US3855079A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and apparatus for recovering residual oil from solids dehydrated in an oil medium and grossly deoiled
Assignee: AMERICAN BIOTHERM COMPANY LLC
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Filing: 1972-12-26
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Granted: 1974-12-17
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Expires: 1992-12-26
Abstract
Abstract Process and apparatus for recovering residual oil from solids previously substantially dehydrated by a process wherein a slurry of water-wet solids in oil is subjected to a heat evaporation step to substantially remove the water. The oil is then largely expressed from the solids after which the solids still containing some oil as residual oil are extracted with a relatively low viscosity and relatively volatile water-immiscible light oil. The light oil-laden solids are then brought into direct contact with steam whereby the presence of the steam effectively reduces the boiling point of the water-immiscible light oil to effect its more efficient removal from the solids. Excess steam and light oil vapor are used to supply heat to the overall process.
Inventors
- 👤 C Greenfield
- 👤 R Casparian
- 👤 A Bonanno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:29
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F11/00; C02F11/002; B; B01; B01D; B01D1/00; B01D1/14; B01D1/26; B01D11/00; B01D11/02; B01D11/0215; B01D11/0223; B01D11/0226; B01D11/028; B01D11/0284; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S159/00; Y10S159/25; Y10S159/33
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
553 words
AN APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING CLEAN WATER FROM WATERINSOLUBLE AQUEOUS SOLIDS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING (1) A TANK ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STREAM OF SAID AQUEOUS SOLIDS AND PROVIDED WITH A STIRRING OR MIXING MECHANISM, (2) A FLUIDIZING OIL RESERVIOR, (3) A CONDUIT FOR TRANSMITTING FLUIDIZING OIL FROM SAID OIL RESERVOIR TO SAID TANK WHEREIN FLUIDIZING OIL AND AQUEOUS SOLIDS MAY BE MIXED, (4) A MULTI-STAGE EVAPORATOR COMPRISING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND STAGES, (5) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID TANK TO THE SECOND STAGE OF SAID EVAPORATOR WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A STREAM OF AQUEOUS SOLIDS ADMIXED WITH FLUIDIZING OIL FROM SAID TANK INTO THE EVAPORATING REGION OF SAID EVAPORATOR, (6) A VAPOR DUCT EXTENDING FROM THE VAPOR CHAMBER OF SAID SECOND EVAPORATOR STAGE TO THE EVAPORATING REGION OF THE FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW WATER VAPOR FORMED AS A RESULT OF HEAT EVAPORATION TO THEREBY ACT AS A SOURCE OF EVAPORATIVE HEAT IN SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE, (7) A FIRST LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS, (8) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM THE FINAL STAGE OF SAID EVAPORATOR TO SAID FIRST LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A STREAM OF A SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS SLURRY OF WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN FLUIDIZING OIL, (9) A FIRST REPULPING TANK PROVIDED WITH A MIXTURE OR STIRRING DEVICE, (10) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST LIQUIDSOLID SEPARATING MEANS TO SAID FIRST REPLUPING TANK THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW SOLIDS CONTAINING RESIDUAL FLUIDIZING OIL, (11) A SOURCE OF A RELATIVELY LIGHT OIL, (12) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT OIL TO SAID FIRST REPULPING TANK WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW LIGHT OIL TO BE MIXED WITH FLUIDIZING OIL-LADEN SOLIDS IN SAID FIRST REPULPING TANK, (13) A SECOND LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS, (14) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST REPULPING TANK TO SAID SECOND LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A SLURRY OF WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN LIGHT OIL CONTAINING EXTRACTED RESIDUAL FLUIDIZING OIL, (15) A SECOND REPULPING TANK PROVIDED WITH A MIXING OR STIRRING DEVICE, (16) A CONDUIT EXTRACTED RESIDUAL FLUIDIZING OIL, (15) A SEPARATING MEANS TO SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW SOLIDS CONTAINING RESIDUAL LIGHT OIL, (17) A WATER RESERVOIR (18) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID WATER RESERVOIR TO SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW WATER TO BE ADMIXED WITH LIGHT OIL-LADEN SOLIDS IN SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK, (19) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK TO THE FIRST STAGE OF THE MULTI-STAGE EVAPORATOR WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A SLURRY OF LIGHT OIL-LADEN WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN ATER FROM SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK INTO THE EVAPORATING REGION OF SAID FIRST STAGE OF THE VEAPORATOR, (20) A CONDENSER, (21) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST STAGE OF THE EVAPORATOR TO SAID CONDENSER THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW WATER VAPOR AND LIGHT OIL VAPOR FORMED AS A RESULT OF HEATING SAID SLURRY OF LIGHT OIL-LADEN SOLIDS IN WATER, (22) A SCALPING TANK, (23) MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING MIXED WATER VAPOR CONDENSATE AND LIGHT OIL CONDENSATE FROM SAID CONDENSER TO SAID SCALPING TANK WHEREIN SAID MIXED CONDENSATE IS SEPARATED INTO A CLEAN WATER PRODUCT AND LIGHT OIL, (24) A SETTLING TANK, AND (25) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE TO SAID SETTLING TANK WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A SLURRY OF LIGHT OIL-FREE WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN WATER FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE TO SAID SETTLING TANK WHEREIN SAID SLURRY IS SEPARATED INTO WET SOLIDS AND SUPERNATANT WATER.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
553 words
AN APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING CLEAN WATER FROM WATERINSOLUBLE AQUEOUS SOLIDS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING (1) A TANK ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STREAM OF SAID AQUEOUS SOLIDS AND PROVIDED WITH A STIRRING OR MIXING MECHANISM, (2) A FLUIDIZING OIL RESERVIOR, (3) A CONDUIT FOR TRANSMITTING FLUIDIZING OIL FROM SAID OIL RESERVOIR TO SAID TANK WHEREIN FLUIDIZING OIL AND AQUEOUS SOLIDS MAY BE MIXED, (4) A MULTI-STAGE EVAPORATOR COMPRISING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND STAGES, (5) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID TANK TO THE SECOND STAGE OF SAID EVAPORATOR WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A STREAM OF AQUEOUS SOLIDS ADMIXED WITH FLUIDIZING OIL FROM SAID TANK INTO THE EVAPORATING REGION OF SAID EVAPORATOR, (6) A VAPOR DUCT EXTENDING FROM THE VAPOR CHAMBER OF SAID SECOND EVAPORATOR STAGE TO THE EVAPORATING REGION OF THE FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW WATER VAPOR FORMED AS A RESULT OF HEAT EVAPORATION TO THEREBY ACT AS A SOURCE OF EVAPORATIVE HEAT IN SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE, (7) A FIRST LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS, (8) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM THE FINAL STAGE OF SAID EVAPORATOR TO SAID FIRST LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A STREAM OF A SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS SLURRY OF WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN FLUIDIZING OIL, (9) A FIRST REPULPING TANK PROVIDED WITH A MIXTURE OR STIRRING DEVICE, (10) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST LIQUIDSOLID SEPARATING MEANS TO SAID FIRST REPLUPING TANK THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW SOLIDS CONTAINING RESIDUAL FLUIDIZING OIL, (11) A SOURCE OF A RELATIVELY LIGHT OIL, (12) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT OIL TO SAID FIRST REPULPING TANK WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW LIGHT OIL TO BE MIXED WITH FLUIDIZING OIL-LADEN SOLIDS IN SAID FIRST REPULPING TANK, (13) A SECOND LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS, (14) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST REPULPING TANK TO SAID SECOND LIQUID-SOLID SEPARATING MEANS WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A SLURRY OF WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN LIGHT OIL CONTAINING EXTRACTED RESIDUAL FLUIDIZING OIL, (15) A SECOND REPULPING TANK PROVIDED WITH A MIXING OR STIRRING DEVICE, (16) A CONDUIT EXTRACTED RESIDUAL FLUIDIZING OIL, (15) A SEPARATING MEANS TO SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW SOLIDS CONTAINING RESIDUAL LIGHT OIL, (17) A WATER RESERVOIR (18) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID WATER RESERVOIR TO SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW WATER TO BE ADMIXED WITH LIGHT OIL-LADEN SOLIDS IN SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK, (19) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK TO THE FIRST STAGE OF THE MULTI-STAGE EVAPORATOR WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A SLURRY OF LIGHT OIL-LADEN WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN ATER FROM SAID SECOND REPULPING TANK INTO THE EVAPORATING REGION OF SAID FIRST STAGE OF THE VEAPORATOR, (20) A CONDENSER, (21) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST STAGE OF THE EVAPORATOR TO SAID CONDENSER THROUGH WHICH MAY FLOW WATER VAPOR AND LIGHT OIL VAPOR FORMED AS A RESULT OF HEATING SAID SLURRY OF LIGHT OIL-LADEN SOLIDS IN WATER, (22) A SCALPING TANK, (23) MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING MIXED WATER VAPOR CONDENSATE AND LIGHT OIL CONDENSATE FROM SAID CONDENSER TO SAID SCALPING TANK WHEREIN SAID MIXED CONDENSATE IS SEPARATED INTO A CLEAN WATER PRODUCT AND LIGHT OIL, (24) A SETTLING TANK, AND (25) A CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE TO SAID SETTLING TANK WHERETHROUGH MAY FLOW A SLURRY OF LIGHT OIL-FREE WATER-INSOLUBLE SOLIDS IN WATER FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR STAGE TO SAID SETTLING TANK WHEREIN SAID SLURRY IS SEPARATED INTO WET SOLIDS AND SUPERNATANT WATER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second stage of the multi-stage evaporator is itself a multi-stage evaporator and wherein all stages of the evaporator system are adapted to have fluid material to be heated and evaporated therein and vaporous material to effect this heating and evaporating flow through it countercurrently.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said liquid-solid separating means is a continuous centrifuge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source (11) of relatively light oil is said scalping tank (22).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the water reservoir (17) is said settling tank (24).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
209 words
A process for the recovery of residual oil from water-insoluble solids dehydrated in an oil medium and thereafter grossly deoiled comprising the steps of (1) admixing aqueous solids with a relatively non-volatile oil to obtain a mixture which will remain fluid and pumpable after the removal of the water content therefrom; (2) subjecting the resultant oil-containing mixture to dehydration by heat evaporation to yield water vapor and a substantially anhydrous solids in oil slurry; (3) condensing said water vapor and recovering the resulting condensate as a clean water product; (4) separating the gross part of the relatively non-volatile oil from said solids in oil slurry; (5) slurrying the resultant oil-laden solids with a relatively low viscosity, relatively volatile light oil that is water-immiscible; (6) separating said light oil and extracted residual non-volatile oil from said solids: (7) slurrying the resultant light oil-laden solids with water; (8) bringing the resultant aqueous slurry into indirect thermal contact with steam and thereby removing a portion of the water and substantially all of the light oil from said aqueous slurry by heat evaporation; (9) allowing the solids in the resultant slurry of solids and excess water to settle under the force of gravity, and (10) removing the supernatant water from the settled solids.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
209 words
A process for the recovery of residual oil from water-insoluble solids dehydrated in an oil medium and thereafter grossly deoiled comprising the steps of (1) admixing aqueous solids with a relatively non-volatile oil to obtain a mixture which will remain fluid and pumpable after the removal of the water content therefrom; (2) subjecting the resultant oil-containing mixture to dehydration by heat evaporation to yield water vapor and a substantially anhydrous solids in oil slurry; (3) condensing said water vapor and recovering the resulting condensate as a clean water product; (4) separating the gross part of the relatively non-volatile oil from said solids in oil slurry; (5) slurrying the resultant oil-laden solids with a relatively low viscosity, relatively volatile light oil that is water-immiscible; (6) separating said light oil and extracted residual non-volatile oil from said solids: (7) slurrying the resultant light oil-laden solids with water; (8) bringing the resultant aqueous slurry into indirect thermal contact with steam and thereby removing a portion of the water and substantially all of the light oil from said aqueous slurry by heat evaporation; (9) allowing the solids in the resultant slurry of solids and excess water to settle under the force of gravity, and (10) removing the supernatant water from the settled solids.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 6 wherein heat evaporation step (2) is carried out at temperaturs within the range of about 100F to 400F and heat evaporation step (8) is carried out at temperatures within the range of about 70F to 250F.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-16 | 1978-06-17 | 1978-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-16 | 1982-06-17 | 1982-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-16 | 1986-06-17 | 1986-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |