Multi-phase separation methods and apparatus
AssigneeThe Standard Oil Company
InventorsClay D. Smith, Douglas V. Keller, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multi-phase mixtures are resolved into separate phases by introducing the mixture into a body of liquid which contains a solvent for one of said phases and has a specific gravity intermediate two insoluble phases of the mixture. The latter accordingly migrate to different levels in the body of liquid and can be separately recovered therefrom. Solvent laden with the soluble phase is also separately removed from the body of liquid, and the solvent can then be stripped to isolate the soluble phase.
Claims29
A method of resolving a mixture or composite containing both soluble and insoluble hydrocarbonaceous materials and insoluble mineral material into separate phases two of which respectively contain said insoluble hydrocarbonaceous material and said insoluble mineral material and the third of which contains said soluble hydrocarbonaceous material, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing said mixture or composite into a body of a liquid which contains 1,2-difluoroethane or a fluorochlorocarbon solvent for said soluble hydrocarbonaceous material and which has a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of said insoluble materials and is not miscible therewith, whereby said soluble hydrocarbonaceous material will dissolve in said liquid to form said third phase, one of said insoluble material will migrate toward the top of the body of liquid to form one of said two other phases, and the other of said insoluble materials will migrate toward the bottom of said body of liquid to form the other of said two phases;
- separately removing the insoluble material phases and said third phase from said body of liquid;
- and stripping the solvent from said third phase to isolate said soluble hydrocarbonaceous material.
A method of resolving a composite containing both soluble and insoluble hydrocarbonaceous materials and insoluble mineral material into separate phases which respectively contain insoluble hydrocarbonaceous material, insoluble mineral material and soluble hydrocarbonaceous material, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing said composite into an extractor containing a body of a liquid comprising 1,2-difluoroethane or a fluorochloro derivative of methane or ethane in which said soluble hydrocarbonaceous material is soluble, said liquid having a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of said insoluble materials and being immiscible with respect to said materials, whereby said soluble hydrocarbonaceous material will dissolve in said liquid to form one of said phases, one of said insoluble materials will migrate toward the top of the body of liquid, and the other insoluble material will migrate toward the bottom thereof;
- and separately removing the insoluble material containing phases and the soluble material containing phase thus formed from said body of liquid.
A method of resolving a tar sand into bitumen, carbonaceous solids, and mineral solids, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing the tar sand into an extractor containing a body of a liquid comprising a fluorochlorocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of trichlorofluoromethane, 1,2,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, and mixtures of the foregoing and into contact with the liquid whereby the bitumen will dissolve in the liquid and carbonaceous and mineral solids will respectively migrate to the top and bottom of the body of liquid;
- and separately removing the mineral and cabonaceous solids and bitumen-laden liquid from the body of reactor.
A method of resolving a mixture of composite containing hydrocarbonaceous and inorganic materials into separate phases which respectively contain undissolved hydrocarbonaceous material, inorganic material, and dissolved hydrocarbonaceous material said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing said mixture or composite into a body of a liquid which contains 1,2-difluoroethane or a fluorochlorocarbon solvent for soluble hydrocarbonaceous material in said mixture or composite and which has a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of said inorganic material and a part of sid hydrocarbonaceous material and is not miscible therewith, whereby soluble hydrocarbonaceous material will dissolve in said liquid to form one of said phases, undissolved hydrocarbonaceous material will migrate to one level in the body of liquid to form a second phase, and inorganic material will migrate to a different level in said body of liquid to form a third phase;
- separately removing the undissolved hydrocarbonaceous material containing phase, the inorganic material containing phase, and the dissolved hydrocarbonaceous material containing phases from said body of liquid;
- and stripping the solvent from the last-mentioned phase to isolate the dissolved hydrocarbonaceous material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.