CA2480122C - Compact slurry preparation system for oil sand - Google Patents
Compact slurry preparation system for oil sand Download PDFInfo
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- CA2480122C CA2480122C CA2480122A CA2480122A CA2480122C CA 2480122 C CA2480122 C CA 2480122C CA 2480122 A CA2480122 A CA 2480122A CA 2480122 A CA2480122 A CA 2480122A CA 2480122 C CA2480122 C CA 2480122C
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L1/00—Liquid carbonaceous fuels
- C10L1/32—Liquid carbonaceous fuels consisting of coal-oil suspensions or aqueous emulsions or oil emulsions
- C10L1/326—Coal-water suspensions
Abstract
Staged crushing combined with water addition and mixing is practiced at the mine site to prepare an oil sand slurry ready for hydrotransport. More particularly, as-mined oil sand is crushed to conveyable size (e.g.-24") using a mobile crusher. The pre-crushed ore product is conveyed to a dry ore surge bin. Ore is withdrawn from the bin and elevated to the upper end of a slurry preparation tower having downwardly aligned process components to enable gravity feed. The ore is further crushed in stages to pumpable size (e.g.-4") by a stack of crushers and water is added during comminution. The ore and water are mixed in a mixing box and delivered to a pump box. The surge bin and tower are relocatable. Screening and oversize reject treatment have been eliminated to achieve compactness and enable relocatability.
Description
1 "COMPACT SLURRY PREPARATION SYSTEM FOR OIL SAND"
3 The present invention relates to a system for forming an aqueous 4 slurry of oil sand, so that the slurry is suitable for hydrotransport. They system has process and apparatus aspects.
8 Over the past 30 years, as-mined oil sand containing bitumen has 9 been slurried and conditioned at applicants' facilities in two different ways.
In the earlier process or system, the excavated or 'as-mined' oil 11 sand was comminuted to conveyable size (e.g. <24 inches) with a roll 12 crusher at the mine site and transported on belt conveyors to a central 13 bitumen extraction plant. Here the pre-crushed oil sand was fed into the 14 front end of a horizontal rotating tumbler. Hot water (e.g. 95 C) was also added, together with a small amount of caustic. The resulting slurry was 16 cascaded as it advanced through the large tumbler over a period of 17 several minutes. Steam was sparged into the slurry to ensure that it was 18 at a temperature of about 80 C when it exited the tumbler. During this 19 passage through the tumbler, the slurry was 'conditioned'. That is, lumps were ablated, bitumen flecks were dispersed into the water phase, the 21 flecks coalesced into small droplets and bitumen droplets contacted and 22 adhered to entrained air bubbles. The emerging conditioned slurry was 23 screened to remove oversize and was then 'flooded' or diluted with 24 additional hot water. The resulting diluted slurry was introduced into a gravity separation vessel (referred to as a primary separation vessel (PSV)).
1 The PSV was a large, cylindrical, open-topped vessel having a conical 2 bottom. During retention in the PSV, buoyant aerated bitumen rose to 3 form a top layer of froth, which was removed. The sand settled, was 4 concentrated in the conical base and was separately removed.
If the oil sand was acceptable quality (for example if it contained >
6 10% by weight bitumen) and if conditioning was properly carried out, 7 recovery of bitumen in the PSV was in the order of 95% by weight.
8 Over time, the mine faces moved further from the central extraction 9 plant. New mines were also opened that were distant (for example, 25 kilometers away). In addition the belt conveyors were expensive and 11 difficult to operate.
12 Through research and testing, it was found that if the oil sand was 13 slurried and pumped through a pipeline for a minimum retention time, it 14 would be conditioned as it traveled therethrough and could be fed directly into a PSV with acceptable resulting bitumen recovery.
16 This led to the implementation of the second system, which is 17 commonly referred to as the 'hydrotransport system'. One embodiment, 18 referred to as the 'Aurora' facility, involves:
19 = Transporting the as-mined oil sand using large trucks to a primary crushing facility on the mine site, where the as-mined ore is 21 dumped into a hopper;
1 = The as-mined oil sand is removed from the hopper by a bottom 2 apron feeder, fed into a primary roll crusher and comminuted to 3 conveyable size. The 'pre-crushed' oil sand then drops onto a 4 collecting belt conveyor that transfers the ore to a surge bin where an active storage capacity of up to 6000 tonnes can be retained;
6 = An apron feeder transfers the pre-crushed oil sand from the bottom 7 outlet of the surge bin to a belt conveyor which delivers it to the top 8 end of a 'slurry preparation tower';
9 = The slurry preparation tower comprises a vertically stacked series of components, aligned to provide a gravity assisted feed through 11 the stack. More particularly the tower comprises, from the top 12 down, a mixing box, vibrating screens and a primary pump box.
13 Water is added to the dry pre-crushed oil sand being fed from the 14 lift belt conveyor to the mixing box. The oil sand and water mix and form a slurry as they proceed downwardly through the overlapping, 16 downwardly inclined, zig-zag arrangement of shelves of the mixing 17 box. The resulting slurry is wet screened to remove oversize, while 18 the remaining slurry passes through the screen and into the pump 19 box. The rejected oversize is comminuted in an impact crusher, water is added and the mixture is fed to a secondary mixing box.
21 The slurry formed in the secondary mixing box is screened by 22 passage through secondary screens to remove residual oversize 23 and the undersize slurry is delivered into a secondary pump box.
24 The oversize reject is hauled away by trucks to a discard area. The {E4190853.DOC;1 }
1 slurry in the secondary pump box is pumped back to the primary 2 pump box; and 3 = The slurry in the primary pump box is then transported from the 4 mine site to the central bitumen extraction plant through a pump and pipeline system, wherein conditioning takes place.
6 There are some problems associated with the Aurora facility. For 7 example:
8 = The throughput of oil sand is about 8000 tonnes/hour. The facility 9 in its present form is massive. It has a length of 270 meters. The approximate weights of the surge bin, lift conveyor and tower are 11 2500 tonnes, 750 tonnes and 3100 tonnes respectively. The 12 components do not lend themselves to being relocatable. As the 13 mine faces move away from the slurry preparation tower, the truck 14 haulage distance increases, requiring more trucks. As a consequence, the haulage cost escalates;
16 = Since the slurry preparation system is tied into a pipeline equipped 17 with slurry pumps, there is a need to limit the size of slurry particles 18 to a maximum of about 8 inches. Otherwise stated, the solids in the 19 slurry need to be sized so as to be pumpable. The Aurora design therefore incorporates wet screening for the purpose of removing 21 oversize. However, this leads to the production of oversize rejects 22 and the need for equipment to treat the rejects for recycling;
{E4190853.DOC;I}
1 = These oversize rejects can amount to 3% of the original oil sand.
2 There is a bitumen loss associated with the final rejects and it is 3 expensive to haul them to a disposal area; and 4 = The dry ore surge bin is four sided, with twin bottom outlets feeding the apron feeder. A frequently encountered problem at Aurora is 6 that tacky bitumen-rich oil sand has a tendency to plug the bin 7 outlets and it is then necessary to apply air permeation to assist 8 flow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
11 In accordance with the present invention, screening and reject 12 treatment are eliminated from slurry preparation as a result of using a plurality 13 of size reduction stages, combined with process water addition and mixing, to 14 convert all of the as-mined oil sand supplied into a slurry of a pumpable size.
In one apparatus embodiment of the invention, there is provided an 16 assembly of components for producing a pumpable oil sand slurry at a mine 17 site, for transmission through a pump and pipeline system, comprising:
18 + a primary stage of size reduction comprising first means, such as a 19 roll crusher, for comminuting as-mined oil sand to conveyable size (for example, to <24 inches);
21 = second means, such as a belt conveyor, for delivering the oil sand, 22 produced by the first stage of comminution, into a dry ore surge bin;
{E4 190853.DOC; I }
(i 1 the surge bin being adapted to receive and temporarily retain the 2 comminuted oil sand to provide a quantum (for example, 4000 3 tonnes) of surge capacity;
4 . sixth means, for example a pair of parallel apron feeders, for removing oil sand from the surge bin and transporting it to the upper 6 end of a slurry preparation tower; and 7 = the slurry preparation tower having a downwardly descending 8 sequence of components for forming a pumpable slurry without 9 screening it, said tower comprising: (i) a secondary stage of comminution, preferably comprising third means, such as a stack of 11 roll crushers, for further comminuting the oil sand from the surge bin 12 in a plurality of downwardly descending stages, to reduce its 13 particle size to pumpable size (for example, to < 4 inches); (ii) a 14 fourth means for adding heated water to the oil sand in the course of the secondary stage of comminution; (iii) a fifth means, for 16 example a mixing box, for mixing the oil sand and water to produce 17 pumpable slurry; and (iv) a pump box for receiving the slurry and 18 feeding it to a pump and pipeline system.
19 In another embodiment there is provided a process for producing a pumpable oil sand slurry at a mine site for transmission through a pump and 21 pipeline system, comprising:
22 = comminuting as-mined oil sand to conveyable size;
23 + delivering the comminuted oil sand to a surge bin;
{E4190853.DOC;1 }
1 = removing oil sand from the surge bin and delivering it to an 2 elevated point;
3 = preparing a pumpable slurry using the oil sand by: feeding the oil 4 sand into and comminuting it in a plurality of downwardly descending secondary comminution stages to sequentionally 6 reduce its particle size to pumpable size, adding heated water to 7 the oil sand, preferably in the course of secondary comminution, 8 and mixing them to form the pumpable slurry;
9 = preferably aiding the slurrifcation process by drawing slurry from the pump box and recycling it back to the process at a point after 11 the final comminution stage;
12 = discharging the slurry into a pump box for feeding to the pump and 13 pipeline system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
16 Figure 1 is a schematic showing one embodiment of a slurry 17 preparation system in accordance with the present invention.
18 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the dry surge bin, apron feeders 19 and slurry preparation tower.
2 The present invention is concerned with processing as-mined oil 3 sand at the mine site to convert it to a pumpable slurry which is 4 capable of being hydrotransported through a pump and pipeline system.
6 This is preferably done using an assembly of components which 7 are compact and relocatable, so that the assembly can follow the 8 advancing mine face. The components may be mobile, for example 9 by being mounted on driven tracks, or they may be adapted for easy disassembly for periodic moving and reassembly. The term 11 'relocatable' is intended to describe both versions.
12 Turning now to the specific embodiment shown in Figure 1, the oil 13 sand 1 is excavated at a mine face 2 using a mobile shovel 3. The 14 shovel 3 dumps the as-mined material into the hopper 4 of a mobile primary roll crusher 5. The primary roll crusher 5 comminutes the as-16 mined oil sand 6 to conveyable size (e.g. <24 inches). This 17 comminuted oil sand 7 is referred to below as 'pre-crushed' oil sand.
18 The pre-crushed oil sand 7 is transported by a best conveyor 19 assembly 8 and is delivered into a dry ore surge bin 10.
The rectangular surge bin 10 is three sided, having an open side 21 11. A pair of parallel apron feeders 12, 13 extend into the base of the 22 surge bin 10 for removing pre-crushed oil sand 7 at a slow, controlled, 23 sustained mass flow rate. The apron feeders 12, 13 are upwardly 24 inclined and transport and feed the pre-crushed oil sand 7 to the upper end of a slurry preparation tower 14.
1 The slurry preparation tower 14 comprises an arrangement of 2 downwardly sequenced components, which rely on gravity feed.
3 More particularly, the tower 14 provides a stack 15 of two secondary 4 roll crushers 16, 17, which sequentially comminute the pre-crushed oil sand to attain pumpable size. Since the maximum present day pumpable slurry 6 particle size is about 8 inches, the stack 15 of secondary roll crushers is 7 designed to reduce the particle size, preferably to about <4 inches. This 8 allows for some wear of the crusher rolls before requiring repair or 9 replacement. Preferably the uppermost roll crusher 16 is selected to reduce the particle size to about <8 inches and the lowermost roll crusher 17 11 completes the size reduction to about<4 inches.
12 Heated water is added to the oil sand 7 in the course of size reduction.
13 This is accomplished by spraying the stream of oil sand 18 being secondarily 14 crushed with a plurality of nozzle manifolds 19 located above, between and below the crushers 16, 17, as shown. Sufficient water is added to preferably 16 achieve a mixture 20 content of about 1.5 specific gravity.
17 The mixture 20 of comminuted oil sand and water drops into and 18 moves downwardly through a mixing box 21. The mixing box 21 comprises a 19 plurality of overlapping, downwardly inclined, descending shelves 22. The oil sand and water mix turbulently as they move through the box 21 and form a 21 pumpable slurry 23.
{E4190853.DOC;1 }
1 The slurry 23 drops into and is temporarily retained in a pump box 24.
2 The pump box 24 is connected with a pump and pipeline system 25. The 3 pump box 24 feeds the system 25, which in turn transports the slurry 23 to the 4 next stage of treatment (not shown).
8 Over the past 30 years, as-mined oil sand containing bitumen has 9 been slurried and conditioned at applicants' facilities in two different ways.
In the earlier process or system, the excavated or 'as-mined' oil 11 sand was comminuted to conveyable size (e.g. <24 inches) with a roll 12 crusher at the mine site and transported on belt conveyors to a central 13 bitumen extraction plant. Here the pre-crushed oil sand was fed into the 14 front end of a horizontal rotating tumbler. Hot water (e.g. 95 C) was also added, together with a small amount of caustic. The resulting slurry was 16 cascaded as it advanced through the large tumbler over a period of 17 several minutes. Steam was sparged into the slurry to ensure that it was 18 at a temperature of about 80 C when it exited the tumbler. During this 19 passage through the tumbler, the slurry was 'conditioned'. That is, lumps were ablated, bitumen flecks were dispersed into the water phase, the 21 flecks coalesced into small droplets and bitumen droplets contacted and 22 adhered to entrained air bubbles. The emerging conditioned slurry was 23 screened to remove oversize and was then 'flooded' or diluted with 24 additional hot water. The resulting diluted slurry was introduced into a gravity separation vessel (referred to as a primary separation vessel (PSV)).
1 The PSV was a large, cylindrical, open-topped vessel having a conical 2 bottom. During retention in the PSV, buoyant aerated bitumen rose to 3 form a top layer of froth, which was removed. The sand settled, was 4 concentrated in the conical base and was separately removed.
If the oil sand was acceptable quality (for example if it contained >
6 10% by weight bitumen) and if conditioning was properly carried out, 7 recovery of bitumen in the PSV was in the order of 95% by weight.
8 Over time, the mine faces moved further from the central extraction 9 plant. New mines were also opened that were distant (for example, 25 kilometers away). In addition the belt conveyors were expensive and 11 difficult to operate.
12 Through research and testing, it was found that if the oil sand was 13 slurried and pumped through a pipeline for a minimum retention time, it 14 would be conditioned as it traveled therethrough and could be fed directly into a PSV with acceptable resulting bitumen recovery.
16 This led to the implementation of the second system, which is 17 commonly referred to as the 'hydrotransport system'. One embodiment, 18 referred to as the 'Aurora' facility, involves:
19 = Transporting the as-mined oil sand using large trucks to a primary crushing facility on the mine site, where the as-mined ore is 21 dumped into a hopper;
1 = The as-mined oil sand is removed from the hopper by a bottom 2 apron feeder, fed into a primary roll crusher and comminuted to 3 conveyable size. The 'pre-crushed' oil sand then drops onto a 4 collecting belt conveyor that transfers the ore to a surge bin where an active storage capacity of up to 6000 tonnes can be retained;
6 = An apron feeder transfers the pre-crushed oil sand from the bottom 7 outlet of the surge bin to a belt conveyor which delivers it to the top 8 end of a 'slurry preparation tower';
9 = The slurry preparation tower comprises a vertically stacked series of components, aligned to provide a gravity assisted feed through 11 the stack. More particularly the tower comprises, from the top 12 down, a mixing box, vibrating screens and a primary pump box.
13 Water is added to the dry pre-crushed oil sand being fed from the 14 lift belt conveyor to the mixing box. The oil sand and water mix and form a slurry as they proceed downwardly through the overlapping, 16 downwardly inclined, zig-zag arrangement of shelves of the mixing 17 box. The resulting slurry is wet screened to remove oversize, while 18 the remaining slurry passes through the screen and into the pump 19 box. The rejected oversize is comminuted in an impact crusher, water is added and the mixture is fed to a secondary mixing box.
21 The slurry formed in the secondary mixing box is screened by 22 passage through secondary screens to remove residual oversize 23 and the undersize slurry is delivered into a secondary pump box.
24 The oversize reject is hauled away by trucks to a discard area. The {E4190853.DOC;1 }
1 slurry in the secondary pump box is pumped back to the primary 2 pump box; and 3 = The slurry in the primary pump box is then transported from the 4 mine site to the central bitumen extraction plant through a pump and pipeline system, wherein conditioning takes place.
6 There are some problems associated with the Aurora facility. For 7 example:
8 = The throughput of oil sand is about 8000 tonnes/hour. The facility 9 in its present form is massive. It has a length of 270 meters. The approximate weights of the surge bin, lift conveyor and tower are 11 2500 tonnes, 750 tonnes and 3100 tonnes respectively. The 12 components do not lend themselves to being relocatable. As the 13 mine faces move away from the slurry preparation tower, the truck 14 haulage distance increases, requiring more trucks. As a consequence, the haulage cost escalates;
16 = Since the slurry preparation system is tied into a pipeline equipped 17 with slurry pumps, there is a need to limit the size of slurry particles 18 to a maximum of about 8 inches. Otherwise stated, the solids in the 19 slurry need to be sized so as to be pumpable. The Aurora design therefore incorporates wet screening for the purpose of removing 21 oversize. However, this leads to the production of oversize rejects 22 and the need for equipment to treat the rejects for recycling;
{E4190853.DOC;I}
1 = These oversize rejects can amount to 3% of the original oil sand.
2 There is a bitumen loss associated with the final rejects and it is 3 expensive to haul them to a disposal area; and 4 = The dry ore surge bin is four sided, with twin bottom outlets feeding the apron feeder. A frequently encountered problem at Aurora is 6 that tacky bitumen-rich oil sand has a tendency to plug the bin 7 outlets and it is then necessary to apply air permeation to assist 8 flow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
11 In accordance with the present invention, screening and reject 12 treatment are eliminated from slurry preparation as a result of using a plurality 13 of size reduction stages, combined with process water addition and mixing, to 14 convert all of the as-mined oil sand supplied into a slurry of a pumpable size.
In one apparatus embodiment of the invention, there is provided an 16 assembly of components for producing a pumpable oil sand slurry at a mine 17 site, for transmission through a pump and pipeline system, comprising:
18 + a primary stage of size reduction comprising first means, such as a 19 roll crusher, for comminuting as-mined oil sand to conveyable size (for example, to <24 inches);
21 = second means, such as a belt conveyor, for delivering the oil sand, 22 produced by the first stage of comminution, into a dry ore surge bin;
{E4 190853.DOC; I }
(i 1 the surge bin being adapted to receive and temporarily retain the 2 comminuted oil sand to provide a quantum (for example, 4000 3 tonnes) of surge capacity;
4 . sixth means, for example a pair of parallel apron feeders, for removing oil sand from the surge bin and transporting it to the upper 6 end of a slurry preparation tower; and 7 = the slurry preparation tower having a downwardly descending 8 sequence of components for forming a pumpable slurry without 9 screening it, said tower comprising: (i) a secondary stage of comminution, preferably comprising third means, such as a stack of 11 roll crushers, for further comminuting the oil sand from the surge bin 12 in a plurality of downwardly descending stages, to reduce its 13 particle size to pumpable size (for example, to < 4 inches); (ii) a 14 fourth means for adding heated water to the oil sand in the course of the secondary stage of comminution; (iii) a fifth means, for 16 example a mixing box, for mixing the oil sand and water to produce 17 pumpable slurry; and (iv) a pump box for receiving the slurry and 18 feeding it to a pump and pipeline system.
19 In another embodiment there is provided a process for producing a pumpable oil sand slurry at a mine site for transmission through a pump and 21 pipeline system, comprising:
22 = comminuting as-mined oil sand to conveyable size;
23 + delivering the comminuted oil sand to a surge bin;
{E4190853.DOC;1 }
1 = removing oil sand from the surge bin and delivering it to an 2 elevated point;
3 = preparing a pumpable slurry using the oil sand by: feeding the oil 4 sand into and comminuting it in a plurality of downwardly descending secondary comminution stages to sequentionally 6 reduce its particle size to pumpable size, adding heated water to 7 the oil sand, preferably in the course of secondary comminution, 8 and mixing them to form the pumpable slurry;
9 = preferably aiding the slurrifcation process by drawing slurry from the pump box and recycling it back to the process at a point after 11 the final comminution stage;
12 = discharging the slurry into a pump box for feeding to the pump and 13 pipeline system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
16 Figure 1 is a schematic showing one embodiment of a slurry 17 preparation system in accordance with the present invention.
18 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the dry surge bin, apron feeders 19 and slurry preparation tower.
2 The present invention is concerned with processing as-mined oil 3 sand at the mine site to convert it to a pumpable slurry which is 4 capable of being hydrotransported through a pump and pipeline system.
6 This is preferably done using an assembly of components which 7 are compact and relocatable, so that the assembly can follow the 8 advancing mine face. The components may be mobile, for example 9 by being mounted on driven tracks, or they may be adapted for easy disassembly for periodic moving and reassembly. The term 11 'relocatable' is intended to describe both versions.
12 Turning now to the specific embodiment shown in Figure 1, the oil 13 sand 1 is excavated at a mine face 2 using a mobile shovel 3. The 14 shovel 3 dumps the as-mined material into the hopper 4 of a mobile primary roll crusher 5. The primary roll crusher 5 comminutes the as-16 mined oil sand 6 to conveyable size (e.g. <24 inches). This 17 comminuted oil sand 7 is referred to below as 'pre-crushed' oil sand.
18 The pre-crushed oil sand 7 is transported by a best conveyor 19 assembly 8 and is delivered into a dry ore surge bin 10.
The rectangular surge bin 10 is three sided, having an open side 21 11. A pair of parallel apron feeders 12, 13 extend into the base of the 22 surge bin 10 for removing pre-crushed oil sand 7 at a slow, controlled, 23 sustained mass flow rate. The apron feeders 12, 13 are upwardly 24 inclined and transport and feed the pre-crushed oil sand 7 to the upper end of a slurry preparation tower 14.
1 The slurry preparation tower 14 comprises an arrangement of 2 downwardly sequenced components, which rely on gravity feed.
3 More particularly, the tower 14 provides a stack 15 of two secondary 4 roll crushers 16, 17, which sequentially comminute the pre-crushed oil sand to attain pumpable size. Since the maximum present day pumpable slurry 6 particle size is about 8 inches, the stack 15 of secondary roll crushers is 7 designed to reduce the particle size, preferably to about <4 inches. This 8 allows for some wear of the crusher rolls before requiring repair or 9 replacement. Preferably the uppermost roll crusher 16 is selected to reduce the particle size to about <8 inches and the lowermost roll crusher 17 11 completes the size reduction to about<4 inches.
12 Heated water is added to the oil sand 7 in the course of size reduction.
13 This is accomplished by spraying the stream of oil sand 18 being secondarily 14 crushed with a plurality of nozzle manifolds 19 located above, between and below the crushers 16, 17, as shown. Sufficient water is added to preferably 16 achieve a mixture 20 content of about 1.5 specific gravity.
17 The mixture 20 of comminuted oil sand and water drops into and 18 moves downwardly through a mixing box 21. The mixing box 21 comprises a 19 plurality of overlapping, downwardly inclined, descending shelves 22. The oil sand and water mix turbulently as they move through the box 21 and form a 21 pumpable slurry 23.
{E4190853.DOC;1 }
1 The slurry 23 drops into and is temporarily retained in a pump box 24.
2 The pump box 24 is connected with a pump and pipeline system 25. The 3 pump box 24 feeds the system 25, which in turn transports the slurry 23 to the 4 next stage of treatment (not shown).
5 As shown, the surge bin 10, apron feeders 12, 13, and slurry 6 preparation tower 14 (including the secondary roll crushers 16, 17, water 7 nozzle manifolds 19, mixing box 21 and pump box 24) are mounted on a 8 common structural frame 26. The frame 26 is preferably mounted on tracks 9 27, so that the entire assembly may periodically be advanced to a new 10 location.
11 The combination of the preferred embodiment described is 12 characterized by the following advantages:
13 = screening and the production of oversize rejects are eliminated;
14 = treatment and recycling of screened oversize is eliminated;
= by eliminating the screens and reject treatment units and preferably 16 combining water addition and comminution, a relatively compact 17 structure is achieved; and 18 = the preferred use of an open-sided surge bin, coupled with a pair of 19 apron feeders, provides an assembly designed to promote steady oil sand removal from the surge bin.
{E4190853.DOC;1 }
= by eliminating the screens and reject treatment units and preferably 16 combining water addition and comminution, a relatively compact 17 structure is achieved; and 18 = the preferred use of an open-sided surge bin, coupled with a pair of 19 apron feeders, provides an assembly designed to promote steady oil sand removal from the surge bin.
{E4190853.DOC;1 }
Claims (25)
1. A slurry preparation tower for forming a pumpable oil sand slurry from pre-crushed oil sand for transmission through a pump and pipeline system, comprising in downwardly descending sequence:
a first roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls for receiving the pre-crushed oil sand and comminuting the pre-crushed oil sand to a first size;
a second roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls for receiving substantially all of the first size oil sand and comminuting the first size oil sand to a second size;
means for adding heated water to the pre-crushed oil sand or the first size oil sand or both in the course of comminution for producing the pumpable oil sand slurry;
and a pump box for receiving the pumpable oil sand slurry and feeding it to the pump and pipeline system;
whereby the slurry preparation tower eliminates screening the slurry during slurry preparation and reject treatment.
a first roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls for receiving the pre-crushed oil sand and comminuting the pre-crushed oil sand to a first size;
a second roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls for receiving substantially all of the first size oil sand and comminuting the first size oil sand to a second size;
means for adding heated water to the pre-crushed oil sand or the first size oil sand or both in the course of comminution for producing the pumpable oil sand slurry;
and a pump box for receiving the pumpable oil sand slurry and feeding it to the pump and pipeline system;
whereby the slurry preparation tower eliminates screening the slurry during slurry preparation and reject treatment.
2. The slurry preparation tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for adding heated water comprises a plurality of nozzles.
3. The slurry preparation tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for adding heated water comprises a first nozzle manifold positioned above the first roll crusher and a second nozzle manifold positioned between the first and second roll crusher.
4. The slurry preparation tower as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, further comprising a means for adding heated water to the second size oil sand positioned below the second roll crusher.
5. The slurry preparation tower as claimed in claim 4 whereby the means for adding heated water to the second size oil sand comprises a third nozzle manifold.
6. The slurry preparation tower as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, further comprising:
a mixing device positioned above the pump box for mixing the oil sand slurry prior to the oil sand slurry being received by the pump box.
a mixing device positioned above the pump box for mixing the oil sand slurry prior to the oil sand slurry being received by the pump box.
7. The slurry preparation tower as claimed in claim 6, wherein the mixing device comprises a mixing box having a plurality of overlapping, downwardly inclined, descending shelves.
8. A process for forming a pumpable oil sand slurry from pre-crushed oil sand for transmission through a pump and pipeline system, comprising:
providing a slurry preparation tower comprising in downwardly descending sequence a first roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls for receiving the pre-crushed oil sand and'a second roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls;
comminuting pre-crushed oil sand in the first roll crusher to a first size;
passing substantially all of the first size oil sand to the second roll crusher and comminuting the first sized oil sand to a second size; and adding heated water to the pre-crushed oil sand or the first size oil sand or both in the course of comminution for producing the pumpable oil sand slurry;
whereby the need for screening the slurry during slurry formation is eliminated and minimal rejects are produced.
providing a slurry preparation tower comprising in downwardly descending sequence a first roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls for receiving the pre-crushed oil sand and'a second roll crusher having a plurality of crusher rolls;
comminuting pre-crushed oil sand in the first roll crusher to a first size;
passing substantially all of the first size oil sand to the second roll crusher and comminuting the first sized oil sand to a second size; and adding heated water to the pre-crushed oil sand or the first size oil sand or both in the course of comminution for producing the pumpable oil sand slurry;
whereby the need for screening the slurry during slurry formation is eliminated and minimal rejects are produced.
9. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heated water is added by means of a plurality of nozzles.
10. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heated water is added to both the pre-crushed oil sand and the first size oil sand by means of a first nozzle manifold positioned above the first roll crusher and a second nozzle manifold positioned between the first and second roll crusher, respectively.
11. The process as claimed in any one of claims 8-10, further comprising adding heated water to the second size oil sand.
12. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the heated water is added to the second size oil sand by means of at least one nozzle positioned below the second roll crusher.
13. The process as claimed in any one of claims 8-12, further comprising:
providing a mixing box below the second roll crusher for mixing the oil sand slurry prior to the oil sand slurry being pumped through a pipeline system.
providing a mixing box below the second roll crusher for mixing the oil sand slurry prior to the oil sand slurry being pumped through a pipeline system.
14. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the oil sand slurry is mixed in a mixing device comprises a mixing box having a plurality of overlapping, downwardly inclined, descending shelves.
15. An assembly of components for producing a pumpable oil sand slurry at a mine site from as-mined oil sand for transmission through a pump and pipeline system, comprising:
(a) comminution device for comminuting as-mined oil sand to a conveyable size;
(b) a surge bin for receiving and temporarily retaining the comminuted oil sand to provide a quantum of surge capacity;
(c) means for delivering the pre-crushed oil sand into the surge bin;
(d) a slurry preparation tower, having a downwardly descending sequence of components, for forming a pumpable oil sand slurry without screening the oil sand and without substantial rejects, comprising:
means for further comminuting the oil sand from the surge bin in a plurality of downwardly descending comminution stages to sequentially reduce oil sand particle size to pumpable size;
means for adding heated water during the course of comminution for producing the pumpable oil sand slurry; and a pump box for receiving the pumpable oil sand slurry and feeding the pumpable oil sand slurry to the pump and pipeline system; and (e) means for removing pre-crushed oil sand from the surge bin and transporting the pre-crushed oil sand to the upper end of the slurry preparation tower for feeding the pre-crushed oil sand to the means for further comminuting the oil sand.
(a) comminution device for comminuting as-mined oil sand to a conveyable size;
(b) a surge bin for receiving and temporarily retaining the comminuted oil sand to provide a quantum of surge capacity;
(c) means for delivering the pre-crushed oil sand into the surge bin;
(d) a slurry preparation tower, having a downwardly descending sequence of components, for forming a pumpable oil sand slurry without screening the oil sand and without substantial rejects, comprising:
means for further comminuting the oil sand from the surge bin in a plurality of downwardly descending comminution stages to sequentially reduce oil sand particle size to pumpable size;
means for adding heated water during the course of comminution for producing the pumpable oil sand slurry; and a pump box for receiving the pumpable oil sand slurry and feeding the pumpable oil sand slurry to the pump and pipeline system; and (e) means for removing pre-crushed oil sand from the surge bin and transporting the pre-crushed oil sand to the upper end of the slurry preparation tower for feeding the pre-crushed oil sand to the means for further comminuting the oil sand.
16. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the surge bin has one open side and the removing means extend into the base of the surge bin through the open side.
17. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the removing and transporting means comprises an apron feeder.
18. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the removing means comprises a pair of parallel apron feeders.
19. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the delivery means is a belt conveyor.
20. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein each of components (a) to (e) is relocatable.
21. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein each of components (b), (d) and (e) are mounted on a single common base frame.
22. A process for producing a pumpable oil sand slurry at a mine site from as-mined oil sand for transmission through a pump and pipeline system, comprising:
crushing as-mined oil sand to conveyable size to form pre-crushed oil sand;
delivering the pre-crushed oil sand to a surge bin;
removing the pre-crushed oil sand and delivering the pre-crushed oil sand to an elevated discharge point;
preparing the oil sand slurry using the pre-crushed oil sand by:
feeding the pre-crushed oil sand into a slurry preparation tower and comminuting the pre-crushed oil sand in a plurality of downwardly descending comminution stages to sequentially reduce the oil sand particle size to pumpable size, adding heated water to the oil sand in the course of comminuting the oil sand in the plurality of downwardly descending comminution stages, to form oil sand slurry that is pumpable without screening the oil sand and without producing substantial rejects; and discharging the oil sand slurry into a pump box for feeding to the pump and pipeline system.
crushing as-mined oil sand to conveyable size to form pre-crushed oil sand;
delivering the pre-crushed oil sand to a surge bin;
removing the pre-crushed oil sand and delivering the pre-crushed oil sand to an elevated discharge point;
preparing the oil sand slurry using the pre-crushed oil sand by:
feeding the pre-crushed oil sand into a slurry preparation tower and comminuting the pre-crushed oil sand in a plurality of downwardly descending comminution stages to sequentially reduce the oil sand particle size to pumpable size, adding heated water to the oil sand in the course of comminuting the oil sand in the plurality of downwardly descending comminution stages, to form oil sand slurry that is pumpable without screening the oil sand and without producing substantial rejects; and discharging the oil sand slurry into a pump box for feeding to the pump and pipeline system.
23. The process as claimed in claim 22 further comprising:
mixing the oil sand slurry in a mixer prior to discharging the oil sand into the pump box.
mixing the oil sand slurry in a mixer prior to discharging the oil sand into the pump box.
24. The process as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mixer comprises a mixing box having a plurality of overlapping, downwardly inclined, descending shelves.
25. The process as claimed in claim 8 or claim 22, wherein zero rejects are formed.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2480122A CA2480122C (en) | 2004-09-01 | 2004-09-01 | Compact slurry preparation system for oil sand |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2480122A CA2480122C (en) | 2004-09-01 | 2004-09-01 | Compact slurry preparation system for oil sand |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2480122A1 CA2480122A1 (en) | 2006-03-01 |
| CA2480122C true CA2480122C (en) | 2010-12-21 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2480122A Active CA2480122C (en) | 2004-09-01 | 2004-09-01 | Compact slurry preparation system for oil sand |
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| Country | Link |
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| CA (1) | CA2480122C (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8136672B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2012-03-20 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8328126B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2012-12-11 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
| US8393561B2 (en) | 2005-11-09 | 2013-03-12 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Method and apparatus for creating a slurry |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8277642B2 (en) | 2008-06-02 | 2012-10-02 | Korea Technology Industries, Co., Ltd. | System for separating bitumen from oil sands |
| US8062511B2 (en) | 2008-06-27 | 2011-11-22 | Syncrude Canada Ltd. | Primary froth recycle |
| US7900778B2 (en) | 2008-10-31 | 2011-03-08 | Syncrude Canada Ltd. | Apparatus and method for the detection and rejection of metal in particulate material |
| CA2937014C (en) | 2015-07-22 | 2018-12-11 | Syncrude Canada Ltd. | Use of surfactants in water-based bitumen extraction processes |
| US9796930B2 (en) | 2015-09-21 | 2017-10-24 | Syncrude Canada Ltd. In Trust For The Owners Of The Syncrude Project As Such Owners Exist Now And In The Future | Bitumen production from single or multiple oil sand mines |
-
2004
- 2004-09-01 CA CA2480122A patent/CA2480122C/en active Active
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8136672B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2012-03-20 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8851293B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2014-10-07 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8393561B2 (en) | 2005-11-09 | 2013-03-12 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Method and apparatus for creating a slurry |
| US8328126B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2012-12-11 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
| US8622326B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2014-01-07 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
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| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2480122A1 (en) | 2006-03-01 |
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