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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.:

US 8968579 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 2015

Filed:

Jul. 20, 2012

System, apparatus and process for extraction of bitumen from oil sands

Applicants:

Bradford E. Bjornson, Lethbridge, CA;

Craig Aaron Strand, Fort McMurray, CA;

William Nicholas Garner, Fort McMurray, CA;

John Khai-quang Diep, Burnaby, CA;

Darwin Edward Kiel, New Westminster, CA;

Thomas Charles Hann, Onoway, CA;

Inventors:

Bradford E. Bjornson, Lethbridge, CA;

Craig Aaron Strand, Fort McMurray, CA;

William Nicholas Garner, Fort McMurray, CA;

John Khai-Quang Diep, Burnaby, CA;

Darwin Edward Kiel, New Westminster, CA;

Thomas Charles Hann, Onoway, CA;

Assignee:

Suncor Energy Inc., Alberta, CA;

Attorney:

Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP

Primary Examiner:

David C Mellon

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B01D 21/06 (2006.01); B01D 17/028 (2006.01); C10G 1/00 (2006.01); B03B 9/02 (2006.01); B01D 21/24 (2006.01); B03D 1/08 (2006.01); B01D 21/00 (2006.01); B03D 1/14 (2006.01); B01D 17/02 (2006.01); C10G 1/04 (2006.01); E21C 47/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
C10G 1/002 (2013.01); B01D 21/24 (2013.01); B03D 1/082 (2013.01); B01D 21/0087 (2013.01); B03D 2203/006 (2013.01); B03D 1/1456 (2013.01); B01D 17/0214 (2013.01); B03D 1/1462 (2013.01); B01D 21/0042 (2013.01); B03D 1/1493 (2013.01); B03B 9/02 (2013.01); C10G 1/047 (2013.01); E21C 47/00 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4068 (2013.01); C10G 2300/805 (2013.01);
Abstract

A separation process and system for extracting hydrocarbons from a mixture. In some embodiments, a process for separating a bitumen froth stream containing bitumen froth, water and fine solids into a bitumen enriched froth stream and a water and fine solids stream, comprises: (a) receiving the bitumen froth stream in a concentrator vessel, (b) distributing the bitumen froth stream in the concentrator vessel as a substantially uniform and generally horizontal flow of the bitumen froth stream at a first flow velocity, (c) slowing the bitumen froth stream to a second flow velocity, slower than the first flow velocity, in a separation region of the concentrator vessel to promote separation of the bitumen froth from the water and fine solids, and then (d) collecting a bitumen enriched froth stream and (e) collecting a separate water and fine solids stream. Related embodiments of systems and apparatus may also be provided.

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