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CA1152918A Expired / Lapsed CA ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Incremental bitumen recovery from tar sands waste water streams

Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc
•
Filing: 1980-05-29
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Granted: 1983-08-30
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Expires: 2000-05-29
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Abstract

Abstract ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Incremental recovery of bitumen from the waste water streams of a hot water process for the extraction of bitumen from the tar sands is effected by directing the waste water down an inclined conduit to achieve gravity separation of the tailings stream constituents. The bitumen rises to the top and is contained by a baffle near the downstream end of the conduit such that it can be withdrawn and processed into synthetic crude oil. A tails weir at the downstream end of the conduit regulates the level of the remaining water and mineral which discharges over the tails weir enroute to a tailings pond.

Inventors

  • 👤 Thomas C. Hann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction CA
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 08:54
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03B; B03B9/00; B03B9/02; B03B11/00; B03B5/00; B03B5/60; C; C10; C10C; C10C3/00; C10C3/007; C10G; C10G1/00; C10G1/04; C10G1/047

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 138 words
Apparatus for recovering bitumen from waste water streams associated with the extraction of bitumen from tar sands, which waste water streams contain sand, silt, clay, and bitumen, said apparatus comprising: (a) a conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, said conduit being disposed at an angle of from 5° to 15° with respect to the horizontal such that said inlet end is higher than said outlet end; and (b) a collection zone positioned at said outlet end, said collection zone including: (i) a baffle disposed across an upper section thereof for collecting bituminous froth floating on the surface of waste water therein and extending to a point below the surface of the waste water, and (ii) a tails weir disposed in a discharge region of said collection zone for regulating the level of waste water therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 138 words
Apparatus for recovering bitumen from waste water streams associated with the extraction of bitumen from tar sands, which waste water streams contain sand, silt, clay, and bitumen, said apparatus comprising: (a) a conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, said conduit being disposed at an angle of from 5° to 15° with respect to the horizontal such that said inlet end is higher than said outlet end; and (b) a collection zone positioned at said outlet end, said collection zone including: (i) a baffle disposed across an upper section thereof for collecting bituminous froth floating on the surface of waste water therein and extending to a point below the surface of the waste water, and (ii) a tails weir disposed in a discharge region of said collection zone for regulating the level of waste water therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 which further includes, in said collection zone, a froth weir having a lower boundary dis-posed above the waste water surface as regulated by said tails weir.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 in which said conduit is disposed at an angle of from 6° to 10° with respect to the horizontal.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 63 words
A system for recovering bitumen from the waste water streams of a bitumen extraction process comprising a plurality of apparatus units as defined in Claims 1, 2, or 3, said ap-paratus units being arranged in serial relationship such that waste water discharged from an outlet end of at least one ap-paratus unit is discharged into an inlet end of a succeeding apparatus unit.

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