High temperature paraffinic froth treatment process

A process of heat integration in a solvent recovery unit having a first flash vessel, operating at a first temperature, and a second flash vessel, operating at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, comprising:

• flashing a solvent-containing feed stream in the first vessel for producing
• a first overhead solvent vapour stream;
• and
• a first underflow stream;
• feeding the first underflow stream to the second flash vessel;
• flashing the first underflow in the second flash vessel for producing
• a second, overhead solvent vapour stream;
• and
• a second underflow stream;
• and
• passing the second, overhead solvent vapour stream through a heat pump circuit for heating the first underflow stream prior to feeding the first underflow stream to the second flash vessel,
• wherein the second, overhead solvent vapour stream acts as an intermediate fluid in the heat pump circuit for exchanging heat therein to the first underflow stream.

A process of heat integration in a paraffinic solvent recovery unit comprising:

• flashing a paraffinic solvent-diluted bitumen feed in a first unheated flash vessel for producing
• a first overhead solvent vapour stream, comprising at least a portion of the paraffinic solvent;
• and
• an underflow stream comprising residual solvent and bitumen therein;
• flashing the underflow stream in a second heated flash vessel for recovering a portion of the solvent therein and producing
• a second overhead solvent vapour stream;
• and
• a second underflow stream comprising residual solvent and bitumen therein;
• compressing the second overhead solvent vapour stream to force a temperature of condensation therein to be above a bulk evaporation temperature of the first underflow stream;
• and
• condensing the compressed second overhead solvent vapour stream against the first underflow stream for heating the first underflow stream therewith prior to feeding the heated underflow stream to the second heated flash vessel.

A high temperature paraffinic process (HTPFT) utilizing

• a counter-current froth separation unit (FSU) having first and second FSU vessels for separating a paraffinic solvent diluted froth stream, at an operating temperature from about 60° C. to about 130° C., into a paraffinic solvent-diluted bitumen overflow stream from the first FSU vessel, comprising at least partially de-asphalted bitumen and the paraffinic solvent, and an underflow stream from the second FSU vessel, comprising at least solids, water and residual paraffinic solvent;
• a paraffinic solvent recovery unit (PSRU) for recovering at least a portion of the paraffinic solvent from the paraffinic solvent-diluted bitumen overflow stream for reuse in the HTPFT and a partially de-asphalted bitumen containing product stream for delivery downstream thereof;
• a tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) comprising at least one TSRU vessel for removing at least a portion of the residual paraffinic solvent from the underflow stream from the second FSU vessel for producing a solvent containing overflow stream for reuse in the HTPFT and a tailings underflow stream;
• and
• a vapour recovery unit (VRU) for separating at least residual paraffinic solvent from the FSU, the PSRU and the TSRU,
• the process comprising:
• heating a froth stream for delivery to the first FSU vessel prior to the addition of paraffinic solvent thereto and to the first FSU vessel using a heat pump.