The present disclosure refers to a process of obtaining a biocrude from biomass, where said process comprises the solvothermal liquefaction of the biomass in the presence of a mixture of solvents, until obtaining a gaseous phase, a solid phase, an aqueous liquid phase and an organic liquid phase comprising the biocrude. Wherein the mixture of solvents comprises between 0.5% w/w to 99.5% w/w of water and at least one solvent; and wherein the solvent is selected from alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, or precursors thereof under the processing conditions. The process described herein allows the use of biomass for the production of renewable fuels, as well as obtaining a biocrude with a yield greater than or equal to 30%, with a calorific value between 20 and 35 MJ/Kg and with a sulfur percentage lower than 1% w/w.

The present disclosure refers to a process of obtaining a biocrude from biomass, where said process comprises the solvothermal liquefaction of the biomass in the presence of a mixture of solvents, until obtaining a gaseous phase, a solid phase, an aqueous liquid phase and an organic liquid phase comprising the biocrude. Wherein the mixture of solvents comprises between 0.5% w/w to 99.5% w/w of water and at least one solvent; and wherein the solvent is selected from alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, or precursors thereof under the processing conditions. The process described herein allows the use of biomass for the production of renewable fuels, as well as obtaining a biocrude with a yield greater than or equal to 30%, with a calorific value between 20 and 35 MJ/Kg and with a sulfur percentage lower than 1% w/w.

The present invention provides new techniques related to magnetically controllable and/or steerable froth for use in separation processes of mineral-bearing ore and bitumen. Apparatus is provided featuring a processor configured to contain a fluidic medium having a material-of-interest and also having a surfactant with magnetic properties so as to cause the formation of a froth layer that contains at least some of the material-of-interest and is magnetically responsive; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field and provide non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the processor. The material-of-interest may be mineral-bearing ore particles or bitumen. The processor includes a flotation tank, a primary separation vessel (PSV), or a pipe, including a tailings pipeline. The pipe has a non-magnetic pipe section, and the magnetic field generator includes a magnetic coil arranged in relation to non-magnetic pipe section to generate the magnetic field and provide the non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the pipe.

The present invention provides new techniques related to magnetically controllable and/or steerable froth for use in separation processes of mineral-bearing ore and bitumen. Apparatus is provided featuring a processor configured to contain a fluidic medium having a material-of-interest and also having a surfactant with magnetic properties so as to cause the formation of a froth layer that contains at least some of the material-of-interest and is magnetically responsive; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field and provide non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the processor. The material-of-interest may be mineral-bearing ore particles or bitumen. The processor includes a flotation tank, a primary separation vessel (PSV), or a pipe, including a tailings pipeline. The pipe has a non-magnetic pipe section, and the magnetic field generator includes a magnetic coil arranged in relation to non-magnetic pipe section to generate the magnetic field and provide the non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the pipe.

Solvent consumption in supercritical ethanol, propanol or butanol treatment of either refined pre-extracted lignin or comparatively impure lignin-rich solid residual from hydrothermally pretreated lignocellulosic biomass can be minimized by conducting the reaction at very high loading of lignin to solvent. Comparatively impure, crude lignin-rich solid residual can be directly converted by supercritical alcohol treatment to significantly diesel-soluble lignin oil without requirement for pre-extraction or pre-solubilisation of lignin or for added reaction promoters such as catalysts, hydrogen donor co-solvents, acids, based or H2 gas. O:C ratio of product oil can readily be obtained using crude lignin residual in such a process at levels 0.20 or lower.

Provided are processes for treating a tailings stream which comprises water and solids, the process comprising: (i) adding one or more anionic polymer flocculants and one or more nonionic polymer flocculants to the tailings stream; (ii) allowing at least a portion of the solids to flocculate; and (iii) separating at least a portion of the flocculated solids from the tailings stream.

A method for the treatment of oil-based sludge by thermal desorption, characterized in that it comprises a step of conditioning of the sludge to be treated which includes the conditioning of the oil-based sludge with rice husk in a 1:2 ratio, before entering the TDU, increasing the technical and economic viability and cost relation of the thermal desorption for oil-based sludge treatment, showing better performance, and making possible the treatment of sludge on an industrial scale with effective rates of 28.6 m3/day, oil recovery of 54%, with a volumetric increase of 19%, compared to the original volume, and a fuel consumption adjusted to the historical data of the TDU from the economic point of view, which allows to have a high amount of rice husk, reducing the costs associated with the elimination of this agro-industrial waste.

A method of hydrocarbon reclamation utilizing an automated, closed-loop hydrocarbon reclamation system controlled by an operating system. Hydrocarbon is removed from hydrocarbon-fouled substrate by flowing a slurry through a series of chemical and mechanical processes and selectively recycling fluid throughout the system for continuous operation.

A method of hydrocarbon reclamation utilizing an automated, closed-loop hydrocarbon reclamation system controlled by an operating system. Hydrocarbon is removed from hydrocarbon-fouled substrate by flowing a slurry through a series of chemical and mechanical processes and selectively recycling fluid throughout the system for continuous operation.

The invention relates to a method for producing an oil rich fraction (OF) from primary feedstock (FS) that comprises water, first salt, second salt, and biomass. The feedstock (FS) is provided to a first reaction zone (Z1) of a conversion reactor (100), where it is allowed to react at a temperature of at least 350° C. in a pressure of at least 160 bar to form converted primary feedstock. The method comprises separating from the converted primary feedstock a first salt rich fraction (SF1), a second salt rich fraction (SF2), and an oil rich fraction (OF). The method comprises withdrawing the oil rich fraction (OF) from the first reaction zone (Z1) and withdrawing the first salt rich fraction (SF1) and the second salt rich fraction (SF2) from the conversion reactor (100). In the method the first salt rich fraction (SF1) comprises at least some of the first salt dissolved in the water, the second salt rich fraction (SF2) comprises at least some of the second salt in solid form, and at least one of the first salt and the second salt is a salt capable of catalysing the reaction of the biomass of the primary feedstock (FS) with the water of the primary feedstock (FS) to produce the oil rich fraction (OF). A device for the same.