Patent · US Active

Tailings solvent recovery unit

US8741107B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 28, 2011
Grant dateJun 3, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC10G2400/18
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A tailings solvent recovery vessel substantially without conventional internals utilizes nozzles for forming very fine solvent-containing hydrocarbon droplets from a solvent-containing tailings feedstream. The hydrocarbon droplets are discrete from water droplets. The hydrocarbon droplets are small enough to result in a large surface area and a desired fall residence time but sufficiently large that they are not entrained with the rising vapor in the vessel. The feedstream is introduced to the vessel with a pressure drop to result in an initial flashing of the solvent from the solvent-containing droplets. Heat from the vessel atmosphere or from steam flowing countercurrent to the falling hydrocarbon droplets is transferred to the falling hydrocarbon droplets resulting in vaporization of any residual solvent therefrom. A substantially solvent-depleted pool is collected in the bottom of the vessel and retained only so long as is required to pump the underflow stream from the vessel.

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