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Abstract
The liquid bridge method was developed to measure fluid properties during the cracking of Athabasca bitumen vacuum residue (ABVR) at elevated temperatures. None of the existing methods for measuring surface tension or viscosity was suitable for ABVR at 300°C–530°C. Surface tension was measured at 312°C–530°C. Adhesive forces and viscosity were measured with increasing reaction time at 400°C–530°C. The results showed that adhesive force remained constant, until the dry-out point, where it fell to zero. Surface tension was found to remain constant with increasing reaction time. Viscosity increased to order of 104 mPa.s before dry-out, for all the temperatures above 400°C. Correlations were found to estimate surface tension at any temperature between 150°C and 530°C and viscosity at any reaction time and temperature between 400°C and 530°C for any film thickness.