IMPROVEMENT OF PETROLEUM BITUMEN PRODUCTION PROCESS USING MATHEMATICAL MODELING METHODS

The article considers the problem of reducing the oxygen content in oxidation gases during the oxidation process in petroleum bitumen production. The increased oxygen content in the exhaust gases is a consequence of deficiencies in the oxidation apparatus. In bitumen production processes, a hollow oxidation column is used, its main disadvantage is the incomplete use of atmospheric oxygen during the oxidation process due to the small specific surface area of the phase contact. This factor, in turn, causes the possibility of coking of oxidation column walls, metal corrosion and explosion in the gas phase. The need to reduce the oxygen content in oxidation gases is determined by environmental standards, technological regulations and safety precautions of oil refineries. To ensure safety and prevent fires in the column during the oxidation process, it is necessary to control the oxygen content in the oxidation gases. This parameter is limited by technological regulations to 7–8 % vol.The study of the existence of a relationship between the parameters of the process and the construction of a mathematical model of the process is based on data from operator’s logs of a bitumen production plant, which, in turn, allows us to build the most accurate mathematical model for a specific refinery.Analysis of operator’s logs using statistical methods of data processing made it possible to bring existing data into the required system, to identify patterns and dependences of the oxygen content in oxidation gases on process parameters. During the study, both descriptive statistics and data analysis were carried out based on correlation and regression analysis. During the analysis, significant excesses of the oxygen content in the oxidation gases from the established safety standards were revealed.Based on the research and literature data on the process of petroleum bitumen production using correlation and regression analysis, a mathematical model describing the dependence of the oxygen content in oxidation gases on the process parameters has been developed. This model makes it possible to most accurately select the parameters of the oxidation process to maintain the oxygen content in the oxidation gases within acceptable limits.