High-Efficiency Ultrajet Hydrodynamic Cracking of Heavy Bitumen and Oil Sludge

Abstract

This study investigates the efficiency of ultrajet hydrodynamic treatment for the cracking of highly viscous bitumens and oil sludges. Experiments were conducted using a high-pressure Flow JetForce HHP-500 installation capable of generating jets with velocities of up to 820 m/s and pressures up to 320 MPa. The research analyzed the effects of jet velocity, impact angle, cyclic flow modes, and turbulence-enhancing inserts on viscosity reduction and the yield of light fractions. After two processing cycles with maximum parameters, the viscosity decreased by 65% (from 9100 to 3100 ± 150 mPa s, n = 3 at 25 °C), and the yield of fractions with Tboil < 350 °C increased to 33.5 ± 1.0 p.p. (n = 3). Cyclic feeding and turbulence added another 3–4 p.p. to the yield without a noticeable increase in specific energy capacity. The study also showed that compared to ultrasonic cavitation and thermal pyrolysis, ultrajet processing achieved comparable or superior results while consuming significantly less energy and shorter processing times. The findings confirm that the ultrajet hydrodynamic technology represents a promising, energy-efficient approach for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons and reducing processing complexity.