Abstract: Mixing means, for producing a flow mixture of oil and steam, is combined with an atomizing nozzle to provide a nozzle assembly which produces a jet of very fine oil droplets. The nozzle assembly is used in conjunction with a reactor, such as a fluidized bed coker. The mixing means comprises a pipe, external of the reactor, having separate, spaced apart inlets for oil and steam. The steam inlet is upstream of the oil inlet. A reducing diameter nozzle is positioned in the pipe bore between the inlets, for accelerating the steam. The steam contacts the oil and turbulently moves down the pipe bore to produce what is known as a "bubbly flow" mixture. The mixture is fed to the nozzle, which is internal of the reactor.

Abstract: A process for transporting deaerated bitumen froth in a pipeline is described which comprises injecting water into the pipeline prior to deaerated bitumen froth injection to wet the interior walls of the pipeline. The deaerated bitumen froth is then injected into the pipeline at a critical velocity above 0.3 m/sec thereby initiating self-lubricating core-annular flow of the bitumen froth.

Abstract: A large, mechanically agitated pump box is used between a mixer, for mixing oil sand and water to produce a slurry, and a pipeline for conveying the slurry to a processing facility. Prior to the aqueous slurry being discharged into the pump box from the mixer, it is screened to reject large solids. The oversize is directed to an impactor where it is comminuted and the comminuted product is screened again prior to being discharged into the pump box. The pump box is designed to increase the residence time of the slurry in the pump box and to separate the slurry into two phases, the suspended slurry and the larger lumps that cannot be suspended. The larger lumps that settle in the pump box are recycled to the impactor for comminution.

Abstract: A paraffinic solvent is mixed with bitumen froth containing water and solids. Sufficient solvent is added to induce inversion when the mixture is subjected to gravity or centrifugal forces. The emulsion reports to the water phase and a dry bitumen product is obtained.

Abstract: A mixer circuit, in the form of a vertically oriented stack of components, functions to slurry oil sand with water in preparation for pumping through a pipeline. The oil sand is initially dropped from the end of a conveyor. It is contacted in mid-air with a stream of water to distribute the water through the oil sand and to wet the latter. The mixture drops into a downwardly slanted trough. The water and oil sand mix as they move turbulently through the open-ended trough. The slurry is deflected as it leaves the trough and is spread in the form of a thin sheet on an apron. It is then fed over screens to reject oversize lumps. The screened slurry drops into a pump box. The screened slurry drops into a box. The rejected lumps are comminuted in an impactor positioned at the end of the screens. The comminuted oil sand is screened to remove remaining oversize lumps and the screened comminuted oil sands are delivered into the pump box. The structure is compact and the oversize reject loss is relatively low.

Abstract: A batter board is interposed between an upper conveyor belt, that is discharging granular material, and a lower conveyor belt that is receiving it. The batter board is adapted to deflect the downwardly arching stream of material, to laterally adjust the location on the lower belt where the material is deposited. The extent of deflection practised is controlled in response to measurements which monitor the downstream belt side travel of the lower belt. The position of the batter board is adjusted with hydraulic actuators protected with a shock absorbing system.

Abstract: A dispersant, such as sodium silicate, is added to the process water of the hot water extraction process which recovers bitumen from oil sands. The dispersant disperses the ultrafine (less than 300 nm) particles, to reduce the formation of flocs and sludge in the tailings pond. The volume of the pond is such that the retention time of process water is sufficiently short (less than 6 weeks when using sodium silicate) to avoid reforming flocs from the dispersed ultrafines. The ultrafines content in the process water builds up as the water is repeatedly recycled from the pond to the extraction process. The ultrafines content stabilizes at a steady state concentration as some ultrafines are continuously removed from the process water when the tailings are delivered onto the "beach" of the pond and become trapped in the sand.

Abstract: Middlings from the primary separation vessel ("PSV") are recycled through a line to the PSV. The middlings are aerated with fine air bubbles using in line eductor/aerator assemblies. The aerated middlings are mixed as they are pumped through a line back to the PSV. Bitumen recovery from the PSV is increased as a result.

Abstract: Aerated bitumen froth containing bitumen, water, air and solids is the product of the hot water extraction process for recovering bitumen from oil sand. Measurements related to the water content of the froth can be obtained by measuring its resonant frequency in a calibrated output, open-ended microwave cavity. By also measuring the bulk density of the froth and assuming a constant relationship for the solids content, one can compute from the assembled data the output quality of the froth. The measurements can be taken repetitively at the vessel as the froth is produced and used to almost instantly provide froth quality information.