Process for separating bituminous materials and recovering solvent

A process comprising:

• separating an admixture comprising a fluid-like bituminous material and a solvent in a separation zone into at least a fluid-like light phase comprising a portion of said bituminous material and solvent and a fluid-like heavy phase comprising the remainder of said bituminous material and solvent by maintaining the mixture at an elevated temperature and pressure;
• reducing the pressure on said light phase to vaporize at least a portion of the solvent present therein and form a mixture of fluid-like bituminous material in association with said vaporized solvent together with undesired fine particles of bituminous material dispersed therein;
• introducing said mixture into a steam stripping zone comprising a steam stripper vessel to separate at least a portion of any nonvaporized solvent remaining in association with said fluid-like bituminous material, said mixture being introduced into said stripping zone through an introduction means in a manner such that a centrifugal motion is imparted thereto, said introduction means including a plurality of vanes, the surfaces of which are at least portially wetted by the fluid-like bituminous material of said mixture and which utilize said centrifugal motion to create turbulence in said mixture within said introduction means to cause at least a portion of said fine particle size bituminous material dispersed in said vaporized solvent to impinge on said portion of said surfaces of said vanes on which said fluid-like bituminous material is present and adhere to said fluid-like bituminous material to cause said fine particles of bituminous material to separate from said vaporized solvent;
• and
• recovering solvent from said steam stripping zone substantially free of any fine particle size bituminous material.

A process comprising:

• separating an admixture comprising (i) a residuum comprising asphaltenes, resins and oils and (ii) a solvent in a separation zone into a light phase comprising oils and solvent and a heavy phase comprising asphaltenes, resins and some solvent by maintaining the mixture at an elevated temperature and pressure;
• reducing the pressure on said heavy phase to vaporize at least a portion of the solvent present therein and form a mixture of asphaltenes and resins in association with said vaporized solvent together with undesired fine particles of asphaltenes and resins dispersed therein;
• introducing said mixture into a steam stripping vessel to separate at least a portion of any nonvaporized solvent remaining in association with the asphaltenes and resins, said mixture being introduced into said stripping vessel through an introduction means in a manner such that a centrifugal motion is imparted thereto, said introduction means including a plurality of vanes, the surfaces of which are at least partially wetted by the asphaltenes and resins present and which utilize said centrifugal motion to create turbulence in said mixture within said introduction means to cause at least a portion of said fine particle size asphaltenes and resins dispersed in said vaporized solvent to impinge on said surfaces of said vanes on which said asphaltenes and resins are present and adhere to said asphaltenes and resins to cause said fine particles of asphaltenes and resins to separate from said vaporized solvent;
• and
• recovering said solvent from said steam stripping vessel substantially free of any fine particle size asphaltenes and resins.