Abstract: A screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects, including oil sands lumps and rocks present in an oil sands slurry is provided, comprising at least one screen segment having a top surface and having a plurality of openings therein; and a plurality of anti-wear tiles attached to the top surface of the at least one screen segment by brazing; whereby each anti-wear tile is separated from an adjacent anti-wear tile by a gap that is about 0.5 mm or less such that a brazing material used to attach the anti-wear tiles to the at least one support structure fills the gap between each anti-wear tile through capillary action thereby connecting each anti-wear tile to its adjacent anti-wear tile.

Abstract: A screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects, including oil sand lumps and rocks, is disclosed comprising a supporting structure comprising two mutually opposing lateral attachment elements and a plurality of transverse stiffeners extending therebetween; and a plurality of screen segments, each screen segment having a plurality of openings, and each screen segment comprising a steel base and a plurality of anti-wear tiles attached thereon; whereby the plurality of screen segments are attached to the support structure to form a screening portion of the screen cloth.

Abstract: A screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects, including oil sand lumps and rocks, is disclosed comprising a supporting structure comprising two mutually opposing lateral attachment elements and a plurality of transverse stiffeners extending therebetween; and a plurality of screen segments, each screen segment having a plurality of openings, and each screen segment comprising a steel base and a plurality of anti-wear tiles attached thereon; whereby the plurality of screen segments are attached to the support structure to form a screening portion of the screen cloth.

Abstract: A monitoring system, hardware, and methods are provided for monitoring and detecting loosening and/or detaching of a component of a machine. The systems and methods employ a wireless sensor network platform including sensor nodes and sink nodes operating at an radio frequency (RF) that is about one order of magnitude lower than a standard WSN RF of 2.4 GHz. At least one sensor node comprising at least one sensor element is deployed in or on the component of the machine, or deployed in or on the machine at a point where the component is attached. The sensor node sends a signal to the sink node upon sensing loosening and/or detaching of the component, and the sink node generates an alarm. Embodiments provide real-time detection and localization of a detached machine component to facilitate fast retrieval of the component. Therefore, damage caused by the detached component reaching critical downstream components can be avoided.

Abstract: A screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects in a material flowing in a direction is provided, comprising a metal plate having a perimeter and comprising a plurality of openings therethrough and forming a grid having longitudinal ligaments substantially parallel to the direction of the material flow and transverse ligaments substantially perpendicular to the direction of the material flow, the metal plate having an impact surface and a bottom surface; a coating or liner comprising an elastomer, coating or lining at least the impact surface of the metal plate or a portion thereof; and a wear material at least partially embedded into the elastomer coating or liner, or a portion thereof.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for manufacturing a part for a centrifugal slurry pump is provided, comprising: forming a skeleton of the part having an outer dimension smaller than the part; placing the skeleton of the part in a metal enclosure having an interior dimension larger than the outer dimension of the skeleton of the part and thereby forming a space; adding a metal matrix composite powder into the metal enclosure to fill the space; and subjecting the metal enclosure to hot isostatic pressing, thereby allowing bonding of the metal matrix composite to the skeleton of the part to form the part.

Abstract: A planar screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects in a material flowing in a direction includes a metal plate substructure having a perimeter and a plurality of longitudinal ligaments and transverse ligaments, forming a grid. A wear-resistant layer is applied to the entire screen cloth. Each transverse ligament comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge; and is angled such that the leading edge is disposed below the trailing edge. The transverse element thus is angled to face the direction of material flow.

Abstract: A conduit includes at least one tag having a known location, or a plurality of tags having different longitudinal or radial locations or depths, wherein each tag is responsive to a reader to uniquely identify itself. A wear monitoring method and system includes a tag reader and a processor which executes instructions to compare the presence of each tag identified by the reader with a list of all tags initially present in the conduit.

Abstract: A conduit includes at least one tag having a known location, or a plurality of tags having different longitudinal or radial locations or depths, wherein each tag is responsive to a reader to uniquely identify itself. A wear monitoring method and system includes a tag reader and a processor which executes instructions to compare the presence of each tag identified by the reader with a list of all tags initially present in the conduit.

Abstract: A screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects in a material flowing in a direction is provided, comprising a metal plate having a perimeter and comprising a plurality of openings therethrough and forming a grid having longitudinal ligaments substantially parallel to the direction of the material flow and transverse ligaments substantially perpendicular to the direction of the material flow, the metal plate having an impact surface and a bottom surface; a coating or liner comprising an elastomer, coating or lining at least the impact surface of the metal plate or a portion thereof; and a wear material at least partially embedded into the elastomer coating or liner, or a portion thereof.

Abstract: A improved impeller for use in a centrifugal slurry pump is provided, comprising: a top shroud; a bottom shroud; and a middle portion therebetween, said middle portion having at least one substantially vertical wall defining a slurry flow channel, wherein the top shroud, bottom shroud and middle portion are configured as one piece to together define a first unitary body; at least one vane nose positioned at a leading edge of the at least one substantially vertical wall; and, optionally, a retaining ring mounted over the top shroud to secure the vane nose within the body.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing the condition of a slurry pump impeller is provided, comprising collecting vibration data from at least one accelerometer mounted to or proximate the pump over a specific time period; calculating indicators from the collected vibration data, the indicators comprising energy level, crest factor, square root amplitude value, and fault growth parameter; and plotting the calculated indicators against time to generate a fault trend indicative of health or deterioration of the impeller. The method further involves predicting the remaining useful life of the impeller using vibration data-driven prognostics.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for manufacturing a part for a centrifugal slurry pump is provided, comprising: forming a skeleton of the part having an outer dimension smaller than the part; placing the skeleton of the part in a metal enclosure having an interior dimension larger than the outer dimension of the skeleton of the part and thereby forming a space; adding a metal matrix composite powder into the metal enclosure to fill the space; and subjecting the metal enclosure to hot isostatic pressing, thereby allowing bonding of the metal matrix composite to the skeleton of the part to form the part.

Abstract: A improved impeller for use in a centrifugal slurry pump is provided, comprising: a top shroud; a bottom shroud; and a middle portion therebetween, said middle portion having at least one substantially vertical wall defining a slurry flow channel, wherein the top shroud, bottom shroud and middle portion are configured as one piece to together define a first unitary body; at least one vane nose positioned at a leading edge of the at least one substantially vertical wall; and, optionally, a retaining ring mounted over the top shroud to secure the vane nose within the body.

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.