Abstract: A reactor for the synthesis of urea comprising a vertical shell and perforated baffles or trays (3) arranged to define compartments of the reactor, wherein each baffle comprises an array of individual perforated tiles (10) wherein each tile (101) comprises side walls (101A-101D) and a top face (101F), the side walls having first perforations for the liquid and said top face having second perforations for the gas, wherein said second perforations are smaller than said first perforations, and the tiles are distributed over the baffle with a two-dimensional pattern where adjacent tiles are separated by gaps (17).

Abstract: Urea is formed by the synthesis of ammonia with carbon dioxide at high pressure and temperature in an internal space of reactors through which flow a liquid phase cocurrently with a gas phase. The reactors are divided into compartments to avoid excessive mixing of the entire liquid phase and to allow the intermittent redistribution of the gas in bubbles of a suitable size for increasing the transfer of heat and mass between the two phases. At each passage from one compartment to the next, the liquid phase and the gas phase are made to flow on separate routes and are distributed in each compartment with a continuous, permanent, and even flow.

Abstract: Urea is formed by the synthesis of ammonia with carbon dioxide at high pressure and temperature in an internal space of reactors through which flow a liquid phase cocurrently with a gas phase. The reactors are divided into compartments to avoid excessive mixing of the entire liquid phase and to allow the intermittent redistribution of the gas in bubbles of a suitable size for increasing the exchange of heat and matter between the two phases. At each passage from one compartment to the next, the liquid phase and the gas phase are made to flow on separate routes and are distributed in each compartment with a continuous, permanent, and even flow.

Abstract: In the extraction of bitumen oils from oil sands, the raw material is first slurried with a stream of hot water under conditions promoting the release of the bitumen oils without disintegration of clay in the raw material; the water to raw material is at least 1:1 by weight. The slurry is separated into an oil-rich component, a solids component, and a middlings component containing essentially water and fines with only minor proportions of oil and solids. The middlings component, after removal of the contained fines and the solids is recycled as a part of the slurrying water.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for converting components of natural gas liquids to aromatic compounds by certain pyrolysis and recycle steps wherein the ultimate yield of light aromatics is maximized while the compression and other costs are minimized.

Abstract: A rotary digester comprises a shell having means at one end for entry of material to be digested and, at the opposite end, a liquids outlet surrounded by a solids outlets. The solids outlet has a screw which assists in preventing egress of unwanted liquid with the solids.

Abstract: The process for the substantially total recovery of hydrocarbons from oil sands comprises:Preconditioning of the sands with diluent, possibly water (which may also be recycled from the process) and, preferably, with recycle extract; digestion of the homogeneous pulp, with (process) water; a first separation of the water-sand suspension from the hydrocarbon phase and from the digestion water; simultaneous washing and mixing of the solids separated from the bulk of the hydrocarbon phase in thick phase with overflowing water; a possible second separation of the dense solid mass from the excess liquid phase, the intermediate aqueous layer from the first separation (middlings) undergoing decantation and thickening and the solids so thickened undergoing centrifugation and stripping for the recovery of the limited proportions of diluent entrained with it.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous process for treatment of feed in the form of a heavy hydrocarbon-water dispersion or dispersions. The feed is diluted with a hydrocarbon solvent and contacted in a contactor with a water stream. A product stream containing bitumen oils and a discard stream comprising water and solids are separately removed from the contactor.