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US 7,097,255 B2Granted
Method and means for processing oil sands while excavating
AssigneeOil Sands Underground Mining, Inc.
InventorsRonald D. Drake, Michael Helmut Kobler, John David Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to the separation of bitumen, such as by the Clark process or by a countercurrent de-sander, in an underground excavation machine, such as a tunnel boring machine.
Claims94
An excavation machine, comprising:
- a rotatable cutter head operable to excavate hydrocarbon-containing material;
- a body engaging the cutter head;
- and
- an enclosed vessel operable to separate a hydrocarbon-containing component of the hydrocarbon-containing material from a waste component of the hydrocarbon-containing material, wherein at least part of the enclosed vessel is operatively engaged with the cutter head to rotate in response to cutter head rotation, wherein, in a first operating mode, the at least part of the enclosed vessel rotates in response to cutter head rotation and, in a second operating mode, the at least part of the enclosed vessel does not rotate in response to cutter head rotation, and wherein the at least part of the enclosed vessel rotates counter currently to the rotatable cutter head.
1 more element
A system for excavating and processing hydrocarbon-containing materials, comprising:
- rotatable cutter head means for excavating the hydrocarbon-containing materials to form excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials;
- vessel means for separating a hydrocarbon-containing component from the excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials, wherein at least part of the vessel means is operatively engaged with the cutter head means, whereby the at least part of the vessel means rotates in response to rotation of the cutter head means;
- and
- means for operatively disengaging the at least part of the vessel means from the cutter head means, whereby the vessel means does not rotate in response to rotation of the cutter head means;
- wherein the at least part of the vessel means rotates counter currently to the rotatable cutter bead means.
2 more elements
An excavation machine, comprising:
- a rotatable cutter head operable to excavate hydrocarbon-containing material;
- a body engaging the cutter head;
- an enclosed vessel operable to separate a hydrocarbon-containing component of the hydrocarbon-containing material from a waste component of the hydrocarbon-containing material, wherein at least a part of the enclosed vessel is operable to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the cutter head;
- and
- a clutch assembly operable to operatively disengage the at least part of the enclosed vessel from the cutter head.
2 more elements
A system for excavating and processing hydrocarbon-containing materials, comprising:
- rotatable cutter head means for excavating the hydrocarbon-containing materials to form excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials;
- vessel means for separating a hydrocarbon-containing component from the excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials;
- and
- means for rotating at least part of the vessel means in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of the rotatable cutter head means
- wherein at least part of the vessel means rotates in response to rotation of the cutter head means.
2 more elements
An excavation machine, comprising:
- a rotatable cutter bead operable to excavate hydrocarbon-containing material;
- a body engaging the cutter head;
- and
- an enclosed vessel operable to separate a hydrocarbon-containing component of the hydrocarbon-containing material from a waste component of the hydrocarbon-containing material, wherein the vessel rotates in response to rotation of the cutter head and wherein the vessel is operable to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the cutter head.
1 more element
A system for excavating and processing hydrocarbon-containing materials, comprising:
- rotatable cutter head means for excavating the hydrocarbon-containing materials to form excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials;
- vessel means for separating a hydrocarbon-containing component from the excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials;
- and
- means for rotating the vessel means in response to rotation of the cutter head means, wherein the enclosed vessel means rotates in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of the rotatable cuter head means.
1 more element
An excavation machine, comprising:
- a rotatable cutter head operable to excavate hydrocarbon-containing material;
- a body engaging the cutter head;
- and
- an enclosed vessel operable to separate a hydrocarbon-containing component of the hydrocarbon-containing material from a waste component of the hydrocarbon-containing material, wherein the enclosed vessel rotates in response to rotation of the cutter head, wherein the enclosed vessel is operatively engaged with the cutter head to counter rotate in response to cutter head rotation and wherein, in a first operating mode, the enclosed vessel rotates in response to cutter head rotation and, in a second operating mode, the enclosed vessel does not rotate in response to cutter head rotation.
1 more element
An excavation machine, comprising:
- a rotatable cutter head operable to excavate hydrocarbon-containing material;
- a body engaging the cutter head;
- and
- an enclosed vessel operable to separate a hydrocarbon-containing component of the hydrocarbon-containing material from a waste component of the hydrocarbon-containing material, wherein the enclosed vessel rotates in response to rotation of the cutter head and wherein the cutter head comprises:
- at least one opening operable to pass the excavated hydrocarbon-containing materials through the cutter head and into the enclosed vessel
- wherein the enclosed vessel is operable to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the cutter head.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.