Ore Blending for Bitumen Froth Solids Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods fail to effectively reduce the amount of coarse and very coarse solids in bitumen froth products, particularly when processing oil sands ore with high coarse solid content, leading to transportation issues in froth pipelines due to settling of particles and insufficient fines content.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the addition of high-fines materials with a d50 of 50 μm or less and a fines content of 40% or greater to the oil sands ore before processing, to create an ore blend with increased fines content and reduced coarse solids, thereby controlling the solids distribution in the bitumen froth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ore with high coarse solids content is processed in water-based bitumen extraction, then bitumen recovery performance is improved, but froth contains high amount of coarse solids causing settling in pipelines
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the particle size distribution parameter of the ore feed by blending ores with different d50 values. Specifically, it combines good quality ore (d50 ≥ 250 μm) with coarser ore (d50 ≥ 450 μm) in controlled ratios to achieve an intermediate d50 value that reduces coarse solids in froth while maintaining extraction performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite ore blend by mixing two different ore types with distinct particle size characteristics. The blend combines the high bitumen content of good quality ore with the coarser particle size distribution of lower grade ore to achieve a balanced feed that produces transportable froth
2Quantity of substance
If underwash water stream is used in primary separation vessel to reduce froth solids content, then water layer is formed between froth and middlings, but coarse particles content in froth is not significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by adjusting the particle size distribution of the ore feed before extraction. By pre-blending ores to achieve the target d50 range, the system prevents excessive coarse solids from entering the separation vessel, making downstream separation operations more effective
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 significantly reduces the coarse solids content and increases the fines content in the bitumen froth, making it more transportable through froth pipelines by adjusting the d50 and d90 values, ensuring stable pipeline operation without the need for altering mine plans or removing costly waste materials.
Implementation Method 1
A pipeline hydro-transports the slurry to an extraction facility where it is subjected to gravity separation in a primary separation vessel (PSV) to produce a bitumen froth process stream, a middlings stream, and a tailings stream
Implementation Method 2
If the froth contains a considerable amount of coarse particles, it is difficult to transport the froth due to the settling of the coarse particles in the pipeline
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling the solids distribution in a bitumen froth produced when processing an oil sands ore having a d50 of about 250 μm or greater and a d90 of about 450 μm or greater is provided comprising adding a high-fines material having a d50 of about 50 μm or less and a fines content of about 40% of the solids or greater to the oil sands ore to form an ore blend; and processing the ore blend in a water-based bitumen extraction process to produce the bitumen froth.