According to one embodiment, a system and process for the equalization of pressures of a flow stream across one or more valves is provided. A process circuit having clean non-abrasive fluid and at least one slave cylinder fbr transmitting pressure to a process flow stream is employed.

A process for liquid-liquid extraction of an oil-blend of non-uniform oligomeric and polymeric components comprising: (a) preselecting a desired molecular weight (Mw) boundary between heavy and light components; (b) selecting an extractive solvent or an extractive mixture of solvents, which form essentially a single phase with the light components; (c) mixing the oil-blend and the extractive solvent or extractive mixture of solvents selected in step (b) at elevated temperature, which is at least at or above said fractionation temperature, and wherein the extractive solvent/mixture of solvents to oil-blend ratio is from 1:2 to 100:1; (d) allowing a phase split to form between the heavy components fraction and the light components/extractive solvent fraction at the fractionation temperature or at most 10° C. below the fractionation temperature; (e) followed by separation of said fractions.

Chemical reactor with high speed rotary mixing, system thereof, and method thereof, for catalytic thermal conversion of organic (hydrocarbon-containing) materials (coal, plastics, rubber, plant matter, wood shavings, biomass, organic wastes) into diesel and other liquid fuels (automobile or/and jet engine fuels). Relevant to non-conventional commercial scale production of liquid fuels, and to commercial scale processing and disposing of organic waste materials. Chemical reactor includes: integrated combination of a reactor stationary assembly (RSA), having only stationary components remaining stationary during chemical reactor operation, and a reactor rotary mixing assembly (RRMA), having only rotatable components rotating during chemical reactor operation. May include anti-abrasion shield for shielding inner surface of reactor central housing from abrasion during chemical reactor operation. Rotor may include a reinforcement disc. Rotor blades or/and reinforcement disc may include rotor-based performance and process control structural features (openings, or/and protrusions, or/and depressions), for additionally controlling performance of the rotor.

Chemical reactor with high speed rotary mixing, system thereof, and method thereof, for catalytic thermal conversion of organic (hydrocarbon-containing) materials (coal, plastics, rubber, plant matter, wood shavings, biomass, organic wastes) into diesel and other liquid fuels (automobile or/and jet engine fuels). Relevant to non-conventional commercial scale production of liquid fuels, and to commercial scale processing and disposing of organic waste materials. Chemical reactor includes: integrated combination of a reactor stationary assembly (RSA), having only stationary components remaining stationary during chemical reactor operation, and a reactor rotary mixing assembly (RRMA), having only rotatable components rotating during chemical reactor operation. May include anti-abrasion shield for shielding inner surface of reactor central housing from abrasion during chemical reactor operation. Rotor may include a reinforcement disc. Rotor blades or/and reinforcement disc may include rotor-based performance and process control structural features (openings, or/and protrusions, or/and depressions), for additionally controlling performance of the rotor.

A flocculant, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, includes a core nanoparticle and at least one positively charged functional group on a surface of the core nanoparticle. The nanoparticle may comprise a silica, alumina, titania, iron oxide, iron nitride, iron carbide, or a carbon-based nanoparticle. The flocculant may be used, in a method of bitumen recovery, to neutralize and agglomerate bitumen droplets and/or mineral particles derived from oil sands ore. The bitumen droplets agglomerate about the core nanoparticle of the flocculant to form bitumen flocs, while the mineral particles agglomerate about the core nanoparticle of the flocculant to form mineral flocs. The buoyant bitumen flocs may then separate from the dense mineral flocs to enable high-yield recovery of bitumen from oil sands.

A flocculant, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, includes a core nanoparticle and at least one positively charged functional group on a surface of the core nanoparticle. The nanoparticle may comprise a silica, alumina, titania, iron oxide, iron nitride, iron carbide, or a carbon-based nanoparticle. The flocculant may be used, in a method of bitumen recovery, to neutralize and agglomerate bitumen droplets and/or mineral particles derived from oil sands ore. The bitumen droplets agglomerate about the core nanoparticle of the flocculant to form bitumen flocs, while the mineral particles agglomerate about the core nanoparticle of the flocculant to form mineral flocs. The buoyant bitumen flocs may then separate from the dense mineral flocs to enable high-yield recovery of bitumen from oil sands.

A system and method for torrefying a combination of biomass and biochar colloidal dispersion is provided.

A method of reducing settling of residual comminuted hydrocarbonaceous material during processing can comprise forming a constructed permeability control infrastructure which defines a substantially encapsulated volume; introducing a composite comminuted hydrocarbonaceous material into the control infrastructure to form a permeable body, said composite hydrocarbonaceous material comprising a comminuted hydrocarbonaceous material and a structural material; and heating the permeable body sufficient to remove hydrocarbons therefrom such that the hydrocarbonaceous material is substantially stationary during heating, exclusive of subsidence and settling. The structural material can provide structural integrity to the permeable body sufficient to maintain convective flow of fluids throughout the permeable body during heating.

A processing unit and method for separating hydrocarbons from feedstock material. The processing unit includes at least one rotating conveyor in communication with a material inlet and a material outlet; a vacuum pump providing a vacuum atmosphere within the rotating conveyor; at least one material transfer device positioned at the material inlet and at least one material transfer device positioned at the material outlet, each material transfer device configured to allow transfer of feedstock material into or out of the rotating conveyor whilst maintaining the vacuum atmosphere within the rotating conveyor; and an electrostatic generator connected to the rotating conveyor providing a static charge to the vacuum atmosphere within the rotating conveyor. The method includes rotating the feedstock material in at least one rotating conveyor in communication with a material inlet and a material outlet; providing a vacuum atmosphere within the rotating conveyor; providing a static charge to the vacuum atmosphere within the rotating conveyor; transferring the feedstock material into and out of the rotating conveyor through at least one material transfer device positioned at the material inlet and at least one material transfer device positioned at the material outlet, each material transfer device allowing transfer of feedstock material into or out of the rotating conveyor whilst maintaining the vacuum atmosphere within the rotating conveyor.

A method for pre-treating bitumen froth for mixing with solvent for froth treatment includes heating the froth to a froth-solvent mixing temperature below the solvent flash temperature and suitably high to provide reduced bitumen viscosity sufficiently low for complete mixing of the solvent and the froth prior to introduction into a separation apparatus. A method of improving energy use in froth treatment includes reducing heat provided to the solvent, increasing heat provided to the froth prior to adding the solvent to reduce bitumen viscosity and adding the temperature-reduced solvent to the heated froth. A froth treatment separation process includes trim heating first and second solvent streams to adjust the first and second stage separation temperatures.