A water-based extraction process for extracting bitumen from mined oil is provided comprising providing a water-based mixture containing bitumen; and introducing nanobubbles to the mixture to attach to bitumen and, thereby, extract the bitumen from the water-based mixture, wherein a nanobubble has a diameter of less than 5,000 nm.

A system for consolidating and removing contaminate such as paint sludge or oils from a fluid mixture. A contaminate tank receives a supply of the fluid mixture containing contaminate from a source such as a manufacturing line where overspray of paints or cleaning solutions containing washed away oils are collected. A free floating weir floats on the surface of the contaminate tank and mechanically separates and removes contaminate from a surface of the contaminate tank and concentrates contaminate in a consolidation tank. The free floating weir is equipped with several features that enhance the ability of the free floating weir to remove contaminate without becoming clogged.

A separator device (100) includes a separation chamber (107) defined at its lower end by a fluidization fluid panel (111). The separation chamber (107) receives incoming slurry (113) via a slurry inlet (102). The separator device may be characterized in that means (122) for supplying pre-sheared aerated fluidization fluid is provided above the fluidization fluid panel (111). The means (122) for supplying pre-sheared aerated fluidization fluid includes a novel sparger (119) comprising a flexible perforated membrane which is configured to supplementally shear the pre-sheared aerated fluidization fluid and uniformly distribute microbubbles (129) throughout the separation chamber (107).

A system for separating competing anions from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in a flow of water contaminated with PFAS and elevated levels of competing anions that includes a separation subsystem which receives the flow of water contaminated with PFAS and elevated levels of competing anions and separates competing anions from the PFAS and concentrates the PFAS to produce a treated flow of water having separated competing anions therein and a flow of water having a majority of PFAS therein. At least one anion exchange vessel having an anion exchange resin therein receives the flow of water having a majority of PFAS therein and removes PFAS from the water to produce a flow of treated water having a majority of the PFAS removed. The separation of competing anions by the separation subsystem increases the treatment capacity of the anion exchange resin to remove PFAS from the contaminated water.

Various examples are provided in relation to improved recovery and throughput of both fine and coarse particulate materials. In one example, a method includes injecting an aqueous suspension of a cloud of small air bubbles into an aqueous phase including fine particulate materials, wherein the fine particulate material is selectively hydrophobized and collected by small air bubbles; allowing the bubbles to rise in the aqueous phase; and collecting the air bubbles to obtain a concentrate of the fine particulate materials. In another example, a method includes adding a hydrophobizing agent to an aqueous phase to render coarse particulate material selectively hydrophobic; allowing air bubbles to attach to the coarse particulate material and changing the apparent specific gravity of the coarse particulate materials so a layer of one type of coarse particle is formed on top; allowing the one type of coarse particles to float and enter the forth phase.

A flotation separation apparatus for separating particles in suspensions, feeds slurry containing the particles through an inlet into a contactor where gas is fed through an inlet to mix with the slurry, for example in a downwardly plunging jet, to form a gas-liquid bubbly two-phase mixture under pressure from an outlet restriction in a throttling duct. The mixture is passed through a flow manipulator configured to induce a high energy dissipation rate, for example by way of a Shockwave formed in a diverging section of the throttling duct reducing the size of the bubbles and brining those bubbles into intimate contact with particles in the mixture which is released into a separation cell where a flow manipulating draft tube is provided to reduce turbulence in the mixture. Alternative apparatus and methods for inducing the high energy dissipation rate and for reducing turbulence in the mixture are also described and claimed.

A nanoflotation system used to separate suspended solids or large settling or floating solids from water, waste water or liquids. This is accomplished through the use of submerged membranes, in combination with a number of design components comprising froth flotation, gravity settling, pre coating of the submerged membranes, spacing, of the membranes to facilitate flotation of solids to the surface or to the bottom of the containment chamber holding the submerged membranes, and membrane structures which use large diameter hollow fiber or tubular membranes and/or large pore opening membrane materials.

A flotation separation apparatus for separating particles in suspensions, feeds slurry containing the particles through an inlet into a contactor where gas is fed through an inlet to mix with the slurry, for example in a downwardly plunging jet, to form a gas-liquid bubbly two-phase mixture under pressure from an outlet restriction in a throttling duct. The mixture is passed through a flow manipulator configured to induce a high energy dissipation rate, for example by way of a Shockwave formed in a diverging section of the throttling duct reducing the size of the bubbles and brining those bubbles into intimate contact with particles in the mixture which is released into a separation cell where a flow manipulating draft tube is provided to reduce turbulence in the mixture. Alternative apparatus and methods for inducing the high energy dissipation rate and for reducing turbulence in the mixture are also described and claimed.

A flotation separation apparatus for separating particles in suspensions, feeds slurry containing the particles through an inlet into a contactor where gas is fed through an inlet to mix with the slurry, for example in a downwardly plunging jet, to form a gas-liquid bubbly two-phase mixture under pressure from an outlet restriction in a throttling duct. The mixture is passed through a flow manipulator configured to induce a high energy dissipation rate, for example by way of a Shockwave formed in a diverging section of the throttling duct reducing the size of the bubbles and brining those bubbles into intimate contact with particles in the mixture which is released into a separation cell where a flow manipulating draft tube is provided to reduce turbulence in the mixture. Alternative apparatus and methods for inducing the high energy dissipation rate and for reducing turbulence in the mixture are also described and claimed.

A process for regionalization of mining bitumen-containing oil sands ore for extraction and conversion to produce dry bitumen comprises operating multiple separate oil sands ore mining and extraction facilities or in situ thermal recovery facilities, to produce separate bitumen froth streams; operating a regional paraffinic froth treatment (PFT) hub for receiving a portion of each of the separate bitumen froth streams and treating the bitumen froth streams to produce the dry bitumen; optionally providing a portion of the dry bitumen stream to the bitumen upgrading facility and another portion of the dry bitumen stream to a bitumen market pipeline or remote upgrading facility; and optionally comprising regionalization of water distribution where by-product waters are recovered from the PFT hub and the upgrading facilities and distributed to the mining and extraction facilities for use as extraction processing water to produce the bitumen froth streams.