Skip to main content
Ir a la página de inicio de la Comisión Europea (se abrirá en una nueva ventana)
español español
CORDIS - Resultados de investigaciones de la UE
CORDIS
Contenido archivado el 2024-04-15

COMBINED DEWATERING AND SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF BITUMENS FROM PEAT

Objetivo

A COMPUTER ASSISTED DESIGN WILL BE MADE OF A CARVER-GREENFIELD TYPE PILOT PLANT TO PROCESS 100 TONNES MILLED PEAT PER WEEK. SUBSEQUENTLY PROCESS, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS WILL BE ESTIMATED.
FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THIS RESEARCH AN APPLICATION WILL BE MADE FOR A DEMONSTRATION GRANT UNDER DG XVII TO BUILD SUCH A PLANT.
The application of the Carver-Greenfield process to the dewatering of peat with concurrent solvent extraction of peat bitumens has been studied. Criteria for solvent selection included yield of bitumen and environmental acceptability, as well as physical considerations relevant to Carver-Greenfield process. A proprietary petroleum distillate, Shell white spirit, was found to have appropriate peat wetting and peat slurry rheological characteristics and extracted approximately 9% bitumen based on dry weight of peat. A plant was designed to dry 30000 tonnes of bog peat per annum from 50% to 1% moisture by weight.

Blends of peat bitumen with petroleum bitumen were found to show a propensity to harden on ageing. Mechanisms of age hardening are thought to involve polyesterifications with consequent increase in molecular weight.

The bitumen has been fractionated on the basis of solubility into wax, resin and asphaltere. These fractions were analysed chromatographically and spectroscopically and their rheological characteristics established. Species in the wax fraction were found to dominate the rheological behaviour of the bitumen.

The application of the Carver-Greenfield process to the dewatering of peat with concurrent solvent extraction of peat bitumens has been studied. Criteria for solvent selection included yield of bitumen and environmental acceptability, as well as physical considerations relevant to the Carver-Greenfield process. A proprietary petroleum distillate, Shell White Spirit, was found to have the appropriate peat wetting and peat slurry rheological characteristics and extracted approximately 9% bitumen based on dry weight of peat.

Using this data a plant was designed to dry 30000 tonnes of bog peat per annum from 50% to 1% by weight of moisture. The plant involves a total investment of 2.2 million and the manufacturing cost (including amortisation of the capital) of the crude bitumen is about 1180 per tonne. As the powdered peat is pyrophoric it would be appropriate to briquette it. If briquettes were made, with a selling price of 125 per tonne, then the total investment required is about 4.0 million and the manufacturing cost of the crude bitumen is effectively reduced to 880 per tonne.

The engineering properties of the blends of the peat bitumen with petroleum bitumen were evaluated but were found to show a propensity to harden on ageing, putting use as road binder constituents into doubt. Mechanisms of age hardening were investigated in terms of bitumen chemistry, and are thought to involve polyesterifications with consequent increase in molecular weight.

With a view to identification of alternative applications to road binders, the bitumen has been fractionated on the basis of solubility into wax, resin and asphaltene. These fractions were analysed chromatographically and spectroscopically and their rheological characteristics established. Species in the wax fraction were found to dominate the rheological behaviour of the bitumen.
THIS RESEARCH PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AND OPTIMISE A PEAT DRYING PROCESS BASED ON THE CARVER-GREENFIELD SYSTEM TO :

A) INCREASE DEWATERING EFFICIENCIES;
B) EXTRACT PEAT BITUMENS;
C) DOUBLE THE CALORIFIC VALUE OF PEAT;
D) PRODUCE A SMOKELESS FUEL;
E) EASE PROCESS HANDLING OF PEAT;
F) REDUCE DUST EXPLOSIVE RISKS;
G) REDUCE TRANSPORT COSTS OF WET FUEL;
H) REDUCE COMMUNITY ENERGY COSTS;
I) CONSERVE FUEL DEPOSITS;
J) ACHIEVE CONSISTENT RESIDUAL MOISTURE CONTENT OF PEAT;
K) CREATE NEW EMPLOYMENT.

Ámbito científico (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS clasifica los proyectos con EuroSciVoc, una taxonomía plurilingüe de ámbitos científicos, mediante un proceso semiautomático basado en técnicas de procesamiento del lenguaje natural. Véas: El vocabulario científico europeo..

Para utilizar esta función, debe iniciar sesión o registrarse

Programa(s)

Programas de financiación plurianuales que definen las prioridades de la UE en materia de investigación e innovación.

Tema(s)

Las convocatorias de propuestas se dividen en temas. Un tema define una materia o área específica para la que los solicitantes pueden presentar propuestas. La descripción de un tema comprende su alcance específico y la repercusión prevista del proyecto financiado.

Datos no disponibles

Convocatoria de propuestas

Procedimiento para invitar a los solicitantes a presentar propuestas de proyectos con el objetivo de obtener financiación de la UE.

Datos no disponibles

Régimen de financiación

Régimen de financiación (o «Tipo de acción») dentro de un programa con características comunes. Especifica: el alcance de lo que se financia; el porcentaje de reembolso; los criterios específicos de evaluación para optar a la financiación; y el uso de formas simplificadas de costes como los importes a tanto alzado.

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinador

National Institute for Higher Education-Limerick
Aportación de la UE
Sin datos
Dirección
Plassey Technological Park
61 Limerick
Irlanda

Ver en el mapa

Coste total

Los costes totales en que ha incurrido esta organización para participar en el proyecto, incluidos los costes directos e indirectos. Este importe es un subconjunto del presupuesto total del proyecto.

Sin datos
Mi folleto 0 0