Apparatus and method for recovering a hydrocarbon diluent from tailings

A method of separating a diluted tailings compromising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent corn anent and a diluent recovered tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from to bitumen froth treatment process, the method comprising:

• (a) introducing the diluted tailings into an interior of a diluent recovery vessel so that the diluted tailings from a tailings pool in a tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (b) introducing an amount of steam directly into the tailings pool;
• (c) mixing the components of the diluted tailings and the steam which are contained in the tailings pool, wherein mixing is comprised of passing at least a portion of the diluted tailings from the tailings pool through a recirculation circuit which is in communication with the interior of the diluent recovery vessel so that the portion of the diluted tailings is recirculated back to the interior of the diluent recovery vessel as recirculated tailings;
• (d) maintaining the diluted tailings in the diluent recovery vessel for a residence time in order to separate the diluted tailings into the recovered diluent component and the diluent recovered tailings component;
• (e) recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (f) recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel.

A method of separating a diluted tailings comprising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent component and a diluent recovered, tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from a bitumen froth treatment process, the method comprising:

• (a) introducing the diluted tailings into an interior of a diluent recovery vessel so that the diluted tailings form a tailings pool in a tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the diluent recovery vessel has a lower end and an upper end and wherein the tailings pool is formed at the lower end of the diluent recovery vessel;
• providing a foam breaking device in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel between the tailings pool and the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the interior of the diluent recovery vessel defines a vessel axis and wherein providing the foam breaking device is comprised of rotating it foam breaker about a foam breaker axis which is parallel with the vessel axis;
• c) introducing an amount of steam directly into the tailings pool;
• d) mixing the components of the diluted tailings and the steam which are contained in the tailings pool;
• (e) maintaining the diluted tailings in the diluent recovery vessel for a residence time in order to separate the diluted tailings into the recovered diluent component and the diluent recovered tailings component;
• (f) recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (g) recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel.

A method of separating a diluted tailings comprising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent component and a diluent recovered tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from a bitumen froth treatment process, the method comprising:

• (a) introducing the diluted tailings into an interior of a diluent recovery vessel so that the diluted tailings form a tailings pool in a tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the diluent recovery vessel has a lower end and an upper end and wherein the tailings pool is formed at the lower end of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (b) providing a foam breaking device in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel between the tailings pool and the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the interior of the diluent recovery vessel defines a vessel axis, wherein the tailings pool section has a tailings pool cross-sectional area transverse to the vessel axis in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein providing the foam breaking device is comprised of providing a foam breaking cross-sectional area transverse to the vessel axis in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel, and wherein the foam breaking cross-sectional area is larger than the tailings pool cross sectional area;
• (c) introducing an amount of steam directly into the tailings pool;
• (d) mixing the components of the diluted tailings and the steam which are contained in the tailings pool;
• (e) maintaining the diluted tailings in the diluent recovery vessel for a residence time in order to separate the diluted tailings into the recovered diluent component and the diluent recovered tailings component;
• (f) recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (g) recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel.

An apparatus for separating a diluted tailings comprising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent component and a diluent recovered tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from a bitumen froth treatment process, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a diluent recovery vessel having a lower end, an upper end, an interior, and a tailings pool section at the lower end of the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (b) a diluted tailings inlet for introducing the diluted tailings into the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (c) a recovered diluent component outlet at the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• d) a diluent recovered tailings component outlet at the lower end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (e) a steam distributor located in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (f) a mixing device associated with the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, for mixing the diluted tailings which form a tailings pool in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the mixing device is comprised of a stirrer which is located in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel.

An apparatus for separating a diluted tailings comprising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent component and a diluent recovered tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from a bitumen froth treatment process, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a diluent recovery vessel having a lower end, an upper end, an interior, and a tailings pool section at the lower end of the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (b) a diluted tailings inlet for introducing the diluted tailings into the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (c) a recovered diluent component outlet at the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (d) a diluent recovered tailings component outlet at the lower end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (e) a steam distributor located in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (f) a mixing device associated with the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, for mixing the diluted tailings which form a tailings pool in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the mixing device is comprised of a recirculation circuit which is in communication with the interior of the diluent recovery vessel, for recirculating at least a portion of the diluted tailings from the tailings pool section back to the interior of the diluent recovery vessel as recirculated tailings.

An apparatus for separating a diluted tailings comprising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent component and a diluent recovered tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from a bitumen froth treatment process, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a diluent recovery vessel having a lower end, an upper end, an interior, and a tailings pool section at the lower end of the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (b) a diluted tailings inlet for introducing the diluted tailings into the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (c) a recovered diluent component outlet at the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (d) a diluent recovered tailings component outlet at the lower end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (e) a steam distributor located in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (f) a mixing device associated with the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, for mixing the diluted tailings which form a tailings pool in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (g) a foam breaking device located in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel between the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel and the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the interior of the diluent recovery vessel defines a vessel axis, wherein the foam breaking device is comprised of a foam breaker, wherein the foam breaker has a foam breaker axis, wherein the foam breaker is rotatable about the foam breaker axis, and wherein the foam breaker axis is parallel with the vessel axis.

An apparatus for separating a diluted tailings comprising a hydrocarbon diluent into a recovered diluent component and a diluent recovered tailings component, wherein the diluted tailings are derived from a bitumen froth treatment process, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a diluent recovery vessel having a lower end, an upper end, an interior, and a tailings pool section at the lower end of the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (b) a diluted tailings inlet for introducing the diluted tailings into the interior of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (c) a recovered diluent component outlet at the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the recovered diluent component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (d) a diluent recovered tailings component outlet at the lower end of the diluent recovery vessel for recovering the diluent recovered tailings component from the diluent recovery vessel;
• (e) a steam distributor located in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• (f) a mixing device associated with the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel, for mixing the diluted tailings which form a tailings pool in the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel;
• and
• (g) a foam breaking device located in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel between the tailings pool section of the diluent recovery vessel and the upper end of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the interior of the diluent recovery vessel defines a vessel axis, wherein the tailings pool section has a tailings pool cross-sectional area transverse to the vessel axis in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel, wherein the foam breaking device is comprised of a foam breaking cross-sectional area transverse to the vessel axis in the interior of the diluent recovery vessel, and wherein the foam breaking cross-sectional area is larger than the tailings pool cross-sectional area.