System and Method for Recovery of Hydrocarbons in Tar Sands

A system for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon containing material, the system comprising:

• a heated enclosure having an interior chamber;
• an input conveyor for inputting the material to the heated enclosure, the heated enclosure housing a flow line therein with a temperature gradient along the flow line of at least 150 F°, thereby producing hydrocarbon vapors and stripped solids as the material is moved along the flow line;
• a heated rotary drum in fluid communication with the flow line for receiving the material from the flow line, the rotary drum having an interior temperature of from 760° F. to 840° F. for generating further hydrocarbon vapors and stripped solids;
• a condenser in fluid communication with both the flow line and the rotary drum for receiving the vapors from the flow line and the rotary drum and outputting liquids including hydrocarbons;
• a discharge conveyor for discharging the stripped solids from the rotary drum;
• one or more input control valves for sealing vacuum downstream from the one or more input conveyors, each input control valve having one or more axially spaced closure gates for redundant sealing downstream from the input conveyor;
• one or more discharge control valves for sealing vacuum upstream from the one or more discharge conveyors, each discharge control valve having two or more axially spaced closure gates for the redundant sealing upstream from the discharge conveyor;
• and
• a vacuum pump for maintaining a selected vacuum of less than 5 inches of water between the one or more input valves and the one or more discharge valves, such that hydrocarbon vapors are drawn from the flow line and the rotary drum into the condenser.

A system for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon containing material, the system comprising:

• a heated enclosure having an interior chamber and a plurality of internal baffles within the heated chamber;
• an input conveyor for inputting material to the heated enclosure;
• a flow line within the heated enclosure in fluid communication with the input conveyor for receiving material and positioned with respect to the plurality of baffles to provide a temperature gradient along the flow line of 150 F°, thereby producing hydrocarbon vapors and stripped solids;
• a conveyor within the flow line mechanically moving the material along the flow line;
• a heated rotary drum in fluid communication with the flow line for receiving the material from the flow line, the drum having an interior temperature of from 760° F. to 840° F. for generating hydrocarbon vapors and stripped solids;
• a steam line for inputting steam at a temperature of greater than 800° F. into the rotary drum;
• a condenser in fluid communication with both the flow line and the rotary drum for receiving the vapors from the flow line and the rotary drum and outputting liquids including hydrocarbons and gas including hydrocarbons;
• and
• a discharge conveyor for discharging the stripped solids from the rotary drum.

A system for recovering hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon containing material, the system comprising:

• a heated enclosure having an interior chamber;
• an input conveyor for inputting material to the heated enclosure;
• a flow line within the heated enclosure in fluid communication with the input conveyor for receiving material to provide a temperature gradient along the flow line of 150 F°, thereby producing hydrocarbon vapors and stripped solids;
• a heated rotary drum in fluid communication with the flow line for receiving the material from the flow line, the rotary drum having an interior temperature of from 760° F. to 840° F. for generating hydrocarbon vapors and stripped solids;
• a condenser in fluid communication with both the flow line and the rotary drum for receiving the vapors and outputting liquids including hydrocarbons and gas including hydrocarbons;
• a discharge conveyor for discharging the stripped solids;
• an input control valve positioned along the input conveyor for sealing vacuum downstream from the input conveyor;
• a discharge control valve positioned along the discharge conveyor for sealing vacuum upstream from the discharge conveyor;
• a vacuum pump for maintaining a selected vacuum between the input valve and the discharge valves, such that hydrocarbon vapors are drawn from the flow line and the rotary drum into the condenser;
• a flow meter for measuring a flow rate of hydrocarbon vapors to the condenser;
• each of the one or more input conveyors, the one or more discharge conveyors, and the heated conveyor within the flow line includes a rotary auger;
• a flow rate sensor for sensing the speed of each rotary auger and outputting a flow rate signal;
• and
• a processor for controlling a flow rate of material through the system in response to the flow meter and the flow rate signal.