Canadian Patents & Development Ltd.

National Research Council of Canada

Energy, Mines & Resources - Canada

F Weldon Meadus

Bryan D Sparks

Ira E Puddington

Michio Ikura

Richard D Coleman

C Edward Capes

J Redmond Farnand

Floyd N Toll

Enrique O Hoefele

David H McNabb

The invention disclosed relates to a process for removing contaminants, such as hydrocarbons, from soil. The process involves contacting the contaminated soil with a suitable solvent for the contaminant, in the presence of a bridging liquid which is immiscible with the solvent, while agitating. The amount of the bridging liquid and the degree of agitation are balanced to control the particle size of the substantially contaminant- and solvent-free soil agglomerates so formed.

Soil remediation

In the present invention, iron sulfate is added in the form of an aqueous wash solution to coal agglomerates after separation of ash from the agglomerated coal. As the agglomerates remain in a continuous water phase, a good dispersion of the iron sulfate solution throughout the agglomerate matrix occurs. At this stage an unexpectedly strong adsorption of Fe ions onto the coal surfaces occurs without any adverse effects on agglomerate integrity and the ability to separate it selectively by floatation. Furthermore, this good dispersion also results in over 94% of the iron sulfate in the wash solution being transferred to the agglomerates. This manner of addition of iron sulphate to coal has been shown to elevate advantageously the lowest temperature at which coke formation occurs during coprocessing.

Incorporation of a coprocessing additive into coal/oil agglomerates

Oil sands and similar hydrocarbon-solids mixtures are separated into their components by steps comprising: mixing with a solvent for the hydrocarbon in an extraction-contacting stage including a controlled light milling action, in the presence of hydrophilic bridging liquid, under selected conditions favoring the formation of large agglomerates of substantially all hydrophilic solids; controlling the milling action to break down continuously the agglomerates so that at equilibrium the agglomerate size is much smaller than expected; separating the agglomerates from the concentrated hydrocarbon solution and stripping solvent from this solution to leave hydrocarbon product; washing the agglomerates with solvent and recycling this dilute wash solution preferably to the extraction-contacting; desolventizing the agglomerates and recycling solvent preferably to the wash stage. The agglomerates have fast settling and draining properties and a low hydrocarbon content while the hydrocarbon product has a low solids content. An apparatus for carrying out this process is described.

Solvent extraction spherical agglomeration of oil sands

Tar sands and like mineral solids-plus petroleum deposits are separated into a petroleum fraction and a solids fraction by contacting with an organic solvent or diluent (in one or more stages) to give a liquid slurry, providing in the system a small amount of an aqueous agglomerating liquid, mixing and agitating until discrete compact agglomerates of hydrophilic solids form, separating the solid easily-handled agglomerates and recovering the petroleum fraction and solvent or diluent. This process avoids the large volumes of aqueous effluent inherent in the 'hot water' and other processes using large amounts of water. The solid agglomerates may be used as clean fill, sintered to aggregate, or modified to serve as soil amendments.

Separating organic material from tar sands or oil shale

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Ottawa, Canada

F Weldon Meadus