Abstract: A relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system is provided for preparing an aqueous oil sand slurry amenable to pipeline conveyance while producing minimum overall rejects, comprising (a) a relocatable rotary digester for slurrying oil sand and water and digesting oil sand lumps to form a pumpable slurry, the rotary digester having a feed end for receiving oil sand and water, a slurrying chamber comprising a plurality of lifters for slurrying the oil sand and water, and a trommel screen end for screening out oversize rejects from the oil sand slurry which falls through the trommel screen; and (b) a relocatable rejects recirculation unit operably associated with the rotary digester for receiving oversize rejects and delivering the rejects back to the rotary digester for further digestion. In a preferred body, relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system further comprises a rejects crusher for crushing oversize rejects prior to delivering rejects back to the rotary digester.

Abstract: A process line for separating oil sand slurry comprising coarse solids, fines, bitumen and water, into a first product comprising bitumen, fines and water and a second product comprising coarse solids, fines and water is provided comprising a plurality of countercurrently operating solid/liquid separators arranged in series along a pipeline, wherein the underflow of one separator is fed to the next separator in series and the overflow of each separator is fed to the preceding separator, the underflow of the last separator being the second product and the overflow from the first separator being the first product.

Abstract: A process line for separating oil sand slurry comprising coarse solids, fines, bitumen and water, into a first product comprising bitumen, fines and water and a second product comprising coarse solids, fines and water is provided comprising a plurality of countercurrently operating solid/liquid separators arranged in series along a pipeline, wherein the underflow of one separator is fed to the next separator in series and the overflow of each separator is fed to the preceding separator, the underflow of the last separator being the second product and the overflow from the first separator being the first product.

Abstract: As-mined, naturally water-wet oil sand is mixed at the mine site with hot water and NaOH to produce a slurry containing entrained air. The slurry is pumped through a pipeline and is fed directly to a conventional gravity separation vessel. The pipeline is of sufficient length so that, in the course of being pumped therethrough, sufficient coalescence and aeration of bitumen occurs so that, when subsequently retained in the gravity separation vessel under quiescent conditions, a viable amount of the bitumen floats, forms froth, and is recovered.

Abstract: The mixer circuit comprises a vertically oriented, open-topped mixer vessel having a cylindrical side wall terminating with a shallow conical bottom. The bottom wall forms a central bottom outlet. Recycled slurry and fresh water streams are fed tangentially to the inner surface of the vessel, thereby forming a vortex. The oil sand enters as a continuous, free-flowing stream moving along a downward trajectory; the stream impinges the vortex, wherein it is dispersed and mixed to create slurry. The slurry exits through the bottom outlet, is screened to remove oversize material, and enters a holding vessel. Part of the slurry in the holding vessel is recycled to the mixer vessel through a pipe loop incorporating a pump. The slurry is energized by the pump and functions to maintain and partly create the rapidly moving vortex that carries out the mixing and lump-disintegration actions. The balance of the slurry in the holding vessel is pumped out as product.

Abstract: The primary tailings and middlings are combined and fed to a vessel having the general form of a deep cone thickener. The feed is deflected outwardly and generally horizontally by a baffle, as it is delivered to the vessel. Simultaneously, the outwardly radiating layer of newly added feed is contacted from below by an upwelling stream of aerated middlings, which stream moves in parallel with the aforesaid layer. Bitumen froth is formed and recovered. The upwelling stream is provided by circulating middlings through eductor/aerator assemblies and a plenum chamber mounted centrally in the body of middlings in the vessel. A generally circular circulation of middlings is generated. In this manner, the newly added bitumen is quickly and efficiently recovered. Recirculation of middlings to the aeration zone yields an additional recovery of bitumen. Use of the deep cone ensures that the tailings from the vessel are relatively low in water and bitumen content.