Method of filtering a solvent-containing slurry stream in a non-aqueous oil sand extraction process

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of filtering a solvent-containing slurry stream including: (a) providing a solvent-containing slurry stream, the solvent comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon; (b) depositing the solvent-containing slurry stream provided in step (a) as a filter cake on a filter medium, wherein a top layer of liquid is formed on the filter cake; (c) allowing the top layer of liquid as formed in step (b) to drain through the filter cake such that substantially no liquid remains on top of the filter cake; (d) allowing a gas to partially penetrate into the filter cake thereby obtaining a filter cake with a liquid solvent-depleted top layer; (e) passing liquid solvent through the filter cake with the liquid solvent-depleted top layer as obtained in step (d) thereby obtaining a washed filter cake; (f) removing solvent from the washed filter cake as obtained in step (e) thereby obtaining a solvent-depleted filter cake; and (g) removing the solvent-depleted filter cake as obtained in step (f) from the filter medium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.