Jet pump system for forming an aqueous oil sand slurry

ABSTRACT

As-mined oil sand is crushed to −5 inch by a sequentially arranged pair of double roll crushers. The crushed oil sand is fed into a hopper feeding a jet pump. Water or recycled slurry is fed under pressure as motive fluid to the jet pump. The motive fluid jet(s) produced internally by the jet pump are operative to fluidize the oil sand and the components of the slurry mix turbulently in the jet pump's tubular mixer. It is found that the slurry issuing from the jet pump is aerated and largely free of lumps.

INFORMATION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention will be described with respect to the slurry preparation test pilot system shown in FIGS. 1 and 7.

The test pilot system comprised a conveyor which fed −12 inch pre-crushed oil sand to a double roll ABON™ crusher , which crushed it to −3 inch. The crushed oil sand was then fed by a second conveyor 4 to a mass flow hopper .

The hopper was mounted to the body of a top-loading GENFLO™ jet pump . Oil sand flowed by gravity into the fluidization chamber of the jet pump . Dilution nozzles injected water under pressure in the form of jets into the chamber , to fluidize and mix with the oil sand. Water (or, in some runs, recycled slurry) was supplied under pressure to main nozzle and dilution nozzles by pumps , through motive fluid supply lines , . The motive water left the main nozzle in the form of a powerful jet. The water jet crossed on entrainment zone in the fluidization chamber and entered the inlet of the bore of a coaxial tubular mixer . The jet induced the oil sand and water mixture in chamber to be drawn into the bore . The water and oil sand formed an aqueous slurry which mixed turbulently as it proceeded through the bore . The slurry contained entrained air. The mixer was connected at its outlet end with a downstream pump and product line . An inline screen and recycle line were connected between the product line and the fluid supply line . If desired, a fine solids slurry could be recycled to the main nozzle to increase fluid density in the product line .

The following data and results characterized two typical runs of the pilot.

Although a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

The preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described operating conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples.

The entire disclosure of all applications, patents and publications, cited herein is incorporated by reference herein.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a test pilot slurry preparation system in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic representation of the slurry preparation system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view showing the main nozzle and inlet to the mixer, with arrows indicating the paths of oil sand and motive fluid;

FIG. 4 is a plan view in section of a known jet pump;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a jet pump connected to a mass flow hopper; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic of the slurry preparation system of FIG. .

CLAIMS

1. A process for preparing an aerated aqueous oil sand slurry comprising: crushing as-mined oil sand to pumpable size; feeding the crushed oil sand to a jet pump; supplying motive liquid under pressure to the jet pump to form a fluid jet which entrains and mixes with the oil sand and forms an aerated slurry; and discharging the slurry into a downstream product line.

2. The process as set forth in claim 1 comprising: recycling part of the formed slurry back to the jet pump to control the density of the slurry.

3. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the as-mined oil sand is crushed to −5 inch.

4. The process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the motive fluid is water.

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