Dry Acid Polymers for Oil Sands Tailings Flocculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The oil sands extraction process generates mature fine tailings with slow settling characteristics and high water demand, leading to inefficient tailings management and water recycling in tailings ponds, despite the use of conventional flocculants like gypsum and polyacrylamides.
Innovation Solution
The use of dry acid polymers (DAP) and dry acid polymers with salts (DAPS), comprising anionic monomers neutral at low pH, with specific monomer ratios and molecular weights, is introduced to enhance flocculation and settling of tailings by reducing viscosity and improving polymer solubility, allowing for efficient solid-liquid separation and water recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional flocculants like gypsum and polyacrylamides are used, then tailings treatment is performed, but settling rate is slow and water demand is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition parameters of flocculants - specifically using dry acid polymers with controlled monomer ratios (acrylic acid to acrylamide between 0.02:1 and 1:1) and molecular weights (100,000 to 10,000,000 Daltons). These parameter changes enable the flocculant to achieve effective tailings settling at lower dosages, thereby reducing water demand while improving settling rate
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by creating dry acid polymer compositions that combine multiple monomers (acrylic acid and acrylamide) in specific ratios. This composite structure provides both anionic charge for particle interaction and hydrophilic groups for water management, achieving enhanced flocculation performance with reduced water consumption compared to conventional single-component flocculants
2Reliability
If polymer concentration is increased to improve flocculation, then settling efficiency improves, but viscosity increases making handling difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction through parameter changes in polymer architecture - specifically controlling molecular weight (100,000 to 10,000,000 Daltons) and monomer composition ratio. These parameters enable the polymer to maintain flexibility and solubility at higher concentrations, achieving reliable flocculation without excessive viscosity that would hinder handling and application
3Reliability
If polymer molecular weight is increased to improve flocculation, then settling performance improves, but polymer solubility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the molecular weight parameter within the range of 100,000 to 10,000,000 Daltons and controlling the monomer ratio (acrylic acid to acrylamide between 0.02:1 and 1:1). This optimization balances the competing requirements: higher molecular weight provides better settling performance through enhanced bridging, while the controlled composition and hydrophilic groups maintain adequate solubility for practical application
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The DAP and DAPS compositions accelerate the settling rate of tailings, enabling more complete separation of solids from water, improving process efficiency and reducing the volume of tailings transferred to disposal areas, while providing economic and environmental benefits.
Implementation Method 1
The DAP and DAPS compositions accelerate the settling rate of tailings, enabling more complete separation of solids from water
Implementation Method 2
The use of dry acid polymers (DAP) and dry acid polymers with salts (DAPS), comprising anionic monomers neutral at low pH, with specific monomer ratios and molecular weights, is introduced to enhance flocculation and settling of tailings by reducing viscosity
Implementation Method 3
The DAP and DAPS compositions accelerate the settling rate of tailings, enabling more complete separation of solids from water
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments generally relate to the use of one or more polymers, e.g., one or more dry acid polymers and/or one or more dry acid polymers with salt, as flocculants, generally for treating tailings, e.g., oil sands tailings, in need of solid-liquid separation, e.g., in order to efficiently recycle water and/or to reduce the volume of tailings which may be transferred to a tailings pond and/or a dedicated disposal area.