Effect of low-temperature oxidation on the pyrolysis and combustion of whole oil

Low-temperature oxidation (LTO) of the Fosterton crude oil mixed with its reservoir sand has been investigated in a tubular reactor. Reservoir sand saturated with 15 wt% of crude oil (20.5° API gravity) was subjected to air injection at low-temperature (220 °C) for a period of time (17 h and 30 min), resulting in the formation of an oxygenated hydrocarbon fuel. The vent gases were analyzed for the content of CO, CO2, and oxygen and the residue was analyzed to determine the elemental composition and calorific value. The presence of LTO region was verified from the values of apparent H/C ratio. In addition, thermal behavior and combustion kinetics of the residue was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TG involves both non-isothermal and isothermal analysis and kinetic data was derived from isothermal studies. The general model for nth order reaction was used to obtain the kinetic parameters of the coke oxidation reaction. The activation energy, frequency factor and order of the reactions were determined using the model.