Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for separation of heterogeneous phases

US4954254A · kind A · utility

0Cited by
3References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 8, 1989
Grant dateSep 4, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 8, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC10G1/047
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The invention provides a process for extracting bitumen from oil sands. The process includes the step of conditioning the oil sands by adding hot water and steam to the oil sands. The conditioned oil sands are then introduced into a separation zone. Separation of the oil sands into a bitumen froth phase, a middlings phase and a tailings phase occurs in the separation zone. Water with air dissolved therein is continuously injected under pressure upwardly through the separation zone. The water is at a low temperature relative to the oil sands. At least two of the phases are then separately withdrawn from the separation zone.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.