Separation and recovery of bitumen oil from tar sands

Abstract

A process for the separation of bitumen oil from tar sands and the like. Slurry is supplied to a mixing chamber of a jet pump at an input end of the process. The slurry is agitated within the jet pump to effect a partial to full phase separation of the oil fraction from the solids fraction of the slurry. The partially to fully separated slurry is discharged into a pipeline and later into a hydrocyclone to effect a second phase separation of the slurry. One or more hydrocyclone separators may be used to separate the bitumen oil and liquid from the solids fraction.

1 . A process for phase separation of tailings comprising a solids fraction and an oil and water fraction, the process comprising the steps of:
 supplying the tailings to a mixing chamber of a jet pump, the jet pump being supplied with wash fluid from a power source;   agitating the tailings within the mixing chamber of the jet pump to effect a partial to full phase separation of the oil and water fraction from the solids fraction of the tailings; and   discharging of the partially to fully separated oil and water fraction and solids fraction of the tailings from the jet pump.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  in which the jet pump operates at a Reynolds number above 250,000. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  in which the slurry is supplied from a hopper, wherein the hopper is free of phase separation devices. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  in which the partially to fully separated oil and water fraction and solids fraction of the tailings is discharged from the jet pump into a phase separation device. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  in which discharging further comprises discharging the partially to fully separated oil and water fraction and solids fraction of the tailings from the jet pump into a pipeline for continued separation through mixing and contact with the wash fluid within the pipeline. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising discharging the partially to fully separated mixture of the oil and water fraction and the solids fraction of the tailings from the pipeline into a phase separation device to effect a second phase separation of the tailings and produce a first output stream comprising the solids fraction and a second output stream comprising the oil and water fraction. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6  further comprising repeating the process steps of  claim 6  to yield a solids fraction and chemically conditioning the solids fraction with calcium oxide. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6  further comprising treating all or portions of the first output stream with a thermal screw to produce a solids fraction free of any residual water and hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 6  in which the phase separation device comprises a hydrocyclone. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  in which the tailings comprises tailings from a mining or drilling operation. 
     
     
         11 . A method for treating a mixture comprising tailings, the mixture having a solids fraction, a hydrocarbon fraction, and a water fraction, the method comprising the steps of:
 supplying the mixture to a mixing chamber of a jet pump;   supplying a primary flow to an input of the jet pump; and   operating the jet pump using the primary flow to agitate the mixture and propel an agitated mixture from the jet pump to effect at least a partial phase separation of the hydrocarbon fraction from the solids fraction and the water fraction.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  in which the agitated mixture is discharged from the jet pump into a phase separation device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  in which the agitated mixture is discharged from the jet pump into a pipeline for continued separation through mixing and contact with the wash fluid within the pipeline. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising discharging the agitated mixture from the pipeline into a phase separation device to effect a second phase separation of the agitated mixture and produce a first output stream comprising the solids fraction and a second output stream comprising the hydrocarbon fraction and the water fraction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  in which the mixture is supplied from a hopper, and in which the hopper is free of phase separation devices. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  in which the jet pump operates at a Reynolds number above 250,000. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  in which the phase separation device comprises a hydrocyclone. 
     
     
         18 . A process for phase separation of a mixture comprising tailings and having a solids fraction and a hydrocarbon fraction, the process comprising the steps of:
 supplying the mixture to a mixing chamber of a jet pump;   supplying a primary flow to an input of the jet pump; and   operating the jet pump using the primary flow to agitate the mixture and discharge the agitated mixture from the jet pump to effect at least a partial phase separation of the hydrocarbon fraction from the solids fraction.   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  in which the agitated mixture is discharged from the jet pump into a phase separation device.