Abstract: A gas-liquid separator, adapted for separating liquid and gas in an ebullated bed reactor under operating conditions, is disclosed. The device may be used in the petroleum and chemical processing industries in catalytic reactions of hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks in the presence of hydrogen, at an elevated temperature and pressure, to separate gas and liquid from gas and liquid mixtures within the reactor. The device is generally vertically oriented and may be installed in the flow through pan of an ebullated bed reactor. The device comprises a transfer conduit for transferring a gas-liquid mixture stream from a lower section of an ebullated bed reactor to an upper section of the reactor, a vortex separation section having gas-rich and liquid-rich stream outlets, and a gas-rich stream outlet conduit located on top of and adjacent to the vortex separation section. The transfer conduit includes internal means to produce a spiral flow in the gas-liquid mixture, such as a helical or spiral insert.

Abstract: Production of bitumen from bitumen froth can include separating the froth into a solvent diluted tailings and solvent diluted bitumen, and then the diluted tailings can be treated to recover solvent for reuse in the froth separation. The solvent recovery from tailings can employ a distributor for use in a tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU). The distributor can include slot-shaped pressure let-down apertures and a closed curved end portion to introduce the tailings into a separation vessel. The distributor construction can have various advantages, such as facilitating manufacturing as well as effective mitigation of pre-flashing and solids segregation issues, for enhanced bitumen production and solvent recovery operations.

Abstract: Production of bitumen from bitumen froth can include separating the froth into a solvent diluted tailings and solvent diluted bitumen, and then the diluted tailings can be treated to recover solvent for reuse in the froth separation. The solvent recovery from tailings can employ a distributor for use in a tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU). The distributor can include slot-shaped pressure let-down apertures and a closed curved end portion to introduce the tailings into a separation vessel. The distributor construction can have various advantages, such as facilitating manufacturing as well as effective mitigation of pre-flashing and solids segregation issues, for enhanced bitumen production and solvent recovery operations.