An Experimental Investigation of the Transport and Combustion Processes Within Fractured Oil Sand Beds

Abstract

The behavior of fractured beds of light oil (37° API) sand cores when subjected to high-temperature, low-velocity vitiated air stream of the combustion products of near-lean flammability limit mixture of n-hexane and air are examined. The fractured cores were prepared synthetically so as to provide samples of controlled composition, porosity and permeability. They were tested in long cylindrical configurations which contained a small diameter/central axial passage representing a fracture. The combustion behavior of cores containing light oil tended to be erratic with more of the fuel burning in the fracture rather than in the core. The combustion was sustained mainly by the light fuel rather than the cokey deposits. The samples tested indicated poor oil recoveries accompanied by high amounts of coke residue.