ISSN: 1945-7553
CODEN: JTEVAB
Published Online: 23 February 2010
Page Count: 7

Methods for Determining the Solubility Parameter of Bitumen

Wang, Tao
State Key Lab of Heavy Oil Processing, China Univ. of Petroleum, Dongying, Shandong

Zhang, Yuzhen
State Key Lab of Heavy Oil Processing, China Univ. of Petroleum, Dongying, Shandong

(Received 17 February 2009; accepted 14 December 2009)

Abstract

A method of computing a one-dimensional solubility parameter (Hildebrand solubility parameter) was used by expressing the molar attraction constants and molar volumes on a “per carbon atom” basis. Besides, two experimental methods of testing three-dimensional solubility parameters (Hansen solubility parameters) of bitumen were used, namely, three-dimensional turbidimetric titration method and dissolution method. By comparing the solubility parameters of six bitumens determined by three different methods, the results show that the solubility parameters of six bitumens determined by the three-dimensional turbidimetric titration method have a wider range than solubility parameters determined by the other two methods. By comparing the solubility parameters determined by three different methods with compatibility evaluation results, the results show that the solubility parameters determined by the three-dimensional turbidimetric titration have the best accordance with compatibility evaluation results. The three-dimensional turbidimetric titration has satisfactory precision and accuracy to determine Hansen three-dimensional solubility parameters.

Keywords:
bitumen, solubility parameters, computational method, three-dimensional turbidimetric titration, dissolution method

Paper ID: JTE102384
DOI: 10.1520/JTE102384
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