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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Apparatus and method for recovery of bituminous products from tar sands

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6644759
An apparatus and method are disclosed for (1) reducing agglomerated masses of tar sand and (2) recovering as a bituminous product the bituminous matrix material therefrom. The apparatus includes a vessel which is divided into an attrition zone enclosed by a screen member, a sand separation zone and a product recovery zone. The vessel accommodates liquid which is, advantageously, a solvent into which the agglomerated masses of tar sands are introduced. The liquid is impelled vigorously upwardly into the attrition zone to create a high shear environment by which the tar sand masses are reduced by attrition into sand particles coated with the bituminous matrix material of the tar sand. The separated grains of sand are also stripped of the bituminous product by the high shear environment. The cleansed sand passes through the screen member surrounding the attrition zone into the sand separation zone. The liquid and the bituminous product removed from the sand passes to the product recovery zone.
Assignee:
New Energy Sources Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 4096057
OSTI ID:
6644759
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English