Mobile Conveyor Arc Mining Oil Sands
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current methods for processing oil sands in the Northern Alberta Tar Sands face inefficiencies in transporting mineral components and water recycling, leading to extensive tailings ponds and high operational costs, with existing solutions either requiring extensive mechanical transport or lengthy conveyors prone to energy consumption and breakdowns.
Innovation Solution
A mobile conveyor system that advances in an operational arc to maintain ore extraction proximity, combined with a mobile slurry facility and cyclone separation process, allowing for on-site bitumen extraction and recycling of water from tailings, reducing the need for extensive tailings ponds and minimizing mineral component transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional fixed conveyors are used to transport ore from the mine face to the processing facility, then ore transport is achieved, but energy consumption increases and mechanical breakdowns occur due to extended conveyor lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is made mobile rather than fixed, allowing it to be repositioned as the mine face advances. This dynamic configuration reduces the required conveyor length and associated energy consumption while maintaining continuous ore transport capability throughout the mining operation
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile conveyor is positioned and configured in advance to optimize its operational arc, allowing the excavator to work within a predetermined efficient range. This preliminary positioning prevents excessive transport distances and reduces energy requirements before mining begins
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mine face advances beyond the operational reach of the conveyor, then more ore can be accessed, but the conveyor must be extended increasing complexity and maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than extending a fixed conveyor, the system uses a mobile conveyor that can be relocated to maintain optimal operational reach. This dynamic approach preserves system simplicity while adapting to the advancing mine face, avoiding the complexity of increasingly long fixed conveyors
Solution Approach 2:
The mining operation is divided into discrete operational zones that the mobile conveyor can service sequentially. As the mine face advances, the conveyor moves to serve the next zone, breaking down the complex problem of long-distance transport into manageable segments
3Ease of manufacture
If mineral content is not separated soon after excavation, then processing can be simplified, but extensive tailings ponds are required increasing land use and water entrapment
Solution Approach 1:
Separation equipment is positioned at the mine face to perform mineral separation immediately after excavation. This preliminary separation action prevents the accumulation of large volumes of tailings that would require extensive pond areas, while the integrated design maintains processing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The valuable mineral content is extracted and removed from the tailings stream at the source rather than allowing it to accumulate. This extraction approach eliminates the need for large tailings storage areas while maintaining a streamlined processing system
4Quantity of substance
If process water is not recycled immediately, then water can be used continuously, but large volumes of water are tied up in tailings ponds creating ongoing demand for fresh process water
Solution Approach 1:
Water recycling equipment is positioned to recapture and treat process water immediately after it separates from the mineral content. This preliminary recycling action minimizes the time water remains trapped in tailings, ensuring continuous availability of process water without requiring large storage volumes
Solution Approach 2:
The water recycling system operates continuously alongside the mining and separation processes, creating an uninterrupted cycle where water is constantly recovered and reused. This continuous action eliminates idle time in the water cycle and maintains steady-state water availability
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
This approach enhances the efficiency of oil sands processing by minimizing the transport of mineral components, reducing water entrapment in tailings, and enabling immediate recycling of water, thus lowering operational costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
cyclone separation process, allowing for on-site bitumen extraction
Implementation Method 2
A mobile conveyor system that advances in an operational arc to maintain ore extraction proximity
Implementation Method 3
cyclone separation process
Data Source
AI summary
A method of increasing a dwell time of a slurry facility at a given ore processing location by using a mobile oil sands mining system. The method involves coordinating the operation of at least two mining conveyors to facilitate mining at least one arc-shaped sector of ore that otherwise would not be within operational reach of the slurry facility at the ore processing location. The method increases the slurry facility's operational time at the ore processing location before relocation thereof is required to keep the slurry facility within operational reach of at least one receding mine face.