Separation and recovery of bitumen oil from tar sands
AssigneeRJ Oil Sands Inc.
InventorsWade Ralph Bozak, Roderick Michael Facey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the separation of bitumen oil from tar sands and the like. Slurry is supplied to a mixing chamber of a jet pump at an input end of the process. The slurry is agitated within the jet pump to effect a partial to full phase separation of the oil fraction from the solids fraction of the slurry. The partially to fully separated slurry is discharged into a pipeline and later into a hydrocyclone to effect a second phase separation of the slurry. One or more hydrocyclone separators may be used to separate the bitumen oil and liquid from the solids fraction.
Claims19
A process for phase separation of tailings comprising a solids fraction and an oil and water fraction, the process comprising the steps of:
- supplying the tailings to a mixing chamber of a jet pump, the jet pump being supplied with wash fluid from a power source;
- agitating the tailings within the mixing chamber of the jet pump to effect a partial to full phase separation of the oil and water fraction from the solids fraction of the tailings;
- and
- discharging of the partially to fully separated oil and water fraction and solids fraction of the tailings from the jet pump.
A method for treating a mixture comprising tailings, the mixture having a solids fraction, a hydrocarbon fraction, and a water fraction, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying the mixture to a mixing chamber of a jet pump;
- supplying a primary flow to an input of the jet pump;
- and
- operating the jet pump using the primary flow to agitate the mixture and propel an agitated mixture from the jet pump to effect at least a partial phase separation of the hydrocarbon fraction from the solids fraction and the water fraction.
A process for phase separation of a mixture comprising tailings and having a solids fraction and a hydrocarbon fraction, the process comprising the steps of:
- supplying the mixture to a mixing chamber of a jet pump;
- supplying a primary flow to an input of the jet pump;
- and
- operating the jet pump using the primary flow to agitate the mixture and discharge the agitated mixture from the jet pump to effect at least a partial phase separation of the hydrocarbon fraction from the solids fraction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.