(42b) Modelling and Optimization of Bitumen Partial Upgrading Process Using HYSYS

The partially upgrading process is known as the process to transform bitumen just enough to reduce diluent requirements, lowering transportation costs and improving profit. In general, the partially upgraded process consists of a solvent deasphalting step to reject asphaltenes from bitumen, a thermal cracking of the deasphalted product step, and a hydrotreating step to saturate the olefins generated by thermal cracking. However, the process has been still observed to have difficulties in achieving the product quality targets set for partial upgrading (density <0.9400 g/cm³ at 15.6 ^oC and viscosity <350 cSt at 7 ^oC). The process configuration is on of main factors to allow higher thermal conversion levels and product quality. Thus, there is a motivation to develop the partial upgrading process to overcome the above difficulties. In this study, a plant-wide process model was developed by considering visbreaking and solvent deasphalting units for investigating configurations of partial upgrading processes. The visbreaking and deasphalting unit models were built using the experimental data from the bench-scale facilities and from the literature. The process evaluation was done in terms of process performance and the equipment capex. Finally, an optimal process scheme was selected, which has shown the best potential to achieve the product quality targets