Optimal Temperatures and Dose Rates in Radiation-Thermal Processing of Oil Bitumen Sands

The article presents the results of studies of the effect of heat and ionizing radiation on oil extraction from natural bitumen sands (BS) of Azerbaijan. The combined effect of heat (20–500°C) and ionizing radiation at dose rates of 1 and 470 Gy/s was studied. The reactions of radical products generated by ionizing radiation depend on the temperature and rate of their generation, determined by the radiation power. The ratio of the rates of thermal and radiation-thermal reactions is the most universal characteristic. This value is a function of temperature and dose rate. The temperature and dose rate intervals for radiation-thermal processing of oil bitumen sands are calculated. The results obtained allow the evaluation of possibility of obtaining oil products by the radiation-thermal (RT) method. The use of radiation technologies for the organization of industrial production of synthetic oil from natural bitumen sands and heavy oils will have a positive effect from the point of view of environmental protection, since materials that pollute the environment are used in the production of electricity.