Apparatus for the continuous solvent extraction of bitumen from oil-bearing sand
In a continuous process for the extraction of crude refinery stock from oil-bearing sand, miscella produced earlier in the process is returned and mixed with oil-bearing sand to provide a feed slurry which, after heating, is separated into two streams, one of which is comprised predominantly of the coarser sand particles in the feed sand and miscella and the other of which contains most of the fine sand particles in the feed slurry. Miscella extracted by hot solvent from one of these streams is recycled to produce at least part of the miscella returned to produce the feed mix, and the other stream is processed to remove at least most of the sand and yield a miscella which is then distilled to separate the solvent for recycle to the extraction stages. Generally stated, a decantation step involving countercurrent extraction of the feed slurry will be used with sands which are comprised largely of fine particles. Percolation and separation of miscella along with solvent extract of bitumen from the sand is used where the sand in the feed mix is predominantly coarse. The spent sand from both streams is combined, and being still wet with solvent, is subjected to steam stripping, yielding solvent vapor. The hot vapors which result are first used to preheat the feed slurry followed by condensation and separation of solvent, which is recycled into the system, and water. Heat is also recuperated from the spent sand to preheat the feed slurry.
- Assignee:
- Dravo Corporation
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4422901
- OSTI ID:
- 6800447
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DESIGN
DISPERSIONS
DISTILLATION
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY SOURCES
EXTRACTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT RECOVERY
HEAT TREATMENTS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
RECOVERY
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLURRIES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SUSPENSIONS
TAR
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION