Pyrolysis of Asphalt Ridge tar sand

Isothermal and nonisothermal pyrolysis experiments have been inducted on Asphalt Ridge tar sand. Oil produced from the isothermal xperiments has a molecular weight of approximately 250 and has a ydrogen to carbon ratio between 1.7 and 1.9. Product oil composition jries slightly with reaction time. Results of thin layer hromatographic separation of the residual bitumen show that the ancentrations of saturates and aromatics in this bitumen decrease apidly with increasing reaction time while the concentrations of romatics and polars in this bitumen increase. Polars and polynuclear romatics are the dominant species in this bitumen. Nonisothermal data ave been analyzed using a distributed activation energy technique. hese tests show a distinct bimodal weight loss curve. The low emperature weight loss peak has a maximum about 275°C (527°F) and a irst order apparent activation energy below 10 kcal/mol. The high emperature peak has a maximum above 400°C (752"F) and an apparent ctivation energy of about 60 kcal/mol.