Back to results
US 5,998,640 AGranted
Method for recovering oil from an oil-bearing solid material
OwnerGary R. Haefele, Peter A. Allen +2inventors
InventorsGary R. Haefele, Peter A. Allen, Gary L. Dunkel, Paul C. Wegner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for continuously removing oil from oil-bearing solids such as tar sands, vegetables or other solid materials using a solvent is provided. By providing a pressure differential between the exterior and interior of an oil extraction chamber, substantially oil free solids may be removed from the oil extraction chamber through a solids extraction channel without removing any substantial volume of solvent through the solids extraction channel.
Claims39
A process for extracting oil from oil-bearing solid material, comprising:
- (a) introducing said oil-bearing solid materials into an inlet compartment;
- (b) introducing a solvent capable of removing oil from said oil-bearing solid materials into an oil extraction chamber having an upper end and a lower end at a temperature between about 0.degree. F. and 350.degree. F. and a pressure between about 2 psig and 400 psig;
- (c) passing said oil-bearing solid materials from said inlet compartment to said upper end of said oil extraction chamber;
- (d) flowing on a substantially continuous basis said oil-bearing solid materials through said solvent in said oil extraction chamber at pressures between about 2 psig and 400 psig and temperatures between about 0.degree. F. and 350.degree. F., whereby said oil is extracted from said oil-bearing solid materials;
- (e) removing said extracted oil and said liquid solvent from said extraction chamber to a separation vessel;
- (f) collecting said extracted oil and said solvent;
- and
- (g) removing said substantially oil free solid material from said oil extraction chamber through a solids extraction channel while maintaining a substantially constant gas/liquid solvent interface in an upturned lip of said solids extraction channel.
5 more elements
A continuous process for extracting oil from oil-bearing materials, comprising:
- (a) introducing said oil-bearing materials into an upper end of an inlet chamber;
- (b) introducing a solvent capable of extracting oil from said oil-bearing material into an oil extraction chamber at a temperature between about 0.degree. F. and 350.degree. F. and a pressure between about 5 psig and 400 psig;
- (c) passing the oil-bearing material from said inlet chamber to said oil extraction chamber;
- (d) passing said oil-bearing material on a substantially continuous basis through said liquid solvent in said extraction chamber at pressures between about 2 psig and 400 psig and temperatures between about 0.degree. F. and 350.degree. F., whereby said oil is extracted from said oil-bearing material;
- (e) displacing said extracted oil and said solvent in liquid phase from said oil extraction chamber with said oil-bearing materials to remove said extracted oil and said liquid solvent from said oil extraction chamber to a separation vessel;
- (f) separating said extracted oil and said solvent;
- (g) maintaining a substantially constant gas/liquid solvent interface in a solids extraction channel having an upturned lip;
- and
- (h) removing substantially oil free solids from said solids extraction channel operatively positioned near the bottom of said oil extraction chamber without removing any substantial volume of said liquid solvent through said solids extraction channel.
6 more elements
A continuous method of extracting oil from a hydrocarbon-bearing solid material, comprising the steps of:
- (a) introducing a hydrocarbon-bearing solid material into an upper end of an inlet chamber;
- (b) injecting a fluid into said inlet chamber to provide a pressure in said inlet chamber between about 2 psig and 400 psig;
- (c) introducing a solvent capable of removing oil from said hydrocarbon bearing solid material into an oil extraction chamber at a temperature between about 0.degree. F. and 350.degree. F. and a pressure between about 2 psig and 400 psig;
- (d) passing said hydrocarbon-bearing solid material from said inlet chamber into an upper end of said oil extraction chamber;
- (e) flowing said hydrocarbon-bearing solid material from the upper end of said oil extraction chamber downward through said solvent in a liquid phase towards said lower end of said oil extraction chamber, whereby oil is extracted from said hydrocarbon-bearing solid material;
- (f) removing said extracted oil and said liquid solvent near said upper end of said extraction zone to a separation vessel;
- (g) separating said extracted oil and said solvent in said separation vessel;
- (h) removing said solid materials from said extraction zone through a solids extraction channel to a solids drying chamber while maintaining a substantially constant gas/liquid solvent interface in said solids extraction channel, said solids extraction channel having an upturned lip with an elevation greater than a lowest end of said oil extraction chamber, wherein said solid materials may be removed from said solids extraction channel without removing any substantial volume of said liquid solvent from said solids extraction channel;
- (i) vaporizing a residual solvent component attached to said solids in said solids drying chamber;
- (j) condensing said residual solvent component to recover additional solvent;
- (k) collecting said extracted oil and said solid material;
- and
- (l) recirculating said solvent recovered in said separator for reintroduction into said oil extraction chamber.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.