Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02683374 2009-10-21
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING LIQUIDS FROM A
SOLID PARTICLE MATERIAL
BACKGROUND
100011 Given high oil prices and the finite amount of crude oil available,
unconventional petroleum reserves in the form of, for example, oil sands and
oil
shale are becoming more attractive as an alternative source of hydrocarbons.
Oil
sands are found in over 60 countries in the world, including the United
States. The
main deposits occur in Alberta, Canada, and represent the second largest
reserves
of petroleum in the world, after those in Saudi Arabia.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[00021 This disclosure relates to a process for extracting liquids, such as
bitumen or crude oil, from discrete solid particles, such as sand or shale.
The
disclosure is particularly applicable to oil sands and oil shale in which oil
is
present as a highly viscous liquid. The disclosure is also applicable to the
cleaning
of oil spills.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00031 The physical process for extracting liquid such as oil from the solid-
liquid mixture such as oil sands or oil shale involves submitting the heated
mixture
to centrifugal forces to allow the liquid to mechanically separate from the
solid
particles and exit the device through small apertures.
[00041 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first system.
[00051 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first system unassembled.
[00061 FIG. 3 is an exploded detail of the first system.
[00071 FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an effect of spinning time.
[00081 FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an effect of temperature.
[00091 FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an effect of spin rate.
[00101 FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a second system.
[00111 FIG. 8 is a top view of the bottom portion of the second system.
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[0012] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top and bottom portions of the
second system.
[0013] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second system in an open
conformation.
[00141 FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the second system in a closed
conformation.
[0015] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the second system in an open
conformation.
[0016] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the second system in open
conformation with a solids-liquids mixture inside.
[0017] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a third system.
[0018] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the third system.
[0019] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the fourth system.
[0020] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the fourth system with a top and a
bottom.
[0021] FIG. 18 is a top view of the fourth system.
[0022] FIG 19 is an exploded detail of the fourth system.
[0023] FIG. 20 is an exemplary top view of the spinning and cleaning process
of the fourth system.
[0024] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a fifth system.
[0025] FIG. 22 is a cross section view of the fifth system.
[0026] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary separation process in
the fifth system.
[0027] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth system.
[00281 FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the sixth system in a closed
conformation.
[0029] FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the sixth system in an open
conformation.
[0030] FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the seventh system in an open
conformation.
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[0031] FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the seventh system in a closed
conformation.
[0032] FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a component of the seventh system.
[0033] FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the seventh system in an open
conformation.
[0034] FIG. 31 is a second cross-sectional view of the seventh system in an
open conformation.
[0035] FIG. 32 is a partial cross-sectional view of the eighth system.
[0036] FIG. 33 is a first cross-sectional view of the ninth system.
[0037] FIG. 34 is a second cross-sectional perspective view of the ninth
system.
[0038] FIG. 35 is a third cross-sectional view of the ninth system.
[0039] FIG. 36 is a fourth cross-sectional view of the ninth system.
[0040] FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the tenth system.
[0041] FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of the tenth system.
[0042] FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the eleventh system.
(0043] FIG. 40 is a first cross-sectional view of the eleventh system.
[0044] FIG. 41 is a second cross-sectional view of the twelfth system.
[0045] FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of the thirteenth system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(0046] Oil sands (also referred to as tar sands) are found in over sixty
countries
in the world, including the United States. Oil sands may include such
components
as bitumen, water, mineral particles, sand, and clay. Bitumen is a natural,
tar-like
mixture of hydrocarbons that exists as a solid at room temperature. In nature,
bitumen has a density range of 8 to 12 API, and at room temperature its
viscosity is greater than 50,000 centipoises.
[0047] Areas such as coastal areas or inland areas may be contaminated by oil
oil spills including offshore or land derived oil spills. This disclosure also
provides a method applicable to oil spill cleanup.
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[0048] The physical process disclosed for separating liquids from solids may
use fewer natural resources to produce bitumen from oil sand than the
conventional method of separation. The conventional method of separating
bitumen from oil sand requires more than 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas to
separate one barrel of bitumen from two tons of oil sand, according to the
National
Energy Board of Canada. However, the physical process disclosed for separating
liquids from solids may require less than 190 cubic feet of natural gas and
may use
no fresh water or other solvents to produce one barrel of bitumen.
[0049] The physical process disclosed may produce a clean effluent. The only
significant ingredient in the produced effluent may be sand, from which the
oil is
removed. On a laboratory scale, approximately over 85% of the available oil
may
be removed in less than 15 minutes.
[0050] The physical process disclosed may be achieved by a simple
mechanical method. The disclosed method may use less than 25% of the energy
required of the conventional hot-water process method to separate oil from oil
sands. The disclosed physical process may have a small environmental impact.
[00511 As an illustration, the energy needed to heat oil sand may be
calculated
by multiplying the oil sand specific heat at constant pressure by the mass of
the oil
sand and the change in temperature. For example, the energy needed to heat two
tons (2,000 kg) of oil sand with a specific heat at constant pressure of 1
kJlkg-K
from 0 C up to 100 C may equal 200,000 kJ. The specific heat at constant
pressure of tested Utah oil sand ranges from 0.67 kJ/kg-K to 1.57 kJ/kg-K in
the
temperature range of 100 - 350 C. Converted to the energy units of BTU based
on 1.055 kJ per BTU, 200,000 kJ equals 189,574 BTU. Each cubic foot of natural
gas contains 1,028 BTU of energy; as a result, 189,574 BTU equals 184 cubic
feet
of natural gas. Therefore, the physical process disclosed for separating
liquids
from solids may require less than 190 cubic feet of natural gas to separate
one
barrel of bitumen from two tons of oil sand, which is 80% less than the 1,000
cubic feet used in the conventional separation method.
[00521 Additionally, the environmental impact from the physical process
disclosed for separating liquids from solids may be less than the conventional
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separation method because the physical process disclosed does not require any
water to separate bitumen from oil sand. Conversely, the conventional
separation
process requires up to 4 barrels of fresh water to produce one barrel of
bitumen
from two tons of oil sand. The spent water used in the conventional oil
separation
process is suspected to cause environmental, wildlife, and health problems.
The
spent water may contain chemicals used in the conventional separation process
and may enter rivers and fresh ground water supplies after leaking from spent
water retention ponds. Therefore, the physical process disclosed for
separating
liquids from solids may be less harmful to the environment than the
conventional
separation method.
[0053] A physical process for separating liquids from solids is disclosed. As
a
non-limiting example, this physical process may be used to separate liquids,
such
as oil, from solid particles, such as sand or shale. The process may involve
at least
the following steps in any order (a) applying heat to a mixture of solids and
liquids; (b) rapidly spinning the mixture; and (c) confining the solid
particles
mechanically.
[00541 A first system includes a separation device 90 as shown in FIG. 1. The
separation device 90 may be made up of one or more tubes such as test tubes.
The
separation device 90 may, for example, include a first tube 106 and a second
tube
100. The tubes 106, 100 of this example are dimensioned such that the second
tube 100 fits inside of the first tube 106, for example, in a nested
conformation.
The second tube 100 has an aperture 102 at one end. In this example, the
aperture
may have a diameter of approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45 - 1.35 mm, 0.80-
1.30 mm, or approximately 0.90-1.20 mm. However, the optimal aperture size
may vary with other variables, such as the type of solid or liquid being
separated
or other considerations.
[0055] The separation device 90 may be dimensioned as described below and
illustrated by FIG. 2. The dimensions are representative of this system but
may be
varied depending upon, for example the system, production needs, and type of
solids and liquids being separated.
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100561 The first tube 106 of this example may be, for example but not limited
to, a 15 ml centrifuge tube. The second tube 100 of this example may be, for
example but not limited to, a 5 ml centrifuge tube. Again, recognized by those
of
ordinary skill in the art that dimensions, supply source, and specifications
for the
first tube 106 and the second tube 100 may be varied to suit the needs of a
particular application.
[00571 The second tube 100 may have an aperture 102 at one end. The
aperture may facilitate separation by retaining solids, such as sand or shale,
within
the second tube 100 while allowing liquids, such as oil, to escape. The
aperture
102 may be added to a tube, for example, the second tube 100 using a tungsten
probe. By way of example, to create an aperture, an area on the second tube
100
may be warmed and bored through with a super-heated tungsten probe. The
tungsten probe may be a 1/16 inch tungsten probe which may be filed to a
point.
Other known methods may also be used to create an aperture 102.
[00581 The process for removing, for example, oil from sand, may proceed as
follows. A solids-liquids mixture 104, for example oil shale or oil sands, may
be
heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-125 C,
92 C-110 C , or approximately 94 C (e.g., in a water bath). The solids-liquids
mixture 104 may be heated prior to loading into the separation device 90.
Alternatively, the solids-liquids mixture may be heated in the separation
device, or
during spinning. Before or after heating, the solids-liquids mixture may be
loaded
into the second tube 100. In this example, the tube may be filled to
approximately
3/5 of capacity; however, any amount of solids-liquids mixture 104 may be
used.
The second tube 100 may be placed inside the first tube 106, before or after
filling,
to create a separation device 90. The separation device 90 including the
solids-
liquids mixture 104 may then be placed into a centrifuge, for example but not
limited to, an LW Scientific Ultra 8 Centrifuge. The separation process may be
performed without the addition of chemicals.
[00591 An example of the physical principles of operation is shown in FIG. 3.
The separation device 90 may be spun in a centrifuge or similar machine. The
optimum range for the spin rate may be 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. As a result of
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centrifugal force 204, the liquid 202 may exit the aperture 102 and may
collect in
the bottom of the first tube Fig. 1, 106, which may be the outer tube. The
solid
particles 206 may remain in the second tube Fig. 1, 100, which may be the
inner
tube. The particles 206 may be retained in the second tube 100 rather than
escaping through the aperture 102 because, for example, the centrifugal force
204
causes them to jam up, leaving gaps 208 through which the liquid 202 may move
toward the aperture 102 and escape. An optimum time range for spinning in this
example may be 15 seconds to 20 minutes.
[00601 The aperture 102 size for extracting oil from Athabasca oil sands may
be, for example, approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or
approximately 0.85-1.10 mm. In the case of, for example, Athabasca oil sands,
an
aperture 102 larger than approximately 1.5 mm would let the solid particles
206
escape (e.g., absent the presence of supplementary retaining devices such as a
screen). However, the size of the aperture may be optimized to find an
appropriate
range for different combinations of solids and liquids, including oil sands
from
other regions, oil shale and including Athabasca oil sands that have different
particle sizes.
[00611 The following example illustrates performance of the process in one
system and also includes exemplary results. This example is merely
illustrative of
the effect on oil recovery from oil sands of different centrifuge speeds and
temperatures. The example also illustrates oil extraction from oil sands
without
the addition of chemicals.
[00621 Athabasca oil sand was purchased from the Alberta Research Council.
Materials accompanying the oil sand samples provided an estimated composition
of 6-12 weight % bitumen, 5-20 weight % water and the balance sand. The
bitumen content was not expressed with certainty, therefore a conservative
estimate of 12% bitumen was used to calculate percent oil extracted, unless
otherwise noted.
[00631 The oil sands were loaded into a separation device 90. The separation
device 90 was placed into a boiling water bath at approximately 94 C for
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approximately 5 minutes or such time as it takes for the temperature of the
sand to
reach approximately 94 C.
100641 At a spin rate of 3300 rpm and at an initial temperature of 94 C, about
90% of the extractable liquid Fig. 3, 202 was recovered in 10 minutes (under
the
conservative assumption the oil sands contained 12 weight % bitumen). The
configuration of the centrifuge used in this experiment caused the oil sands
sample
to experience a g-force of about 900 g's. At lower temperatures, down to 52 C,
longer times were needed to remove smaller portions of oil 202 (--64% at --72
C
and -35% at -52 C, respectively) even at maximum rotation speeds (-3300 rpm).
(All calculations assume that the oil sands contained 12 weight % bitumen.)
See
FIG. 5. The separation process was performed without the addition of
chemicals.
[0065] The following examples illustrate the effect on recovery of various
process variables.
EXAMPLE 1: Effect of Spinning Time
[0066] The following example is included to illustrate the effect of spinning
time on recovery in one system. This example is merely illustrative.
[0067] In this example, the effect of spinning time was investigated. The
example was performed in duplicate. For this exemplary experiment two devices
90 were weighed. Each device 90 consisted of a first tube 106 and a second
tube
100. The second tube 100 was nested inside of the first tube 106 to form a
separation device 90. The second tube 100 included an aperture 102.
[0068] Prior to spinning, the first tube 106 and the second tube 100 of each
separation device 90 were weighed. Each device 90 was loaded with an
approximately equal amount of solids-liquids mixture 104, which in this
example
was oil sand. The devices 90 were loaded by inserting the solids-liquids
mixture
104, in this case oil sand, into the second tube 100 to a level of
approximately 3/5
full. The second tube 100 was then nested into the first tube 106 and the
resulting
separation device 90 was reweighed to determine sample size (e.g., the
difference
between the weight of the unloaded assembled separation device versus the
weight
of the loaded and assembled separation device 90). The weight of the bitumen
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present in each sample of oil sand was approximated by assuming that the
samples
contained 12 weight % bitumen.
[0069] Each loaded separation device 90 was then placed in a constant
temperature bath at 94 C until the temperature in each stabilized at 94 C.
After
heating, each loaded separation device 90 was then placed in the centrifuge
and
spun for approximately 1 minute at about 3300 rpm.
[0070] After spinning, each loaded separation device 90 was removed from the
centrifuge. Each separation device 90 was disassembled by removing the second
tube 100 from the first tube 106. The first tube 106 of each device was
weighed to
determine the amount of liquid 202, in this case oil, was deposited into the
first
tube 106 (as demonstrated by increased weight) by the spinning. The second
tube
100 of each device was weighed to determine the amount of liquid 202 removed
from the solids-liquids mixture 104 (as demonstrated by decreased weight) by
the
spinning.
[0071] After weighing, each separation device 90 was reassembled by inserting
the second tube 100 into the first tube 106. Each loaded separation device 90
was
then placed in a constant temperature bath at 94 C until the temperature in
each
stabilized at 94 C. After heating, each loaded separation device 90 was then
placed in the centrifuge and spun for approximately 1 minute at about 3300
rpm.
After spinning for 1 minute, each separation device 90 was again separated by
removing the second tube 100 from the first tube 106. The first tube 106 and
second tube 100 were weighed to determine the degree of separation after 2
minutes. This process was repeated for 3 more cycles. The degree of separation
at 1, 2, 3, and 4 minutes is illustrated in the following tables and plotted
into FIG.
4. Where the X-axis displays the total spin time and the Y-axis shows percent
of
the oil
[0072] Raw Data Summary
inner outer inner outer sample sample tube 1 tube 2
tube tube tube tube 1 outer 2 outer % %
sample 1 sample I sample 2 sample 2 tube tube mass mass
tubes 2&3 (g) (g) (g) (g) mass mass gain* gain*
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gain gain
(g) (g)
initial,
empty 10.493 15.649 10.632 15.492
w/oil sand 13.107 13.526
oil sand 2.614 2.896
spin I min 12.958 15.791 13.35 15.661 0.142 0.169 45.3 48.6
spin 2 min 12.911 15.835 13.331 15.678 0.186 0.186 59.3 53.5
spin 3 min 12.901 15.85 13.32 15.688 0.201 0.196 64.1 56.4
sin 4 min 12.889 15.853 13.313 15.693 0.204 0.201 65.0 57.8
hole size Sample Sample
(mm) 1 0.79 2 0.93
* percent gains based on oil fraction of 12% weight percent
Sample I Summary, aperture size 0.79mm
Oil Sand (g) Oil (g) % Extracted
Start 2.614 0.314
1 min (0.149) 0.146 46%
(0.142)
2 min (0.196) 0.191 61 %
(0.186)
3 min (0.206) 0.204 65 %
(0.201)
4 min (0.218) 0.211 67 %
(0.204)
Sample 2 Summary, aperture size 0.93mm
Oil Sand (g) Oil (g) % Extracted
Start 2.896 0.348
1 min (0.176) 0.173 50%
(0.169)
2 min (0.195) 0.191 55%
(0.186)
3 min (0.206) 0.201 58 %
(0.196)
4 min (0.213) 0.207 59 %
(0.201)
All data is calculated based on an assumed, conservative value of 12 weight %
oil
per oil sand sample. Actual percent extraction is likely higher.
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[00731 The combination of heating, spinning and an appropriate aperture size
is highly effective at separating oil from oil sands, even in the absence of
chemical
extraction agents.
(00741 As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the liquid is oil and the solid-liquid
mixture is oil sands, the oil is removed rather quickly and in a large
proportion to
the amount available at 94 C and 3300 rpm. These results are expected to vary,
depending upon the nature of the device used and the starting materials.
EXAMPLE 2: Effect of Temperature
[00751 The following example is included to illustrate the effect of
temperature
on recovery. This example is merely illustrative.
[00761 In this example, the effect of temperature on recovery was
investigated.
The example was performed at three exemplary temperatures, 94 C, 72 C, and
52 C. For this exemplary experiment three separation devices 90 were prepared,
each of which consisted of a first tube 106 and a second tube 100. The second
tube 100 was nested inside of the first tube 106 to form a separation device
90.
The second tube 100 included an aperture 102 as described above. Each
separation device 90 was weighed prior to loading. The weight amount of the
bitumen present in each sample of oil sand was approximated by assuming that
the
samples contained 12 weight % bitumen.
[00771 After weighing, each separation device 90 was loaded with an
approximately equal amount of solids-liquids mixture 104, which in this
example
was oil sand. The devices 90 were loaded by inserting the solids-liquids
mixture
104, in this case oil sand, into the second tube 100 to a level of
approximately 3/5
full. The second tube 100 was then nested into the first tube 106 and the
resulting
separation device 90 was reweighed to determine sample size.
100781 Each loaded separation device 90 was then placed in a constant
temperature bath. In this example, each of the three separation devices 90 was
warmed to a different temperature. One separation device 90, represented in
FIG.
as a triangle, was warmed in a constant temperature bath at approximately 94 C
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until the temperature in the separation device 90 stabilized at approximately
94 C.
A second separation device 90, represented in FIG.5 as a circle, was warmed in
a
constant temperature bath at approximately 72 C until the temperature in the
separation device 90 stabilized at approximately 72 C. A third separation
device
90, represented in FIG. 5 as a square, was warmed in a constant temperature
bath
at approximately 52 C until the temperature in the separation device 90
stabilized
at approximately 52 C.
[0079] After heating, each loaded separation device 90 was then placed in the
centrifuge and spun for approximately 1 minute at about 3300 rpm. After
spinning
for one minute, each loaded separation device 90 was removed from the
centrifuge. The separation device 90 was disassembled by removing the second
tube 100 from the first tube 106. The first tube 106 of each separation device
90
was weighed to determine the amount of liquid 202, in this case oil, deposited
into
the first tube 106 (as demonstrated by increased weight) by the spinning. The
second tube 100 of each separation device 90 was weighed to determine the
amount of liquid 202 removed from the solids-liquids mixture 104 (as
demonstrated by decreased weight) by the spinning.
[0080] After weighing, each separation device 90 was reassembled by inserting
the second tube 100 into the first tube 106. Each loaded separation device 90,
represented by a triangle, circle, and square, was then placed back into a
constant
temperature bath at approximately 94 C, 72 C, or 52 C, respectively until
the
temperature in each stabilized at approximately 94 C, 72 C, or 52 C,
respectively. After heating, each loaded separation device 90 was then placed
in
the centrifuge and spun for approximately 5 minutes at about 3300 rpm. After
spinning for approximately 5 minutes, each separation device 90 was again
separated by removing the second tube 100 from the first tube 106. The first
tube
106 and second tube 100 were weighed to determine the degree of separation
after
minutes.
100811 After weighing, each separation device 90 was reassembled by inserting
the second tube 100 into the first tube 106. Each loaded separation device 90,
represented by a triangle, circle, and square, was then placed back into a
constant
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temperature bath at approximately 94 C, 72 C, or 52 C, respectively until
the
temperature in each stabilized at approximately 94 C, 72 C, or 52 C,
respectively. After heating, each loaded separation device 90 was then placed
in
the centrifuge and spun for approximately 10 minutes at about 3300 rpm. After
spinning for 10 minutes, each separation device 90 was again separated by
removing the second tube 100 from the first tube 106. The first tube 106 and
second tube 100 were weighed to determine the degree of separation after 10
minutes.
[0082] The degree of separation for each separation device 90 at three
temperatures 94 C, 72 C, or 52 C was plotted in FIG. 5. The degree of
separation at each temperature and at each of 1, 5, and 16 minutes is plotted.
[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 5, even in the absence of chemical agents, the
extraction percentage of oil from oil sands on laboratory scale at
approximately
94 C and approximately 3300 rpm levels off at about 10 minutes spinning time.
These results are expected to vary depending upon the nature of the device and
the
starting materials.
EXAMPLE 3: Effect of Spin Rate on Recovery
[0084] The following example is included to illustrate the effect of spin rate
on
recovery in a laboratory scale system. This example is merely illustrative and
not
meant to be limiting.
[0085] In this example, the effect of spin rate on recovery was investigated.
The example was performed at two exemplary spin rates, 3300 rpm and 2000 rpm.
All other variables were identical between the two samples. For this exemplary
experiment two separation devices 90 were prepared, each of which consisted of
a
first tube 106 and a second tube 100. The second tube 100 was nested inside of
the first tube 106 to form a separation device 90. The second tube 100
included an
aperture 102. Each separation device 90 was weighed prior to loading.
[0086] After weighing, each device 90 was loaded with an approximately equal
amount of solids-liquids mixture 104, which in this example was oil sand. The
separation devices 90 were loaded by inserting the solids-liquids mixture 104,
in
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this case oil sand, into the second tube 100 to a level of approximately 3/5
full.
The second tube 100 was then nested into the first tube 106 and the resulting
separation device 90 was reweighed to determine sample size.
[0087] Each loaded separation device 90 was then placed in a constant
temperature bath. In this example, each separation device 90, was warmed in a
constant temperature bath at 94 C until the temperature in the separation
device 90
stabilized at 94 C.
[0088] After heating, each loaded separation device 90 was then placed in the
centrifuge and spun for approximately 1 minute. One separation device 90
represented in FIG. 6 by the letter B, was spun at about 3300 rpm. A second
separation device 90 represented in FIG. 6 by the letter E, was spun at about
2000
rpm. After spinning each separation device 90 at its respective speeds for one
minute, each loaded separation device 90 was removed from the centrifuge. Each
separation device 90 was disassembled by removing the second tube 100 from the
first tube 106. The first tube 106 of each device was weighed to determine the
amount of liquid 202, in this case oil, deposited into the first tube 106 (as
demonstrated by increased weight) by the spinning. The second tube 100 of each
device was weighed to determine the amount of liquid 202 removed from the
solids-liquids mixture 104 (as demonstrated by decreased weight) by the
spinning.
The weight amount of the bitumen present in each sample of oil sand was
approximated by assuming that the samples contained 12 weight % bitumen.
[0089] After weighing, each separation device 90 was reassembled by inserting
the second tube 100 into the first tube 106. Each loaded separation device 90,
represented by a B or an E, was then placed back into a constant temperature
bath
at approximately 94 C until the temperature in each stabilized at
approximately
94 C. After heating, each loaded separation device 90, represented by a B or
an E,
was then placed in the centrifuge and spun for approximately 1 minute at about
3300 rpm and 2000 rpm, respectively. After spinning for 1 minute, each
separation device 90 was again separated by removing the second tube 100 from
the first tube 106. The first tube 106 and second tube 100 were weighed to
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determine the degree of separation after 1 minute at about 3300 rpm and 2000
rpm, respectively.
100901 After weighing, each separation device 90 was reassembled by inserting
the second tube 100 into the first tube 106. The cycle of heating, spinning,
and
weighing was repeated and results were plotted on FIG. 6 for each device 90 at
1,
2, 3, 4, and 5 minutes. FIG. 6 illustrates that percent extraction begins to
converge
at longer spin times.
[0091] The underlying data is included in the charts below:
inner outer inner outer Sample Sample Sample Sample
tube tube tube tube B mass E mass B E
Samples Sample Sample Sample Sample gain gain % %
B & E B (g) B (g) E (g) E (g) (g) (g) gain* gain*
initial,
empty 10.542 15.384 10.389 15.253
w/oil
sand 13.576 13.435
oil sand 3.034 3.046
spin 1
min 13.512 15.452 13.405 15.277 0.068 0.024 21.7 6.9
spin 2
min 13.429 15.533 13.335 15.35 0.149 0.097 47.5 27.9
spin 3
min 13.382 15.577 13.282 15.398 0.193 0.145 61.5 41.7
spin 4
min 13.348 15.609 13.271 15.408 0.225 0.155 71.7 44.6
spin 5
min 13.338 15.621 13.255 15.421 0.237 0.168 75.6 48.3
hole size
(mm) tube 5 0.9906 tube 6 0.889
* percent gains based on oil fraction of 12%
[00921 Summary Sample B
Hole size 0.99mm
Oil Sand (g) Oil (g) % Extracted
Start 3.034 0.36
1 min (0.064) 0.066 18 %
(0.068)
2 min (0.147) 0.148 41%
(0.149)
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
3 min (0.194) 0.194 54%
(0.193)
4 min (0.228) 0.227 63 %
(0.225)
min (0.238) 0.238 66 %
(0.237)
[0093] Summary Sample E
Hole size 0.89mm
Oil Sand (g) Oil (g) % Extracted
Start 3.046 0.37
1 min (0.030) 0.027 7%
(0.024)
2 min (0.100) 0.099 27 %
(0.097)
3 min (0.153) 0.149 40%
(0.145)
4 min (0.164) 0.160 43%
(0.155)
5 min (0.180) 0.174 47%
(0.168)
[00941 For another example, the following calculations may be helpful in the
evaluation and description of the spin rate.
a, = rw2 (1)
a (2)
9C = go
rw2
gC _ (3)
go
ac= centripetal acceleration (m/s2)
r = radius (m)
w = angular velocity (rpm)
go gravitational acceleration at Earth's surface (9.8 m/s2)
gg = G force (g)
[00951 FIGS. 7-13 illustrate a second system 300 of a separation device. The
second system may have a clam shell-like formation which may further have a
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
first portion 302 and a second portion 304. The first portion 302 and the
second
portion 304, depending on the orientation of the device, may be the top and
the
bottom of the separation system 300. In FIG. 7, the first portion 302 and the
second portion 304 of the second system fit together with the aid of, for
example,
an aligning pivot 305. The first portion 304 may have cavities 306, wherein
each
cavity 306 may form an aperture 308 where the first portion 302 and second
portion 304 of the second system come together.
[0096] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrates how the cavities 306 may align radially. For
example, the cavities 306 may be roughly semi conical with an opening that is
wider toward the center 402 of the second portion 304 of the second system 300
and narrows as it reaches the perimeter 404. While the cavities 306 are
illustrated
as semi conical in FIGS. 8 and 9, other shapes may be used.
[0097] The second system 300 may also include a liquid collector FIG. 11,
706, which may be cylindrical, or any other shape. For example, the liquid
collector may or may not approximate the shape of the second system separation
system 300. The liquid collector 706 may include a gutter 707 which may
collect
and funnel the liquid to a collection reservoir. The gutter 707 may be located
on
the lower edge of the liquid collector, or may be located in any other
location. The
liquid collector 706 may be arranged with the second system separation system
300 such that the second system separation system 300 may be raised and
lowered
into position with the liquid collector 706 as the separation process
proceeds.
[0098] FIGS. 10-13 illustrate how the process for extracting liquids from
solid
particles might be adapted for the second system 300 separation device
described
above. The solids-liquids mixture 602 may be placed inside the cavities 306 in
the
second system 300. In FIG. 10 the solids-liquids mixture 602 may be heated
before loading, during loading, or after loading into the system 300. The
second
system 300 may be lowered into a liquid collector 706 and may be spun as shown
in FIG. 11. Spinning may cause the liquid 702 to separate from the solid
particles
704. The liquid 702 may exit apertures 308, and may accumulate, for example,
on
the liquid collector 706, and/or in a gutter 707. The solid particles 704 may
remain
inside the closed second system 300.
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
[0099] After separation has been accomplished, the liquid collector 706 may be
raised, and the second system 300 may be opened as shown in FIG. 12. The first
portion 302 and second portion 304 may be spun such that the solid particles
are
spun out of the cavities 306. A solid particles collector 802 may be used to
catch
the solid particles 704.
[00100] The second system 300 may then be reused. A new load of heated
or unheated solids-liquids mixture 602 may be inserted into the second system
300
and the liquid collector 706 may replaced into a position that will allow it
to
capture extracted liquids. The second system 300 may be closed and respun, as
shown in FIG. 13, continuing the cycle. Alternatively, the cycle may terminate
after one use. The optimal aperture 308 size for removing oil from Athabsca
oil
sands is approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or
approximately 9.90-1.20 mm. However, other sizes may be used.
[00101] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a third system, which may have
a cyclone formation 1010. The third system 1010 may be approximately conical
in
shape and may have baffles 1020 located along the interior. The baffles 1020
may
be arranged in a screw-thread-like fashion along the interior of the third
system
1010. The walls 1018 of the third system 1010 may include small apertures or
capillaries 1022. An exploded exemplary view of a wall 1018 including
capillaries 1022 is illustrated in FIG. 14a. The third system 1010 may further
include a coaxial piston, 1014 and a central shaft 1011which may be supported
by
a bearing 1012 and a feed tube 1016. The third system 1010 may also include a
liquid collector 1026 which may be cylindrical or any other shape.
[00102] FIGS. 14-15 illustrate how the process for extracting liquids from
solid particles might be adapted for the third system 1010 described above.
The
solids-liquids mixture 602, for example, oil sands, may be heated prior to
loading
or may be heated during loading or, alternatively, in the third system 1010.
For
example, the solids-liquids mixture 602 may be heated in the feed tube, in the
cyclone, or in a retaining tank attached to the feed tube, and etc.;
alternatively, it
may be heated prior to being loaded into the feed tube.
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
[00103] The heated or unheated solids-liquids mixture 602 may be loaded
into the third system 1010 by a feed tube 1016. The feed tube 1016 may be
centrally located. A coaxial piston 1014 may push an amount of a heated solids-
liquids mixture 602 down a central feed tube 1016 and out the bottom of the
central feed tube 1016 into the centrifuge wall 1018, rotating co-axially as
shown
in FIG. 15. The heated solids-liquids mixture 602 may be centrifugally forced
outward and upward along the baffles 1020. The liquid 702 may escape through
the small apertures 1022, which may have a diameter of approximately 0.40-
1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm or about 0-.90-1.20 mm. Solid particles
704 may be centrifugally pushed upward and eventually go over the top 1024 of
the third system 1010 where it may be collected and recycled, disposed of or
otherwise. The liquid 702 that is extracted may be collected by the oil
collector
1026, for example, by accumulating at the bottom 1028. This may be a
continuous process by which the feed tube 1016 continually feeds solids-
liquids
mixture 602 into the third system 1010 to replace the liquid and solids that
are
removed.
[00104] FIG. 16 shows a fourth system which may be formed of rotating
planes. The fourth system may have a chamber 1202. This device may be self-
cleaning. As shown in FIG. 17, the rotating planes system may have a top plate
1205 and a bottom plate 1207, which may be coaxially mounted with a main shaft
1204 so that the top plate 1205 can be raised and the bottom plate 1207 can be
lowered. The chamber may be formed of multiple chamber walls 1206. The
chamber walls may have apertures or capillaries 1402 through which liquid may
be extracted from the liquids-solid mixture. The chamber 1202 can take many
shapes depending on the number of walls 1206, such as a hexagonal shape as
shown in FIGS. 16-20. Each of the walls 1206 may be centrally pivoted 1208.
The rotating planes separator 1202 may have at least two configurations, for
example, a closed configuration (see, e.g., FIGS. 16, 17, 20a, 20c, 20e) and
an
open configuration (see, e.g., FIGS. 20b, 20d). In the closed configuration,
the
walls 1206 may be sealed by outer 1304 and inner 1306 splines as shown in
FIG. 19. The apertures 1402 in the chamber walls 1206 may have a diameter of
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CA 02683374 2011-12-16
approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or about 0.90-
1.20 mm. In the open configuration, the walls 1206 may be rotated on their
pivot
point such that they are no longer in contact. (See, e.g., FIGS. 20b, 20d)
[00105] In operation, heated solids-liquids mixture 602 may be placed in the
chamber and the chamber may be spun, as shown in the top view in FIG. 20a. The
liquid 702 separates from the solid particles 704 and may be collected by a
liquid
collector 1504 surrounding the chamber. The liquid collector 1504 may be, for
example, cylindrical or may otherwise approximate the shape of the fourth
system
1202. Alternatively, the liquid collector 1504 may be of any other shape or
format. When separation has been completed and rotation has stopped, the
bottom
plate may be lowered. The top plate may be raised and the fourth system 1504
may be raised even more, so that its bottom is above the top of the chamber
walls
1206, which are rotated as shown in the second step in FIG. 20b.
[00106] Next, the chamber walls 1206 may be locked by the splines at for
example 180 so that the apertures face toward the center of the chamber. The
separation device 1202 may be spun to cleanse the remaining solid particles
704.
The solid particles 704 removed from the chamber may be caught by a solid-
particle collector 1506 as shown in the third step in FIG. 20c.
[00107] After cleaning, the separator 1202 may be stopped; the solid-particle
collector 1506 may be lowered away from the separator 1202. The separator may
be returned to a closed position by rotating the walls 1206, for example, 180
as
shown in the fourth step in FIG. 20d. The bottom plate may rise to complete
the
closed conformation. At that point, more solids-liquids mixture 602 may be
placed inside the chamber, and the top may be lowered and the liquid collector
1504 raised into conformation for the next round of processing.
1001081 FIG. 21 shows a fifth system which may be a double piston
type of a separator. The fifth system may have a rotating main shaft 1602.
The rotating main shaft 1602 may further have attached a top piston 1604 and a
bottom piston 1606. The fifth system may also include a filtering portion
1607 which may have a top band 1608, a bottom band 1610 and a screen 1612.
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
[001091 The screen 1612 may be made of any material and may be of
sufficient strength to withstand centrifugal force and retain the solid
particles. The
screen may be supported by bands 1608 and 1610 as illustrated in FIG. 21 and
band 1609 as illustrated in FIG. 22. The screen 1612 may have openings or
apertures, which may be dimensioned to retain the solid particles 704 and let
the
liquid 702 through, as shown in FIG. 22. For separation of oil from Athabasca
oil
sands, the aperture may have a diameter of approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-
1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or sbout 0.90-1.20 mm. As stated above, the aperture
size may vary depending on the properties of the liquid-solid material and the
efficiency of the separation may vary as a function of aperture size.
[00110] The attached top piston 1604 and bottom piston 1606 may be
separated by a distance such that, in the closed position, the top piston 1604
is
even with the top band 1608 of the filtering portion 1607, and the bottom
piston
1606 is even with the bottom band 1610 of the filtering portion 1607.
[001111 In operation, the top 1604 and bottom 1606 pistons may be raised
enough to introduce the solids-liquids mixture 602 as shown in the first step
in
FIG. 23. The pistons may be lowered and aligned with the filtering portion
1607.
The apparatus may be spun, as shown in the second step 1802 in FIG. 23b. Heat
may be applied to the mixture prior to loading or the apparatus may be heated
before or during spinning.
[001121 During spinning the solid particles 704 may be restrained by the
screen 1612; the liquid 702 may pass through the screen 1612 and may be
captured by the liquid collector 1804.
[00113] After the spinning is completed and extraction has concluded, the
apparatus may be cleaned as follows. The pistons may be lowered until the
bottom edge of the top of the piston][604 is even with the bottom edge of
bottom
band 1610, as shown in the third step in FIG. 23c. The solid particles 704 may
be
removed from the piston by spinning such that the solid particles 704 leave
the
fifth system 1600 and are collected by a solid-particle collector 1806.
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CA 02683374 2011-12-16
[00114] After cleaning, the process may be repeated. For example, a new
batch of heated or unheated solids-liquids mixture 602 may be inserted into
the
double piston system, as shown in the fourth step in FIG. 23d.
[00115] While various systems of the disclosure have been described, it will
be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more systems and
implementations are possible that are within the scope of the disclosure.
[00116] FIG. 24 shows a cross sectional view of a sixth system 2100, which
may be a centrifugal type of separator. The sixth system 2100 may have a rotor
2104. The rotor 2104 may spin a separation device 2102, which may be a tube.
The sixth system 2100 may include multiple separation devices 2102 depending
on the size of the separation device 2102 and the rotor 2104. The separation
device 2102, may include multiple parts. For example, the separation device
2102
may have a first part 2216 and a second part 2118. The multiple parts may be
connected, such as by a hinge 2114 or otherwise. When the first part 2116 and
the
second part 2118 are in contact, they may form a separation device 2102. The
separation device 2102 may include an aperture 2106 at one end. The aperture
2106 may facilitate separation of liquids, such as oil or water, from solids,
such as
sand or shale, by retaining solids within the separation device 2102. The
sixth
system 2100 may also include an extractor 2108. As shown in FIG. 24, the
extractor 2108 may remove the separation device 2102 from the rotor 2104, may
split the separation device 2102 into its first part 2116 and second part
2118, and
may spin the separation device 2102 to remove the solid particles.
[00117] The sixth system 2100 may include a liquid collector 2202, as
shown in FIG. 25, which may be any shape capable of containing the liquid,
such
as a cylinder, rectangle, or hexagon.
[00118] The process for extracting liquids from solid particles may be
adapted for the sixth system 2100, described above, by placing a solids-
liquids
mixture in the separation device 2102, which may be placed in the rotor 2104.
The solids-liquids mixture may be heated before, during, or after placement in
the
separation device 2102. The solids-liquids mixture, for example oil shale or
oil
sands, may be heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C,
22-
CA 02683374 2009-10-21
95 C-125 C, and approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in
a
water bath). The separation device 2102 may be inserted into the rotor 2104
and
spun perpendicular to the long axis of the separation device 2102. The
separation
device 2102 may be spun to approximately 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. Spinning may
cause the liquid to separate from the solid particles. The separation device
2102
may be spun for approximately 15 seconds to 20 minutes. The liquid may exit
the
aperture 2106 and may accumulate, for example, on the liquid collector 2202.
The
optimum aperture 2106 size for extracting oil from Athabasca oil sands may be,
for example, approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or
approximately 0.85-1.10mm. The sixth system 2100 may then be reused with a
new solids-liquids mixture.
[00119] FIGS. 27-32 show a seventh system 2400 which may be a
centrifugal type of separator. The seventh system 2400 may have a rotor with
multiple parts. The first part of the rotor 2404 may attach to a power
generator or
other source of power. The first part of the rotor 2404 may have an axial
opening
2506. The second part of the rotor 2504 may constrain the movement of a
separation device 2402 within the first part of the rotor 2404, as shown in
FIG. 28,
a cross-sectional view. The rotor 2404, 2504 may spin a separation device
2402,
which may be a tube. The seventh system 2400 may include multiple separation
devices 2402 depending on the size of the separation device 2402 and the rotor
2404, 2504. The separation device 2402 may include one open end 2502, as
shown in FIG. 28. The separation device 2402 may include a smaller aperture
2408 at the other end. The aperture 2408 may facilitate separation of liquids,
such
as oil or water, from solids, such as sand or shale, by retaining solids
within the
separation device 2402. The separation device 2402 may also include a pivot
point 2410, such as an axle, along the length of the separation device 2402
that
may be perpendicular to the separation device length, as shown in FIG. 29.
[00120] The seventh system 2400 may include a liquid collector 2702, as
shown in FIG. 30 and FIG. 31, which may be any shape capable of containing the
liquid, such as a cylinder, rectangle, or hexagon.
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
(001211 The process for extracting liquids from solid particles may be
adapted for the seventh system 2400, described above, by placing a solids-
liquids
mixture in the separation device 2402, which may be placed in the first part
of the
rotor 2404 and secured in place by the second part of the rotor 2504. The
solids-
liquids mixture may be heated before, during, or after placement in the
separation
device 2402. The solids-liquids mixture, for example oil shale or oil sands,
may
be heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-125
C, and approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in a water
bath). The separation device 2402 may be inserted into the first part of the
rotor
2404, as shown in FIG. 30, and spun perpendicular to the long axis of the
separation device 2402. The separation device 2402 may be spun to
approximately 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. The separation device 2402 may be spun
for approximately 15 seconds to 20 minutes. Spinning may cause the liquid to
separate from the solid particles. The liquid may exit the aperture 2408 and
may
accumulate, for example, on the liquid collector 2702. The optimum aperture
2408 size for extracting oil from Athabasca oil sands may be, for example,
approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or approximately
0.85-1.10mm. Once the liquid has left the separation device 2402, the second
part
of the rotor 2504 may be moved to allow the separation device 2402 to pivot
along
the pivot point 2410. If the separation device 2402 is spun, the remaining
solid
particles may exit the open end 2502 of the separation device 2402, as shown
in
FIG. 31. The collector 2702 may be changed to collect the solid particles. The
seventh system 2400 may then be reused with a new solids-liquids mixture.
(00122] FIG. 32 shows an eighth system 2900, which may be a centrifugal
type of separator. The eight system 2900 may include a rotor 2904. The rotor
2904 may spin a separation device 2902, which may be a tube. The eighth system
2900 may include multiple separation devices 2902 depending on the size of the
separation device 2902 and the rotor 2904. The separation device 2902 may be
open on one end 2910 and may include a smaller aperture 2906 at the other end.
The aperture 2906 may facilitate separation of liquids, such as oil or water,
from
solids, such as sand or shale, by retaining solids within the separation
device 2902.
-24-
CA 02683374 2009-10-21
The separation device 2902 may include a lockable pivot point 2908, such as a
geared axle, along the length of the separation device 2902 that may be
perpendicular to the separation device 2902 length.
[001231 The eight system 2900 may include a liquid collector 2912, as
shown in FIG. 32, which may be any shape capable of containing the liquid,
such
as a cylinder, rectangle, or hexagon.
[001241 The process for extracting liquids from solid particles may be
adapted for the eighth system 2900, described above, by placing a solids-
liquids
mixture in the separation device 2902, which may be positioned within the
rotor
2904 and secured in place by the lockable pivot point 2908. The solids-liquids
mixture may be heated before, during, or after placement in the separation
device
2902. The solids-liquids mixture, for example oil shale or oil sands, may be
heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-125 C,
and approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in a water
bath).
The rotor 2904 may spin the separation device 2902 perpendicular to the long
axis
of the separation device 2902. The separation device 2902 may be spun to
approximately 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. The separation device 2902 may be spun
for approximately 15 seconds to 20 minutes. Spinning may cause the liquid to
separate from the solid particles. The liquid may exit the aperture 2906 and
may
accumulate, for example, on the liquid collector 2912. The optimum aperture
2906 size for extracting oil from Athabasca oil sands may be, for example,
approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or approximately
0.85-1.10mm. Once the liquid has left the separation device 2902, the lockable
pivot point 2908 may allow the separation device 2902 to pivot such that the
remaining solid particles may exit the open end of the separation device 2902
if it
is spun. The collector 2912 may be changed to collect the remaining solid
particles. The eighth system 2900 may then be reused with a new solids-liquids
mixture.
[001251 FIG. 33 shows a ninth system 3000, which may be a centrifugal
type of separator. An exemplary cross-sectional perspective view of the ninth
system 3000 is shown in FIG. 34. The ninth system 3000 may include a
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CA 02683374 2011-12-16
separation device 3002. The separation device 3002 may be open on one end
3010. The separation device 3002 may include a smaller aperture 3008 at the
other end. The aperture 3008 may facilitate separation of liquids 3304, such
as oil
or water, from solids, such as sand or shale, by retaining solids within
the separation device 3002 if it is spun. The ninth system 3000 may include a
disk
3004. The disk 3004 may be contained within the separation device 3002. The
disk 3004 may be held in place such that the disk 3004 is perpendicular to the
length of the separation device 3002, as shown in FIG. 33 and FIG. 34. The
disk
3004 may also be moved by rods 3006 such that the disk 3004 is parallel to the
length of the separation device 3002, as shown in the front view in FIG. 35a
and in
the side view in FIG. 35b.
[001261 The process for extracting liquids 3304 from solid particles 3306
may be adapted for the ninth system 3000, described above, by placing a solids-
liquids mixture 3302 in the separation device 3002 with the disk 3004
positioned
parallel to the length of the separation device 3002, as shown in front view
in FIG.
36a and inside view in FIG. 36b. The solids-liquids mixture 3302 may be heated
before, during, or after placement in the separation device 3002. The solids-
liquids mixture 3302, for example oil shale or oil sands, may be heated to
approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-125 C, and
approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in a water bath).
Spinning the separation device 3002 perpendicular to the long axis of the
separation device 3002 may cause the liquid 3304 to separate from the solid
particles 3306. The separation device 3002 may be spun to approximately 500
rpm to 10,000 rpm. The separation device 3002 may be spun for approximately
15 seconds to 20 minutes. The liquid 3304 may exit the aperture 3008 for
collection later. The optimum aperture 3008 size for extracting oil from
Athabasca oil sands may be, for example, approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35
mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or approximately 0.85-1.10mm. Once the liquid 3304 has left
the separation device 3002, the disk 3004 may be repositioned perpendicular to
the
length of the separation device 3002 and removed from the separation device
3002, as shown in FIG. 36c, extracting the remaining solid particles 3306 as
it is
2 -
CA 02683374 2009-10-21
removed. The ninth system 3000 may then be reused with a new solids-liquids
mixture 3302, as shown in FIG. 36d.
[001271 FIGS. 37-40 show a tenth system 3400, which may have a
cylindrical formation. The tenth system 3400 may include a shaft 3406. The
shaft
3406 may be placed within a first cylinder 3402. The shaft 3406 may be angled
to allow the movement of a solids-liquids mixture 3504 down the inside of the
first
cylinder 3402 by gravity. The first cylinder 3402 may include apertures 3416.
An
exploded exemplary view of the first cylinder 3402 including apertures 3416 is
illustrated in FIG. 38a. The apertures 3416 may facilitate the separation of
liquids
3502, such as oil or water, from solids, such as sand or shale, by retaining
solids
3506 within the first cylinder 3402. The first cylinder 3402 may be placed
within
a second cylinder 3404. As shown in FIG. 37, the second cylinder 3404 may
include a protrusion 3412. The protrusion 3412 may collect and direct the
liquid
3502 to a collection point 3414.
[001281 The process for extracting liquids 3502 from solid particles 3506
may be adapted for the tenth system 3400, described above, by placing a solids-
liquids mixture 3504 on the inside of the spinning first cylinder 3402 and
allowing
it to travel along the surface of the first cylinder 3402 by gravity. The
solids-
liquids 3504 mixture may be heated before, during, or after placement in the
first
cylinder 3402. The solids-liquids mixture 3504, for example oil shale or oil
sands,
may be heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-
125 C, and approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in a
water
bath). Spinning the first cylinder 3402 may cause the liquid 3502 to separate
from the solid particles 3506. The first cylinder 3402 may be spun to
approximately 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. The first cylinder 3402 may be spun for
approximately 15 seconds to 20 minutes. The liquid 3502 may exit the first
cylinder 3402 through the apertures 3416. The optimum aperture 3416 size for
extracting oil from Athabasca oil sands may be, for example, approximately
0.40-
1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or approximately 0.85-1.10mm. The
liquid 3502 may accumulate on the second cylinder 3404 and may be contained by
the protrusion 3412 and drained at the collection point 3414. Adjustments may
be
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
made to adjust the angle of the first cylinder 3402, the rotational rate of
the first
cylinder 3402, and the feed rate of the solids-liquids mixture 3504 such that
a
majority of the liquid 3502 may be removed by the time the solids-liquids
mixture
3504 reaches the lower end of the first cylinder 3402. The tenth system 3400
may
be used in a continuous process.
[001291 FIGS. 39-40 show an eleventh system 3600, which may have a
cylindrical formation. The eleventh system 3600 may include a rotating screw
shaft 3606. The rotating screw shaft 3606 may be placed within a first
cylinder
3602. The rotating screw shaft 3606 may facilitate the separation of liquids
3702,
such as oil or water, from solids 3704, such as sand or shale, by retaining
solids
3704 within the first cylinder 3602. The first cylinder 3602 may include
apertures
3614. An exploded exemplary view of the first cylinder 3602 including
apertures
3614 is illustrated in FIG. 40a. The apertures 3614 may facilitate the
separation of
liquids 3702, such as oil or water, from solids 3704, such as sand or shale,
by
retaining solids 3704 within the first cylinder 3602. The first cylinder 3602
may
be placed within a second cylinder 3604. As shown in FIG. 40, the second
cylinder 3604 may include a protrusion 3610. The protrusion 3610 may collect
and direct the liquid to a collection point 3612.
[001301 The process for extracting liquids 3702 from solid particles 3704
may be adapted for the eleventh system 3600, described above, by placing a
solids-liquids mixture 3608 on the inside of the spinning first cylinder 3602
and
using the rotating screw 3606 to move the solids-liquids mixture 3608 along
the
inner surface of the first cylinder 3602. The solids-liquids mixture 3608 may
be
heated before, during, or after placement in the first cylinder 3602. The
solids-
liquids mixture 3608, for example oil shale or oil sands, may be heated to
approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-125 C, and
approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in a water bath).
Spinning the first cylinder 3602 may cause the liquid 3702 to separate from
the
solid particles 3704. The first cylinder 3602 may be spun to approximately 500
rpm to 10,000 rpm. The first cylinder 3602 may be spun for approximately 15
seconds to 20 minutes. The liquid 3702 may exit the first cylinder 3602
through
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
the apertures 3614. The optimum aperture 3614 size for extracting oil from
Athabasca oil sands may be, for example, approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35
mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or approximately 0.85-1.10mm. The liquid 3702 may
accumulate on the second cylinder 3604 and may be contained by the protrusion
3610 and drained at the collection point 3612. Adjustments may be made to
adjust
the rotational rate of the screw 3606, the feed rate of the solids-liquids
mixture
3608, and the rotational rate of the first cylinder 3602 such that a majority
of the
liquid 3702 may be removed by the time the solids-liquids 3608 mixture reaches
the end of the first cylinder 3602. The eleventh system 3600 may be used in a
continuous process.
[00131] FIG. 41 shows a cross sectional view of a twelfth system 3800,
which may which may have a cyclone formation. The twelfth system 3800 may
include a first cone 3802 and a second cone 3804, placed concentrically around
a
shaft 3806. The second cone 3804 may include baffles 3810. The baffles 3810
may be arranged in a screw-thread-like fashion on the first wall of the second
cone
3804, in the space between the first cone 3802 and the second cone 3804. The
second cone 3804 may include apertures 3818. An exploded exemplary view of
the second cone 3804 including apertures 3818 is illustrated in FIG. 41a. The
apertures 3818 may facilitate the separation of liquids 3812, such as oil or
water,
from solids 3814, such as sand or shale, by retaining solids 3814, within the
second cone 3804. The twelfth system 3800 may also include a liquid collector
3808. The liquid collector 3808 may surround the second cone 3804.
[00132] The process for extracting liquids 3812 from solid particles 3814
may be adapted for the twelfth system 3800, described above, by placing a
solids-
liquids mixture 3816 within the cavity of the first cone 3802 and feeding it
into the
space 3820 between the first cone 3802 and second cone 3804. The solids-
liquids
3816 mixture may be heated before, during, or after placement in the first
cone
3802. The solids-liquids mixture 3816, for example oil shale or oil sands, may
be
heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C, 75 C-150 C, 95 C-125 C,
and approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94 C (e.g., in a water
bath).
The process to feed the solids-liquids mixture 3816 into the space between the
first
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CA 02683374 2009-10-21
cone 3802 and second cone 3804 may include, by way of example, gravity,
compressed air, an auger, a piston, and a plunger. The solids-liquids mixture
3816
may travel up the inside surface of the spinning second cone 3804 by
centrifugal
force, by the action of the baffles 3810, or by suction force. Spinning the
second
cone 3804 may cause the liquid 3812 to separate from the solid particles 3814.
The second cone 3804 may be spun to approximately 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. The
second cone 3804 may be spun for approximately 15 seconds to 20 minutes. The
liquid 3812 may exit the second cone 3804 through the apertures 3818 and may
be
collected on the liquid collector 3808. The optimum aperture 3818 size for
extracting oil from Athabasca oil sands may be, for example, approximately
0.40-
1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-1.30 mm, or approximately 0.85-1.10mm. The
remaining solid particles 3814 may exit space 3822 between the first cone 3802
and second cone 3804 near the top of the second cone 3804. Adjustments may be
made to adjust the angle of the first cone 3802 and second cone 3804, the
rotational rate of the second cone 3804, the feed rate of the solids-liquids
mixture
3816, and the placement of the baffles 3810 such that a majority of the liquid
3812
may be removed by the time the solids-liquids mixture 3816 reaches the top of
the
second cone 3804. The twelfth system 3800 may be used in a continuous process.
[001331 FIG. 42 shows a cross sectional view of a thirteenth system 3900,
which may include a cylindrical formation. The thirteenth system may include a
vertical first cylinder 3902 and a vertical second cylinder 3904, placed
concentrically around a shaft 3906. The first cylinder 3902 and second
cylinder
3904 may include baffles 3910. The baffles 3910 may be positioned in the space
between the first cylinder 3902 and the second cylinder 3904. The baffles 3910
may control the movement of a solids-liquids mixture 3912. The second cylinder
3904 may include apertures 3918. An exploded exemplary view of the second
cylinder 3904 including apertures 3918 is illustrated in FIG. 42a. The
apertures
3918 may facilitate the separation of liquids 3914, such as oil or water, from
solids
3916, such as sand or shale, by retaining solids 3916 within the second
cylinder
3904. The twelfth system may also include a liquid collector 3908. The liquid
collector 3908 may surround the second cylinder 3904.
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[001341 The process for extracting liquids 3914 from solid particles 3916
may be adapted for the thirteenth system 3900, described above, by placing a
solids-liquids mixture 3912 in the space 3920 between the rotating first
cylinder
3902 and rotating second cylinder 3904. The solids-liquids mixture 3912 may be
heated before, during, or after placement in the space between the first
cylinder
3902 and second cylinder 3904. The solids-liquids mixture 3912, for example
oil
shale or oil sands, may be heated to approximately 25 C-200 C, 50 C-175 C,
75
C-150 C, 95 C-125 C, and approximately 92 C-110 C and approximately 94
C (e.g., in a water bath). The size and placement of the baffles 3910 may
adjust
the movement of the solids-liquids mixture 3912. Spinning the first cylinder
3902
and second cylinder 3904 may cause the liquid 3914 to separate from the solid
particles 3916. The first cylinder 3902 and second cylinder 3904 may be spun
to
approximately 500 rpm to 10,000 rpm. The second cylinder 3904 may be spun
for approximately 15 seconds to 20 minutes. The liquid 3914 may exit the
second
cylinder 3904 through the apertures 3918 and may be collected on the liquid
collector 3908. The optimum aperture 3918 size for extracting oil from
Athabasca
oil sands may be, for example, approximately 0.40-1.50 mm, 0.45-1.35 mm, 0.80-
1.30 mm, or approximately 0.85-1.10mm. The remaining solid particles 3916 may
exit the space 3922 between the first cylinder 3902 and second cylinder 3904
near
the bottom of the second cylinder 3904. The space 3922 between the first
cylinder
3902 and the second cylinder 3904 that may allow the solid particles to exit
may
be continuous. Adjustments may be made to adjust the rotational rate of the
first
cylinder 3902 and second cylinder 3904, the feed rate of the solids-liquids
mixture
3912, and the placement of the baffles 3910 such that a majority of the liquid
3914
may be removed by the time the solids-liquids mixture 3912 reaches the bottom
of
the second cylinder 3904. The thirteenth system 3900 may be used in a
continuous process.
[00135) Through a simple mechanical method, the physical process
disclosed for separating liquids from solids uses no water or other solvents
and
less than 190 cubic feet of natural gas to produce one barrel of bitumen.
Minimizing the environmental impact, the disclosed process produces a clean
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CA 02683374 2011-12-16
affluent with the sole ingredient of sand. In comparison to the conventional
method, the physical process disclosed requires fewer natural resources and
less
than 25 % of the energy of the amount required in the conventional hot-water
process to separate oil from oil sands. Further, on a laboratory scale, the
disclosed
method effectively separates over 85 % of the available oil in less than 15
minutes.
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