# US 2014/0197316 A1 · Measurement and control of bitumen-containing process streams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197316 A1 - Document ID: US20140197316A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/093,318 - Filed: 2013-11-29 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Suncor Energy Inc. - Applicants: Suncor Energy Inc. - Inventors: Ramesh KADALI; Enbo FENG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197316A1 ## CPC - B01D 17/0214: {with removal of one of the phases} - G01N 21/274: {Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction} - G01N 21/3577: for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water - G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for analyzing a bitumen-containing process stream and controlling a process. The method including directing a beam of infrared light at the bitumen-containing process stream, capturing light corresponding to the infrared light after interaction with the bitumen-containing process stream, and analyzing the captured light to obtain a spectrum. A composition estimate can be generated based on the spectrum and a calibrated model. A controller is operative to adjust a setpoint of the process in response to the composition estimate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a process, comprising: directing a beam of infrared light toward an opaque bitumen-containing process stream as it passes between stages in the process; capturing light corresponding to the beam of infrared light after interaction with the bitumen-containing process stream; analyzing the captured light to obtain a spectrum; determining a composition estimate from the bitumen-containing process stream by evaluating the spectrum with reference to a calibrated model; and based on the composition estimate, automatically adjusting a control setpoint of at least one upstream process component and/or downstream process component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed toward the bitumen-containing process stream as it passes through a conduit connecting stages in the process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed through an infra-red permeable window through a wall of the conduit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the bitumen-containing process stream includes a diluent recycled from an oil sand slurry processing operation or an in-situ mining operation, and wherein the composition estimate comprises a diluent component concentration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the beam of infrared light interacts by reflection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the calibrated model was previously generated by: collecting a number of samples from the bitumen-containing process stream; for each of the number of collected samples: evaluating the collected sample with laboratory analysis to determine a reference composition of the collected sample; obtaining an absorbance spectrum for the collected sample by: directing a calibration beam of infrared light toward the collected sample; capturing light corresponding to the calibration beam of infrared light after interaction with the collected sample; and, analyzing the captured light to obtain a collected sample spectrum; and, applying one or more multivariate calibration techniques to construct the calibrated model that relates the collected sample spectra to the corresponding reference compositions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more multivariate calibration techniques include at least one technique chosen from a partial least squares regression technique, a principal component analysis technique, and an artificial neural network technique. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: diverting a portion of the bitumen-containing process stream; and, wherein the directing a beam of infrared light toward the bitumen-containing process stream as it passes between stages in a process comprises directing the beam of infrared light towards the diverted portion, and wherein the captured light corresponds to the beam of infrared light after interaction with the diverted portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising collecting the diverted portion in a collector and evaluating the collected portion with laboratory analysis to obtain a collected sample composition estimate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the light is captured for a plurality of samples over a collection time for collecting the diverted portion in the collector, and wherein the method further comprises comparing the collected sample composition estimate with composition estimates of the plurality of samples to verify the composition estimates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein if the composition estimates are not verified, the method further comprising re-calibrating the model by: collecting a number of samples from the diverted portion of the bitumen-containing process stream; for each of the number of collected samples: evaluating the collected sample with laboratory analysis to determine a reference composition of the collected sample; obtaining an absorbance spectrum for the collected sample by: directing a beam of infrared light toward the collected sample; capturing light corresponding to the beam of infrared light after interaction with the collected sample; and, analyzing the captured light to obtain a collected sample spectrum; and, applying one or more multivariate calibration techniques to construct the re-calibrated model that relates the collected sample spectra to the corresponding reference compositions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustment comprises adding a fluid to the bitumen-containing process stream at the at least one of an upstream process component and a downstream process component when the composition estimate indicates a density higher than a threshold density level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the fluid comprises one of process water or diluent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustment comprises adding additional steam to the upstream process component when the composition estimate indicates a higher diluent content than a threshold diluent content level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed towards the bitumen-containing process stream as it exits a free water knockout as one of a bitumen-rich stream or a water-rich stream; wherein the composition estimate comprises a water content of the bitumen-rich stream or a hydrocarbon content of the water-rich stream respectively; wherein the control setpoint comprises an interface level of the free water knockout; and, wherein the adjusting comprises raising or lowering the interface level to maintain the interface level at a lowest level where the water content remains below a water content threshold or the hydrocarbon content is below a hydrocarbon content threshold respectively. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed towards the bitumen-containing process stream as it exits a primary separation vessel (PSV) as one of a bitumen froth stream or a tailings stream; wherein the composition estimate comprises a water content of the bitumen froth stream or a hydrocarbon content of the tailings stream respectively; wherein the control setpoint comprises an amount of added hot process water or a pump speed on the tailings stream; and, wherein the adjusting comprises minimising the addition of hot process water to the PSV while the froth bitumen content is above a froth bitumen threshold level and adding additional hot process water when the froth bitumen content level is below the froth bitumen content level, or the adjusting comprises increasing the pump speed until the hydrocarbon content of the tailings stream reaches a maximum hydrocarbon content level respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising directing a separate beam of infrared light to each of a plurality of bitumen-containing process streams entering and exiting a primary separation vessel (PSV); wherein the composition estimate comprises a hydrocarbon content of each of the entering and exiting process streams respectively; wherein the control setpoint comprises an amount of hot process water added to the PSV; and, wherein the adjusting comprises calculating a material balance from the composition estimates, and increasing the amount of added hot process water when the material balance indicates the hydrocarbon content of the PSV is above a PSV hydrocarbon threshold level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the entering bitumen-containing process stream comprises an oil sand slurry stream, and the exiting bitumen-containing process streams comprises a bitumen froth stream and a tailings stream. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the entering bitumen-containing process stream comprises an oil sand slurry stream beam, and the exiting bitumen-containing process streams comprises a middlings stream and a tailings stream, and wherein the hydrocarbon content of the PSV comprises the hydrocarbon content of a lower portion of the PSV. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises: directing a separate beam of infrared light to each of a plurality of diluted bitumen product streams each having a different composition and produced from a different source operation, and estimating a separate composition for each of the plurality of diluted bitumen product streams, proportionately combining each of the plurality of diluted bitumen product streams to produce at least a blended diluted bitumen product stream, such that a physical characteristic of the blended diluted bitumen product stream meets a pre-determined threshold. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein the proportionately combining comprises combining each of the plurality of diluted bitumen product streams to produce at least the blended diluted bitumen product stream and a marketable blended diluted bitumen product stream, such that a physical characteristic of the marketable blended diluted bitumen product stream meets a pre-determined marketable threshold. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein the composition estimates are continuously determined, and wherein the proportionately blending is determined for a current set of composition estimates. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the composition estimate comprises at least one estimate chosen from: a bitumen component concentration; a hydrocarbon component concentration; a water component concentration; a mineral component concentration; a density of a component; a viscosity of a component; a size distribution of the fine particles; a chloride component concentration; and, a diluent component concentration. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing, analyzing, estimating, forwarding, directing, and adjusting is performed in either real-time or near real-time. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the infrared wavelength comprises a range between about 800 nm to about 2500 nm. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the bitumen-containing process stream comprises at least one stream chosen from: an oil sand water slurry stream; a bitumen froth stream; a bitumen froth product stream; a bitumen-containing wellhead product stream; a processed bitumen-containing wellhead product stream; a diluted processed bitumen-containing wellhead product stream; a bitumen-containing in-situ product stream; a recycled process fluid stream; a recycled water stream; or, a tailings stream. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the beam of infrared light interacts by transflection. ### Claim 28 An apparatus for controlling a process comprising: an online infrared spectrometer situated proximate a bitumen-containing process stream and configured to: direct a beam of infrared light toward the bitumen-containing process stream, capture light corresponding to the beam of infrared light after interaction with the bitumen-containing process stream, analyze the captured light to obtain a spectrum; determine a composition estimate from the bitumen-containing process stream by evaluating the spectrum with reference to a calibrated model; and, a controller operative to: automatically adjust a control setpoint of at least one upstream process component and/or downstream process component based on the composition estimate. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the online infrared spectrometer is situated proximate a conduit connecting stages in the process, said conduit configured to contain the bitumen-containing process stream. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the beam of infrared light interacts by reflection. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the beam of infrared light interacts by transflection. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 wherein at least a portion of the conduit comprises an infrared permeable window between an exterior of the conduit and the interior of the conduit; and, wherein the online infrared spectrometer is situated proximate to, and directed at, the window, and configured to direct the beam of infrared light through the window to interact with the bitumen-containing process stream passing within the conduit and past the window. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the bitumen-containing process stream includes a diluent recycled from an oil sand slurry processing operation or an in-situ mining operation. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the beam of infrared light interacts by one of reflection, transmission, or transflection. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the calibrated model was previously generated by: collecting a number of samples from the bitumen-containing process stream; for each of the number of collected samples: evaluating the collected sample with laboratory analysis to determine a reference composition of that collected sample; obtaining an absorbance spectrum for the collected sample by: directing a calibration beam of infrared light toward the collected sample; capturing light corresponding to the calibration beam of infrared light after interaction with the collected sample; and, analyzing the captured light to obtain a collected sample spectrum; and, applying one or more multivariate calibration techniques to construct the calibrated model that relates the collected sample spectra to the corresponding reference compositions. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the one or more multivariate calibration techniques include at least one technique chosen from a partial least squares regression technique, a principal component analysis technique, and an artificial neural network technique. ### Claim 37 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the conduit comprises a Primary Separation Vessel (PSV) configured to receive an oil sand slurry stream and separate the stream into a bitumen froth stream, a middlings stream and a tailings stream. ### Claim 38 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the bitumen-containing process stream comprises a tailings stream, and wherein the conduit comprises a pipe for transporting the tailings stream to a tailings pond, wherein the controller is operable adjust the control setpoint by re-directing an outlet of the conduit in response to the composition estimate. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the controller is operable to re-direct the outlet between a tailings pond and a holding pond. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The process line of claim 38 wherein the response is to re-direct the outlet when the composition estimate yields a bitumen content or a diluent content above a threshold level. ### Claim 42 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the bitumen-containing process stream comprises a recycled water stream, and wherein the conduit comprises a pipe for returning the recycled water stream to upstream processing operations, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the control setpoint by re-directing an outlet of the conduit in response to the composition estimate. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The process line of claim 42 wherein the re-directing the outlet re-directs the bitumen-containing process stream for further recycling processing operations when the composition estimate yields a component content at or a above a threshold level. ### Claim 44 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed towards the bitumen-containing process stream as it exits a free water knockout as one of a bitumen-rich stream or a water-rich stream; wherein the composition estimate comprises a water content of the bitumen-rich stream or a hydrocarbon content of the water-rich stream respectively; wherein the control setpoint comprises an interface level of the free water knockout; and, wherein the controller is further operative to adjust the control setpoint by raising or lowering the interface level to maintain the interface level at a lowest level where the water content remains below a water content threshold or the hydrocarbon content is below a hydrocarbon content threshold respectively. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the bitumen-rich measurement sensor and the water-rich measurement sensor each comprise an infrared spectrometer situated to: direct a beam of infrared light toward a sample of the respective bitumen-rich stream or the water-rich stream; capture light corresponding to the infrared light that was directed towards that sample; analyze the captured light to obtain a spectrum; and estimate a composition of the respective bitumen-rich stream or the water-rich stream, by evaluating the spectrum with reference to a calibrated model. ### Claim 46 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed towards the bitumen-containing process stream as it exits a primary separation vessel (PSV) as one of a bitumen froth stream or a tailings stream; wherein the composition estimate comprises a water content of the bitumen froth stream or a hydrocarbon content of the tailings stream respectively; wherein the control setpoint comprises an amount of added hot process water or a pump speed on the tailings stream; and, wherein the controller is further operative to adjust by minimising the addition of hot process water to the PSV while the froth bitumen content is above a froth bitumen threshold level. and adding additional hot process water when the froth bitumen content level is below the froth bitumen content level, or the is operative to adjust by increasing the pump speed until the hydrocarbon content of the tailings stream reaches a maximum hydrocarbon content level respectively. ### Claim 47 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising: a diversion line for diverting a portion of the bitumen-containing process stream from the conduit; wherein the beam of infrared light is directed towards the diverted portion of the bitumen-containing process stream. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the beam of infrared light is directed towards the diverted portion as it exits the diversion line. ### Claim 49 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising a collector for collecting the diverted portion of the bitumen-containing process stream after it has exited the diversion line. ### Claim 50 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein a separate beam of infrared light is directed to each of a plurality of diluted bitumen product streams each having a different composition and produced from a different source operation, and wherein the online infrared spectrometer is further operative to estimate a separate composition for each of the plurality of diluted bitumen product streams, and wherein controller comprises a blending manifold operative to proportionately combine each of the plurality of diluted bitumen product streams to produce at least a blended diluted bitumen product stream, such that a physical characteristic of the blended diluted bitumen product stream meets a pre-determined threshold. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the blending manifold is operative to proportionately combine by combining each of the plurality of diluted bitumen product streams to produce at least the blended diluted bitumen product stream and a marketable blended diluted bitumen product stream, such that a physical characteristic of the marketable blended diluted bitumen product stream meets a pre-determined marketable threshold. ### Claim 52 (depends on 50) The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the composition estimates are continuously determined, and wherein the proportionately blending is determined for a current set of composition estimates. ### Claim 53 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the composition estimate comprises at least one estimate chosen from: a bitumen component concentration; a hydrocarbon component concentration; a water component concentration; a mineral component concentration; a density of a component; a viscosity of a component; a size distribution of the fine particles; a chloride component concentration; and, a diluent component concentration. ### Claim 54 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the online infrared spectrometer and the controller are operative to perform the capturing, analyzing, estimating, and adjusting in either real-time or near real-time. ### Claim 55 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the infrared wavelength comprises a range between about 800 nm to about 2500 nm. ### Claim 56 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the bitumen-containing process stream comprises at least one stream chosen from: an oil sand water slurry stream; a bitumen froth stream; a bitumen froth product stream; a bitumen-containing wellhead product stream; a processed bitumen-containing wellhead product stream; a diluted processed bitumen-containing wellhead product stream; a bitumen-containing in-situ product stream; a recycled process fluid stream; a recycled water stream; and, a tailings stream.