Industrial methods which utilize microwave-based sensors to detect in real-time the total solids content of aqueous solid colloidal dispersions such as oil sands tailings streams are provided. Optionally, these microwave-based sensors may be utilized in combination with automatic cleaning systems or filters, which prevent sensor fouling and allow for extended sensor use without manual cleaning. The output signals from the microwave sensor are used to adjust desired process parameters, e.g., the dosage of chemical additives and/or to maintain total solids within specified limits.

A process for extracting bitumen from weathered oil sand ore is provided, comprising mixing the weathered oil sand ore with heated water and sodium triphosphate to form a weathered oil sand slurry; adding sodium triphosphate to either the weathered oil sand ore, the heated water, or to the weathered oil sand slurry; conditioning the weathered oil sand slurry at a temperature of at least 50 C. to form a conditioned weathered oil sand slurry; and subjecting the conditioned weathered oil sand slurry to gravity separation at a temperature of at least 50 C. to form a bitumen froth product.

A treated water tank in oil sand plant, comprising a first housing; an inlet provided in the first housing, through which a treated water flows in; an outlet provided in the first housing, through which the treated water stored is discharged; a second housing installed in the upper side of the first housing and communicated with the first housing by a pressure-controlling pipe; a gas discharge pipe provided in one side of the second housing for opening to the air; and a gas curtain provided in the second housing for preventing the treated water stored in the first housing from being in contact with the air. The treated water tank in oil sand plant according to the present invention simplifies the process of producing the treated water to be reused from the production water, reduces the risk of environment contamination due to the reuse of more purified treated water.

A continuous process for converting carbonaceous material contained in one or more feedstocks into a liquid hydrocarbon product, said feedstocks including the carbonaceous material being in a feed mixture including one or more fluids, said fluids including water and further liquid organic compounds at least partly produced by the process in a concentration of at least 1% by weight, where the process comprises converting at least part of the carbonaceous material by pressurising the feed mixture to a pressure in the range 250-400 bar; heating the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 370-450 C., and maintaining said pressurized and heated feed mixture in the desired pressure and temperature ranges in a reaction zone for a predefined time; cooling the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 25-200 C. and expanding the feed mixture to a pressure in the range of 1-70 bar, thereby causing the carbonaceous material to be converted to a liquid hydrocarbon product and separating from the converted feed mixture a fraction comprising liquid hydrocarbon product.

Processes and systems for the above ground extraction of crude oil from a mud-water slurry well bore mined from oil rich diatomite formations. The slurry is separated into liquid and solid factions, the liquid faction having oil, water and small sized solids, and the solid faction having larger chunks of solids. The solids faction is processed to form a slurry mixture which is cooked to disassociate oil therefrom and is centrifuged to yield an oil/solvent faction, a water faction, and a lowered oil content solids faction. The oil/solvent faction is further processed to separate the oil and solvent. Alternately, the mud-water slurry is treated to form an emulsion having a neutral pH, with solids being removed and the remaining emulsion processed to break the emulsion by removal of water as a vapor to recovery crude oil, with remaining crude oil in the solids being further processed.

Used AHP or its components is converted into low molecular weight hydrocarbons using HTT reactor. These low molecular weight hydrocarbons produce ethylene, propylene, and other chemicals when fed into a steam cracker, which can be used to produce recycled components of the AHP or a fully recycled AHP.

The disclosure relates to a process for converting lignin (10) to renewable product (80), wherein the process comprises the following steps; mixing (100) lignin (10) with aqueous solution (20) to obtain a mixture (30); heating (110) the mixture (30) of step (a) to a temperature between 290 and 350? C., under a pressure from 70 to 165 bar, to obtain a first product mix (40); separating aqueous phase (53) and oil phase (50), and optionally gas (51) and solids (52), of the first product mix (40) of step (b); and heating (130) the oil phase (50) of step (c) and solvent (60) to obtain a second product mix (70). The second product mix (70) can be used as such, it can be directed to separation (140) or it can be upgraded. The obtained liquid renewable product is suitable as chemicals, fuel, fuel components or feedstock for fuel production.

A continuous process for converting carbonaceous material contained in one or more feedstocks into a liquid hydrocarbon product, said feedstocks including the carbonaceous material being in a feed mixture including one or more fluids, said fluids including water and further liquid organic compounds at least partly produced by the process in a concentration of at least 1% by weight, where the process comprises converting at least part of the carbonaceous material by pressurizing the feed mixture to a pressure in the range 250-400 bar; heating the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 370-450 C., and maintaining said pressurized and heated feed mixture in the desired pressure and temperature ranges in a reaction zone for a predefined time; cooling the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 25-200 C. and expanding the feed mixture to a pressure in the range of 1-70 bar, thereby causing the carbonaceous material to be converted to a liquid hydrocarbon product and separating from the converted feed mixture a fraction comprising liquid hydrocarbon product.

A method and apparatus for extracting bitumen and other hydrocarbons from oil-wetted tar sands and converting it to useful petroleum products, the method comprising first mixing the tar sands material with a condensate consisting oil material and agitating the resulting slurry. After agitating the slurry it is passed through a dual-phase centrifuge and the bitumen and heavy end hydrocarbons are removed, while the light end hydrocarbons remain in the centrifuge cake. The centrifuge cake is heated as it passes through an indirect fired rotary thermal desorber and the hydrocarbon material evaporates are cooled in a quench tank to be collected in the quench supply and recovery tank. The process can also be applied to materials which have become contaminated by hydrocarbons, to extract and remove the hydrocarbons. Another embodiment of the process involves using the indirect fired rotary thermal desorber to treat either tar sands material or a centrifuge cake and quenching the hydrocarbon material evaporates within the quench tank to be collected in the quench supply and recovery tank.

A process for operating a bitumen froth treatment operation in turndown mode includes adding solvent to bitumen froth to produce diluted bitumen froth and separating it into diluted bitumen and solvent diluted tailings and in response to a reduction in bitumen froth flow recirculating part of the diluted bitumen into the bitumen froth and returning part of the solvent diluted tailings into the step of separating. A method for turndown of separation vessel for PFT includes sustaining the feed flow to vessel; maintaining solvent-to-bitumen ratio in the diluted bitumen froth; and retaining water, minerals and asphaltenes in a lower section of the vessel while sustaining an outlet flow. The use of diluted bitumen derived from PFT as a viscosity modifying agent of the bitumen froth and an associated process are also provided.