Vacuum residuum was upgraded in an ultrasonic reactor of our own design. We found that during sonication in the absence of a hydrogen donor, the viscosity of the vacuum residuum is reduced by 10.98%; without sonication but in the presence of tetralin, it is reduced by 30.9%; and with combined tetralin treatment and sonication, the viscosity is reduced by 39.27%. The synergistic effect of ultrasound and tetralin results in a product with more stable viscosity, higher percentage of light components, lower density and lower pour point than obtained by separate application of these technologies.
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Translated from Khimiya i Tekhnologiya Topliv i Masel, No. 6, pp. 7 – 12, November – December, 2012.
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Yang, Z., Zhang, C., Gu, S. et al. Upgrading vacuum residuum by combined sonication and treatment with a hydrogen donor. Chem Technol Fuels Oils 48, 426–435 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-013-0391-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-013-0391-2
Key words
- ultrasound
- vacuum residuum
- hydrogen donor
- viscosity reduction
- upgrading