US4572777A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Recovery of a carbonaceous liquid with a low fines content
Assignee: BP Corp North America Inc
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Filing: 1984-02-29
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Granted: 1986-02-25
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Expires: 2004-02-29
Abstract
Abstract A method is disclosed for recovering bitumen from a carbonaceous solid feed and for recovering a carbonaceous liquid from a fines-containing carbonaceous liquid feed by extraction of the feed with a solvent of predetermined solvency power, wherein the recovered product has a low fines content.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence B. Peck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:46
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G1/00; C10G1/04; C10G1/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for removing solid fines in an extraction of bitumen from a carbonaceous solid or carbonaceous liquid containing extractable bitumen comprising: (a) forming a mixture comprising dissolved bitumen, about 5 to about 25 weight % undissolved bitumen, solid particle fines, and solvent wherein the about 5 to about 25 weight % undissolved bitumen is sufficient to settle from the mixture and remove the solid particle fines; (b) permitting the undissolved bitumen to settle with at least a portion of the solid fines agglomerating and settling with the undissolved bitumen to form a lower solid phase; (c) separating an upper dissolved bitumen solvent liquid phase from the lower solid phase; and (d) separating the dissolved bitumen from the solvent.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for removing solid fines in an extraction of bitumen from a carbonaceous solid or carbonaceous liquid containing extractable bitumen comprising: (a) forming a mixture comprising dissolved bitumen, about 5 to about 25 weight % undissolved bitumen, solid particle fines, and solvent wherein the about 5 to about 25 weight % undissolved bitumen is sufficient to settle from the mixture and remove the solid particle fines; (b) permitting the undissolved bitumen to settle with at least a portion of the solid fines agglomerating and settling with the undissolved bitumen to form a lower solid phase; (c) separating an upper dissolved bitumen solvent liquid phase from the lower solid phase; and (d) separating the dissolved bitumen from the solvent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein about 7 to 15 weight % of the bitumen is undissolved.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of undissolved bitumen is sufficient to achieve a settling rate for the undissolved bitumen and agglomerated fines of at least 0.1 feet/hour.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
185 words
A method for removing solid fines in an extraction of bitumen from a carbonaceous solid or carbonaceous liquid containing extractable bitumen comprising: (a) contacting the the carbonaceous solid or carbonaceous liquid containing extractable bitumen with a solvent mixture having a solubility parameter between about 8.5 and about 10.5 to produce a bitumen laden solvent mixture, wherein the solvent mixture comprises at least one solvent with a solubility parameter higher than that of bitumen and at least one solvent with a solubility parameter lower than that of bitumen; (b) separating sand from the bitumen laden solvent mixture; (c) treating the bitumen laden solvent mixture to remove the higher solubility parameter solvent so that an asphaltene fraction of the bitumen is precipitated from the remaining solvent to form a mixture comprising dissolved bitumen, undissolved asphaltenic bitumen, solid fines, and solvent; (d) permitting the undissolved asphaltenic bitumen to settle with at least a portion of the solid fines, agglomerating and settling with the undissolved asphaltenic bitumen; (e) separating the undissolved bitumen and solid fines; and (f) stripping the remaining solvent from the dissolved bitumen to produce product bitumen.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
185 words
A method for removing solid fines in an extraction of bitumen from a carbonaceous solid or carbonaceous liquid containing extractable bitumen comprising: (a) contacting the the carbonaceous solid or carbonaceous liquid containing extractable bitumen with a solvent mixture having a solubility parameter between about 8.5 and about 10.5 to produce a bitumen laden solvent mixture, wherein the solvent mixture comprises at least one solvent with a solubility parameter higher than that of bitumen and at least one solvent with a solubility parameter lower than that of bitumen; (b) separating sand from the bitumen laden solvent mixture; (c) treating the bitumen laden solvent mixture to remove the higher solubility parameter solvent so that an asphaltene fraction of the bitumen is precipitated from the remaining solvent to form a mixture comprising dissolved bitumen, undissolved asphaltenic bitumen, solid fines, and solvent; (d) permitting the undissolved asphaltenic bitumen to settle with at least a portion of the solid fines, agglomerating and settling with the undissolved asphaltenic bitumen; (e) separating the undissolved bitumen and solid fines; and (f) stripping the remaining solvent from the dissolved bitumen to produce product bitumen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the amount of undissolved asphaltenic bitumen is about 7 to about 15 weight percent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the higher solubility parameter solvent is selected from the group consisting of toluene, benzene, chlorobenzene, nitrobenzene, furan, dimethyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, triophene, pyridine, ketones of carbon number 5 or less, alcohols of carbon number 4 or less, chlorinated compounds of carbon number 2 or less, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the lower solubility parameter solvent is selected from the group consisting of cyclopentane, cyclohexane, naptha, kerosine, Freon-11, Freon-113, paraffins and olefins of carbon number 3 through 12, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the lower solubility parameter solvent is selected from the group consisting of paraffins of carbon number 8 to 12.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous solid comprises tar sand, diatomaceous earth or a solid containing heavy oil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises at least one nonpolar hydrocarbon which is unsubstituted or substituted by at least one halogen, oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atom and has from 1 to 15 carbon atoms.
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