Design and development of magnetoactive nanoceramic coatings to inhibit the nucleation and growth of coke deposits in process equipment used in bitumen-producing refineries. Through surface engineering, these coatings prevent the initial adhesion of coke, thereby enhancing equipment efficiency and extending its service life.
The coating’s thermal stability at high temperatures and adequate adhesion to the metal substrate are among the main challenges. Other key challenges include ensuring reliable performance under actual operating conditions and maintaining the economic viability of the process by utilizing domestically sourced materials and reducing coating application costs.
Instead of conventional reactive methods (cleaning after coke formation), a preventive approach is proposed based on the design of an engineered multilayer coating that targets the deposit nucleation stage. The approach includes the selection of durable, magnetoactive ceramic phases, formulation optimization, and stepwise validation from the laboratory scale to the industrial pilot scale.
Proprietary formulation of a multilayer coating system (bond coat, functional layer, and magnetoactive layer), along with fabrication and application procedures, laboratory-scale samples, and an industrial pilot prototype. The project deliverables also include technical know-how, intellectual property documentation, and the results of mechanical, thermal, and anti-coking performance tests.
Jey Oil Refining Company
Design and manufacture of an industrial turbo-compressor to supply combustion chamber air and plant compressed air by utilizing the heat generated from the combustion of excess gas. The key innovation is the elimination of the power turbine rotor and the splitting of the hot gas flow upstream of the gas-generator turbine inlet, which reduces costs while increasing aerodynamic loading.
Jey Oil Refining Company
Design and fabrication of a compact heat exchanger for preheating the compressed air supplied to the oxidation reactor from 90°C to 200°C, using direct flame heat and combustion products from excess gas. The heat exchanger is installed in the excess-gas burner wall and fabricated from A516 steel plate with minimized welding requirements.
Jey Oil Refining Company
Design and fabrication of an industrial-scale waste heat recovery boiler for steam generation using exhaust heat from the bitumen plant’s excess-gas burner, with the aim of reducing steam consumption from 18 to 9.5 tonnes per hour and utilizing low-grade waste energy.