Abstract: An extendable, retractable, erectable arm assembly for housing and supporting a water conduit extending outward from a tool located in a borehole, to a nozzle to produce a high pressure water cutting jet is provided. The arm assembly includes a plurality of interlocking arm segments for housing, supporting and moving the conduit through an angle of about 90.degree. from a stowed position to an operating position. The arm segments include integral, separable hinges capable of being interlocked such that pivotable movement is possible along any side thereof. These segments have mating apertures therethrough to accommodate the conduit. The assembly also includes an erecting device which provides compression on the segments and which gives the arm rigidity during movements. An alignment device is also included which keeps the segments aligned when the arm is deflected.

Abstract: Set forth in the accompanying disclosure is an apparatus 10 and method broadly useful for monitoring the concentration of a hydrogenous component within a given sample or space. The specific apparatus disclosed is directed to monitoring steam quality within a steam conduit 12. A fast neutron source 22 is positioned proximate a conduit 12. A moderating element 32 is situated intermediate the source 22 and conduit 12 for softening the neutron spectrum incident to the conduit 12. Two neutron detectors 36 are positioned at opposite sides of the conduit 12, each being spaced an equal radial distance from the source 22. Means 42 is provided for establishing from the rate of neutron detection and certain other physical properties of the sample data concerning the concentration or disposition of a hydrogenous component of the sample. The source 22, detectors 36, and conduit 12 are surrounded by a neutron reflector 20 of neutron moderating material.

Abstract: Bitumen, floating on tailings pond water in the form of a cohesive blanket, is recovered from the surface by an apparatus that takes advantage of the cohesiveness of the bitumen. A drum with radially attached prongs is partly submerged in the water and is rotated around its longitudinal axis so that the prongs penetrate into the bitumen blanket and grip and pull it towards the drum. Upon being drawn by the prongs beneath the surface of the water, hydrostatic pressure causes the bitumen to adhere to the curved surface of the drum. During the upswing of the drum, the prongs and the adhesiveness of the metal surface of the drum hold the bitumen on the drum. A comb scraper then removes the greater portion of the bitumen, which falls into a receptacle.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for sampling a frozen core of tar sand. The frozen core is first cut transversely along its length to form a pair of slabs of semi-circular cross-section. A longitudinal sample portion of substantially triangular cross-section is then cut from the central portion of the still frozen slab. The triangular sample portion is ground in a cryogenic grinder to produce a finely divided, substantially homogeneous material from which small representative sub-samples may be obtained. The triangular sample portion is cut from the slab by a pair of angularly disposed circular saws carried along the length of the slab. The slab is supported and held by cradle means which fix the flat face of the slab in a predetermined plane. The longitudinal sample portion thus formed has a triangular cross-section of substantially constant cross-sectional area.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are described for homogenizing and subsampling process streams such as those present in the hot water extraction process for recovery of bitumen from tar sand. Such streams contain widely variable proportions of heavy oil, water, and solids. To obtain a representative analysis-size subsample from such a stream, a bulk sample is taken into a cylindrical open-topped vessel containing a coaxial cylindrical draft tube spaced from the internal wall of the vessel. A head element closes and seals the top of the vessel. An impellor extending into the draft tube through the head element is actuated to circulate the bulk sample along an elliptical flow path within the vessel. The vessel contents are maintained in a pressurized condition by the introduction of inert gas.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are described for homogenizing and subsampling process streams such as those present in the hot water extraction process for recovery of bitumen from tar sand. Such streams contain widely variable proportions of heavy oil, water, and solids. To obtain a representative analysis-size subsample from such a stream, a bulk sample is taken into a cylindrical open-topped vessel containing a coaxial cylindrical draft tube spaced from the internal wall of the vessel. A head element closes and seals the top of the vessel. An impellor extending into the draft tube through the head element is actuated to circulate the bulk sample along an elliptical flow path within the vessel. The vessel contents are maintained in a pressurized condition by the introduction of intert gas.

Abstract: The hot water extraction process for recovering bitumen from tar sand produces a large volume of solids-laden aqueous tailings as a waste product. The solids in the tailings stream may be flocculated by the addition of time and the components of the stream then separated into a water-free solids phase and a clarified water phase. During flocculation, the zeta potential of the stream is monitored. It rises from an initial negative zeta potential, as the lime is added. Flocculation is terminated when the zeta potential is about zero. At this point, the tailings are in optimum condition for separation into the water-free solids phase and the clarified water phase. Separation is preferably effected by vacuum filtration.

Abstract: The titanium and zirconium-based minerals, present in the first stage centrifuge tailings from the hot water process for extraction of bitumen from bituminous sands, may be concentrated by a dry screening process. The tailings are burned off to provide a dry, essentially carbon-free, mineral mixture. By screening the mixture into three streams of different particle size range, silica and clays may be rejected as coarse and fine materials respectively, while titanium and zirconium minerals may be concentrated in the intermediate stream. The titanium and zirconium concentrate stream may be advanced to high tension and magnetic separation steps known in conventional processing of heavy minerals, for further beneficiation.