The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 01, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 24, 2008
Thomas Charles Hann, Onoway, CA;
Thomas Charles Hann, Onoway, CA;
Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, Alberta, CA;
Abstract
An apparatus and process for treating a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock having a specific gravity differential between components of the feedstock is disclosed. The apparatus includes a treatment vessel having an inlet for receiving the feedstock. The apparatus also includes a primary separation container located in the treatment vessel, the primary separation container being operable to accumulate feedstock to cause a low specific gravity portion of the feedstock to separate and rise to an upper surface of the accumulated feedstock. The apparatus also includes a first weir for collecting the low specific gravity portion from the surface of the accumulated feedstock in the primary separation container. The apparatus further includes a first outlet in the primary separation container, the first outlet being operably configured to receive settling solids in the accumulated feedstock and to produce a first discharge stream at the first outlet. The apparatus also includes a secondary separation container located in the treatment vessel to receive the collected low specific gravity portion, the secondary separation container being operable to accumulate the collected low specific gravity portion to cause hydrocarbon products to separate and rise to an upper surface of the accumulated low specific gravity portion of the feedstock. The apparatus further includes a product outlet for collecting the hydrocarbon products from the upper surface of the accumulated low specific gravity portion to produce a hydrocarbon product stream at the product outlet.