Process and apparatus for disengaging and separating bitumen from pulverized tar sands using selective cohesion

Apparatus for disengaging bituminous material from bituminous ores said apparatus comprising

• a disengaging chamber means oriented to have a substantially vertical central axis;
• means for introducing a mixture of pulverized bituminous ores and water into the disengaging chamber means at an upper end thereof;
• means in the disengaging chamber means to agitate the mixture introduced thereinto;
• a discharge opening through the lower end of the disengaging chamber means;
• a separation vessel receiving the lower end of the disengaging chamber means, said separation vessel having a sidewall extending upwardly to a location above the level of the discharge opening of the disengaging chamber means and having a portion tapered inwardly at a lower end thereof at a level below the said discharge opening;
• a deflector distributor means positioned beneath the discharge opening and directing flow from the discharge opening outwardly and downwardly toward the sidewall of the separation vessel;
• means for introducing upwardly flowing water into the separation vessel adjacent to the tapered bottom thereof;
• an overflow means extending through the sidewall of the separation vessel above the level of the discharge opening;
• hopper means containing a plate means having an upper surface which slopes outwardly and downwardly from a central apex, with means to rotate said plate means, said hopper means being positioned to receive said overflow from the overflow means on said rotating plate means, means to maintain the surface receiving overflow at a temperature of between -5 C. and 50.degree. C.;
• means to remove adhering bituminous material from the plate means;
• and
• means for removing collected solids from the lower end of the separation vessel.