Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting recoverable materials from source materials are provided. Source materials are introduced into a furnace. A condition is created within the furnace in which a gaseous pressure within the furnace is less than an atmospheric pressure outside of the furnace by removing at least a portion of air from within the furnace. Hydrocarbons contained within the source material are separated from the source material without using a significant amount of water by heating the source material to a temperature sufficient to cause the hydrocarbons to liquefy or vaporize. The liquefied hydrocarbons or vaporized hydrocarbons are then captured.

Abstract: A water recovery process for a steam assisted gravity drainage system for a heavy oil recovery facility, the process comprising a flash drum and a flash drum heat exchanger/condenser, wherein the water recovery process receives hot water produced by a facility at a temperature above the water atmospheric boiling point and cools it to a temperature below the water atmospheric boiling point before transferring it to the remaining section of the water recovery process.

Abstract: A device for processing a hydrocarbon resource may include a hydrocarbon processing container configured to receive the hydrocarbon resource therein and having a pair of opposing ends with an enlarged width medial portion therebetween. The device may also include a radio frequency (RF) source, and a spirally wound electrical conductor surrounding the hydrocarbon processing container and coupled to the RF source. The spirally wound electrical conductor may be configured to generate magnetic fields within the hydrocarbon processing container that are parallel with an axis thereof.

Abstract: A one step method and system for producing nanofluids by a particle-source evaporation and deposition of the evaporant into a base fluid. The base fluid such (i.e. ethylene glycol) is placed in a rotating cylindrical drum having an adjustable heater-boat-evaporator and heat exchanger-cooler apparatus. As the drum rotates, a thin liquid layer is formed on the inside surface of the drum. A heater-boat-evaporator having an evaporant material (particle-source) placed within its boat evaporator is adjustably positioned near a portion of the rotating thin liquid layer, the evaporant material being heated thereby evaporating a portion of the evaporant material, the evaporated material absorbed by the liquid film to form nanofluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to both a method and apparatus for thermal cracking hydrocarbons. The apparatus includes a rotating conical drum assembly within a vessel containing a hydrocarbon feedstock. The conical drum assembly is internally heated to cause cracking of hydrocarbons adjacent the conical drum surface and the formation of coke on its external surface as the conical drum rotates. Coke is removed from the drum surface by a coke removal system and cracked hydrocarbon product is collected as a vapor.

Abstract: A process for the fractional distillation of crude oil, which comprises the steps of: feeding a continuous current of crude oil at 310–400° C. into a turbomixer comprising a tubular cylindrical body (1) provided with a rotor (9) formed with helically oriented paddles (10) and rotatably supported inside the body, along with a continuous current of steam; subjecting both currents to the mechanical action of the paddled rotor (9), so as to create a thin tubular dynamic turbulent layer, which is discharged and fed continuously into a fractioning column, at a predetermined height level in the column, to produce an upward-flowing vapor current and a downward-flowing liquid current therein; and optionally discharging the downward-flowing liquid current continuously from the column bottom, and feeding it continuously into the turbomixer in the same direction as the crude oil current.

Abstract: A rotary evaporator including a rotating flask (2) to hold the substances to be evaporated, and a drive (6) to rotate the rotating flask around an axis of rotation (R) that runs through the rotating flask, wherein the rotating flask additionally can be swiveled around a swiveling axis (S) which runs outside of the rotating flask and, relative to the force of gravity (G), runs above the axis of rotation of the rotating flask.

Abstract: A process for the fractional distillation of crude oil, which comprises the steps of: feeding a continuous current of crude oil at 310-400° C. into a turbomixer comprising a tubular cylindrical body (1) provided with a rotor (9) formed with helically oriented paddles (10) and rotatably supported inside the body, along with a continuous current of steam; subjecting both currents to the mechanical action of the paddled rotor (9), so as to create a thin tubular dynamic turbulent layer, which is discharged and fed continuously into a fractioning column, at a predetermined height level in the column, to produce an upward-flowing vapor current and a downward-flowing liquid current therein; and optionally discharging the downward-flowing liquid current continuously from the column bottom, and feeding it continuously into the turbomixer in the same direction as the crude oil current.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pelletizer vessel and a prilling head assembly for use in the pelletizer vessel for prilling a hard resid material. The pellitizer vessel has an has an upright pelletizing vessel with an upper prilling zone, a sphere-forming zone below the prilling zone, a cooling zone below the sphere-forming zone, a bath below the cooling zone, and a prilling head in the prilling zone rotatable along a vertical axis and having a plurality of discharge orifices for throwing molten material radially outwardly. A vertical height of the sphere-forming zone is sufficient to allow material discharged from the prilling head to form substantially spherical liquid pellets. Nozzles are provided for spraying water inwardly into the cooling zone to cool and at least partially solidify the liquid pellets to be collected in the bath.

Abstract: Used oil is treated in a reactor to remove contaminants. The reactor comprises a rotating vessel forming an internal reaction chamber. The vessel is housed within a heating chamber. The inside of the vessel is indirectly heated by conduction through the vessel walls. The reaction chamber contains a permanently resident charge of non-ablating, granular coarse solids. Within the reaction chamber, the oil is vaporized and pyrolyzed, producing a hydrocarbon vapour. Coke is formed as a byproduct. Contaminants, such as metals and halides, become associated with the coke. The coarse solids scour and comminute the coke to form fine solids. The fine solids are separated within the reaction chamber from the coarse solids and are removed from the vessel through a pipe located at the axis of the vessel. The hydrocarbon vapours are also removed from the vessel through the axial pipe, as a separate stream. Residual fine solids are separated in a cyclone from the vapour stream.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a solvent from solid or granular particles. The apparatus includes a fully enclosed vessel having multiple stages for effecting the solvent removal therein. Each stage includes an upper deck and a lower deck extending across the width of the vessel generally parallel to one another over a substantial portion of the length of the vessel. A first gear and a second gear are operatively located beyond the ends of the upper and lower decks. A means for conveying solid particles forms a continuous loop extending from the first gear over the lower deck, around the second gear and over the upper deck and back to the first gear. Drive means are provided for rotating the means for conveying solids. The lower deck is heated to a sufficient temperature to cause vaporization of at least a portion of the solvent contaminating the solid particles as the particles are conveyed over the heated deck.

Abstract: A rotary hearth calciner for treating petroleum cokes with a puffing inhibitor has a horizontal or inwardly sloping hearth floor rotatable around a vertical axis for receiving particles of coke to be calcined and a central opening in the hearth floor for discharging the coke into a soaking pit. A water cooled, refractory covered feed pipe extending downward into the calciner interior has an inlet for connection to a source of petroleum coke puffing inhibitor and an outlet near the edge of the hearth central floor opening for adding the puffing inhibitor to the coke as the coke is discharged from said hearth floor. The feed pipe outlet is approximately at or below the level of the hearth floor to reduce loss of inhibitor in gas flow above the hearth floor. A puffing inhibitor such as sodium carbonate is supplied by a screw feed mechanism to the feed pipe to add the puffing inhibitor at a desired rate for reaction with the coke. The coke is normally maintained in the soaking pit for about 30 minutes at 1200.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting hydrocarbons from tar sands. Stationary heater plates have a central opening therethrough through which a horizontal axle extends. Rotors having a central hub and a number of arms are splined on the axle, one closely sandwiched between every two heater plates. A ring is provided between the heater plates closely outward of the rotor arms. Sand retaining pockets are defined between adjacent arms of each rotor, the rotor hub, the ring and adjacent heater plates. Sand is retained in the sand retaining pockets for about one revolution about the axis between feed and removal positions. While retained in the pockets, the sand is heated and hydrocarbons driven off are collected.

Abstract: Solvents are separated from solvent bearing material by feeding the material to the open end of a reactor vessel rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis. The vessel has internal vanes operable to move the material from the open end towards the closed other end of the vessel when the vessel is rotated in one direction, and to move the material towards the open end when the vessel is rotated in the opposite direction. The reactor vessel is heated to a predetermined temperature while rotating the vessel in the one direction to cause solvent to be distilled from the material, and distilled gases are collected from the open end of the vessel and subsequently cooled to condense the distillate. The heating of the vessel is continued to a temperature high enough to produce a free-flowing residue when the reactor vessel is cooled. The vessel is then cooled and rotated in the opposite direction to cause the residue to be discharged from the open end of the vessel.