare the semi-coke water slurry (SCWS) using semi-coke powder in China. The preparation of SCWS can not only alleviate the oil demand, but can also provide a new way to utilize semi-coke powder. In this work, the effects of sodium methylene naphthalene sulfonate (NNO), sodium lignosulfonate (SLS), sodium humate (SH), polycarboxylate (PCE), and compound anion-anion (NNO/PCE), on the slurrying performance of semi-coke water slurry (SCWS) were studied. The results showed that the anionic dispersants increased the concentration of SCWSs, and the slurry exhibited the pseudoplastic rheological behavior of shear thinning. Adding PCE and NNO/PCE in the SCWS could improve its stability and fluidity. The absorbed capacity the microstructure of the particles, surface tension, contact angle, as well as Zeta potential of semi-coke powder were impacted by the addition of anionic dispersants in the SCWS. The results showed that anionic dispersants were adsorbed on the surface of semi-coke by a single-molecular layer. The developments of molecular dynamics simulation indicated that all dispersants should be spontaneously adsorbed on the surface of semi-coke, and the addition of anionic dispersants could reduce the contact angle and surface tension of the semi-char particle surface, increase the hydrophilicity and enhance the electronegativity. Finally, extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey –Overbeek (E-DLVO) theory calculations showed that adsorption of dispersants could significantly increase the total interaction energy between semi-coke particles. Finally, a model of the interaction mechanism of the anionic dispersants and semi-coke particles was proposed in this paper.