Bitumen Froth Temperature Control for Solvent Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oil sands processing techniques face inefficiencies in temperature control during bitumen froth treatment, leading to variable process performance due to differences in heat capacity among bitumen, water, and minerals, which affects the separation efficiency and solvent usage.
Innovation Solution
Heating the bitumen froth to a temperature below the solvent's flash temperature, ensuring complete mixing with the solvent to reduce viscosity and enhance mixing efficacy, while maintaining consistent temperatures in separation vessels to improve separation performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the bitumen froth is heated to high temperature to reduce viscosity for complete mixing with solvent, then mixing efficacy is improved, but the risk of solvent flash evaporation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the temperature of bitumen froth to be below the flash temperature of the solvent. This temperature parameter optimization enables complete mixing and adequate viscosity reduction while preventing solvent flash evaporation, thus resolving the contradiction between mixing efficacy and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-heating the bitumen froth to the optimal temperature range before introducing the solvent. This preliminary temperature adjustment ensures the froth is in the correct state for complete mixing while maintaining safety margins below the solvent's flash point
2Device complexity
If different heat capacities of bitumen, water, and minerals are not accounted for, then temperature control is simplified, but separation performance becomes variable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by recognizing that different components (bitumen, water, minerals) in the froth have different heat capacities and require differentiated thermal management. The method adjusts heating based on the specific composition and heat capacity characteristics of each component to achieve consistent separation performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring temperature and adjusting heating to maintain consistent froth temperature despite varying compositions. This feedback mechanism compensates for differences in heat capacity among components, ensuring reliable separation performance
3Use of energy by moving object
If temperature control is not optimized, then energy consumption is reduced, but solvent usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the temperature parameter to achieve complete mixing at the lowest effective temperature. By setting the froth temperature just below the solvent flash point and adequate for viscosity reduction, the method minimizes energy input while maximizing mixing efficiency, thereby reducing both energy consumption and solvent requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A method for pre-treating bitumen froth for mixing with solvent for froth treatment includes heating the froth to a froth-solvent mixing temperature below the solvent flash temperature and suitably high to provide reduced bitumen viscosity sufficiently low for complete mixing of the solvent and the froth prior to introduction into a separation apparatus. A method of improving energy use in froth treatment includes reducing heat provided to the solvent, increasing heat provided to the froth prior to adding the solvent to reduce bitumen viscosity and adding the temperature-reduced solvent to the heated froth. A froth treatment separation process includes trim heating first and second solvent streams to adjust the first and second stage separation temperatures.