Separation of bitumen from bituminous sand using a dense slurry and controlled velocities

Patent · Tue Jan 19 04:00:00 EST 1971

OSTI ID:5902485

Cymbalisty, L M.O.

Bitumen is recovered from bituminous sand by slurrying the bituminous sand with between 15 and 25% by wt water and then introducing the slurry into a body of water so that the bitumen floats to the top and the sand settles to the bottom. Additional flooding water is added to the slurry prior to the separation step. Prior to introduction of the flooding water, liner velocity of the slurry is maintained less than 2 ft per sec. Following addition of the flooding water, the linear velocity of the slurry is maintained above 2 ft per sec until the slurry is introduced into the body of water for separation of bitumen from it. (2 claims)

• Assignee: Cities Serv Athabasca Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 3556981
• OSTI ID: 5902485
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DEMULSIFICATION
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLOTATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
TAR
VELOCITY
WATER