Process for increasing the bitumen content of oil sands froth

Abstract

A process and an apparatus are described for separation of water and solids from oil sands froth in which heated froth is fed into a gravity settling vessel at a level below a bitumen-water interface established between a bitumen froth layer floating on a quiescent body of water whereby water and solids contained in the froth separate from the froth stream, the oil rises to accumulate in the bitumen froth layer, and the solids fall by gravity to the bottom of the gravity settling vessel. The apparatus comprises an injector manifold suspended horizontally within the vessel below the bitumen-water interface, said injector manifold having a plurality of equispaced, inwardly facing openings for the inward discharge of oil sands froth into the body of water. The injector ring manifold may also have a plurality of outwardly facing openings for both inward and outward discharge of froth. A level probe for monitoring the level of the bitumen-water interface preferably is mounted in the vessel in electrical communication with a valve for discharging underflow for control of the level of the bitumen-water interface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.