Method and apparatus to create an oil sand slurry
a technology of oil sand ore and slurry, which is applied in the field of ore processing, can solve the problems of difficult separation of bitumen from high abrasion of slurry of mined oil sand ore and process fluid, and difficult separation of bitumen from the water and mineral mixture,
Inactive Publication Date: 2010-02-25
SUNCOR ENERGY INC
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Problems solved by technology
The resulting slurry of mined oil sand ore and process fluid is highly abrasive.
In particular, processing frozen ore is extremely difficult due to its resistance to comminution.
Unlike conventional oil deposits, the bitumen is extremely viscous and difficult to separate from the water and mineral mixture in which it is found.
Rotation of the tube causes the ore slurry to be lifted and tumbled, comminuting the ore lumps.
It has become known that rotary breakers used to prepare an oil sand slurry are prone to backflow, wherein the mined ore deposited in the rotary breaker accumulates at the feed end of the breaker, and discharges back out of the feed end of the breaker, instead of either being broken down to pass through the perforations or being ejected out the discharge end.
An additional problem faced by rotary breakers used to prepare an oil sand slurry is occlusion of the perforations by previously deposited oil sand, blocking newly deposited oil sand from passing through the perforations.
Occlusion of the perforations leads to reduced throughput of slurry, increased ejection of material and increases the likelihood that oil sand will backflow out of the feed end of the rotary breaker.
A further problem faced by rotary breakers used to prepare an oil sand slurry, is sufficiently wetting the infeed oil sand ore when infeed rates are increased.
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[0026]In an embodiment, an apparatus is provided for preparing an oil sand ore slurry by combining oil sand ore and process fluid, the apparatus comprising, a tube rotatable about its longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the tube being perforated to define a perforated section of the tube; an infeed end of the tube for receiving oil sand ore; a discharge end of the tube for discharging reject material; a plurality of projecting elements affixed to an interior surface of the tube and, adapted to advance and lift received ore as the tube rotates; and, a process fluid source for directing process fluid at a portion of the interior surface of the rotatable tube in the perforated section of the tube.
[0027]The process fluid source may supply process fluid at differential rates at different locations within the tube. In an embodiment, the process fluid source may supply a greater quantity of process fluid near the infeed end than the quantity of process fluid supplied near the discharg...
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An improved method and apparatus for preparing and oil sand slurry. Mined oil sand ore is deposited into a rotatable breaker tube. As the rotary breaker rotates, the ore is advanced and broken. Process fluid may be differentially distributed throughout the length of the rotary breaker, forming an oil sand slurry and assisting in the comminution and ablation of the ore. The comminuted oil sand and process fluid passes through perforations in the interior surface of the rotary breaker, and are collected in a hopper below, while oversized ore lumps are ejected out of the discharge end of the rotary breaker. The rotatable breaker tube is resistant to backflow at higher infeed rates.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to ore processing. In particular, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating a slurry from oil sand ore.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Oil sand ore, also referred to as tar sand ore, is found in certain geographical locations. For example, the Northern Alberta Oil Sands are considered to be one of the world's largest remaining oil reserves. The oil sands are typically composed of about 70 to about 90 percent by weight mineral solids, including sand and clay, about 1 to about 10 percent by weight water, and bitumen, that comprises from trace amounts up to as much as 21 percent by weight. Typically ores containing a lower percentage by weight of bitumen contain a higher percentage by weight of fine mineral solids (“fines”) such as clay and silt.[0003]Oil sand ore is abrasive as the bitumen is locked onto mineral grains. In order to commercially mine oil sand ore, large volumes of ore must be rapidly processed with...
Claims
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Login to View More IPC IPC(8): C10G1/04C10C3/08B01F29/63
CPCB02C17/02C10G1/00B03B9/02B02C17/1825
InventorMARKS, ANITAWEATHERBEE, GRANTKENNEDY, HEATHERWALMSLEY, CHRIS
OwnerSUNCOR ENERGY INC