Grants and Contributions:

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Title:

An evaluation of additive manufacturing of MMCs for oil sands applications

Agreement Number:

CRDPJ

Agreement Value:

$426,648.00

Agreement Date:

Mar 7, 2018 -

Organization:

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Location:

Alberta, CA

Reference Number:

GC-2017-Q4-00768

Agreement Type:

Grant

Report Type:

Grants and Contributions

Additional Information:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2021-2022).

Recipient's Legal Name:

Henein, Hani (University of Alberta)

Program:

Collaborative Research and Development Grants - Project

Program Purpose:

This project will address the use of the Plasma Transfer Arc process for Additive Manufacturing (PTA-AM)x000D
applications in the oil and gas industry. Due to the high wear and corrosion action of oil sands, metal matrixx000D
composites (MMCs) are required for use in oil sands operations. Typically a NiCrSiB alloy powder is mixedx000D
with tungsten carbide (WC) powders and fed through a nozzle into a plasma protected by inert gas andx000D
deposited onto a substrate. For PTA-AM applications, we propose to build layer by layer two parts of interestx000D
to Syncrude and specific to their operations, a flanged pipe and an injection nozzle head. This will be the firstx000D
research study of AM using the PTA process in Canada and likely the first in the world for MMC applications.x000D
This project will involve a collaboration between four researchers from the University of Alberta and InnoTechx000D
Alberta. By combining the expertise of both groups, the feasibility of this approach to AM can be fullyx000D
explored. As we anticipate success, our collaboration with InnoTech Alberta will ensure excellent transfer ofx000D
technology to industry and for future scale-up studies. For this project, the combined expertise of materialsx000D
processing, Henein, the operation of the PTA, Wolfe, the re-design of PTA for AM applications, Qureshi, andx000D
the metallurgical analysis of the AM samples, Li, offers a unique combination of interdisciplinary expertise.x000D
Such a combination of expertise will also provide a unique atmosphere for the training of Highly Qualifiedx000D
People (HQP). We plan to have three students working on this project each year of its proposed four yearx000D
duration. A 50% time of a Research Associate is also required in order to provide day to day supervision ofx000D
students using laboratory facilities such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry. In order to facilitate futurex000D
scale-up the experimental tests will be carried out at the PTA unit located at InnoTech Alberta. Costs of accessx000D
are included in the proposal as well as in-kind contributions from InnoTech Alberta in support of thisx000D
collaboration. Syncrude is providing both cash and in-kind contributions as outlined in detail.