The influence of the amount of asphaltenes on the yield of distillate fractions in a cracking process and on the structural transformations of asphaltenes under thermal treatment was studied. Model mixtures with asphaltene concentrations of 0, 8, 12, and 16% were the test materials. Cracking was carried out in autoclave reactors at a temperature of 450 degrees C for 2 h. It was found that, in the thermal cracking of mixtures with different amounts of asphaltenes, the yield of distillate fractions IBP-360 degrees C increased with the asphaltene content. A maximum yield of these products was achieved upon the cracking of a model mixture with 8% asphaltenes; it increases by a factor of 1.7, as compared to that in the initial mixture. Secondary asphaltenes decreased in size and became more aromatic with much fewer alkyl substituents.
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