Patent ID: 9404686
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: B01F,C02F,C10G,F26B

Claim Text:
1. A process for drying oil sand fine tailings comprising water and fine solids in suspension in the water, the process comprising: providing an in-line flow of the fine tailings; continuously introducing a flocculant solution comprising a polymer flocculation reagent into the in-line flow of the fine tailings, to cause dispersion of the flocculant solution and commence flocculation of the fine tailings; subjecting the fine tailings to flocculation conditioning in-line to cause formation and rearrangement of flocs and increase the yield shear stress to form an in-line flow comprising flocculated fine tailings; subjecting the flocculated fine tailings to water release conditioning to stimulate release of water while avoiding over-shearing of the flocs and re-suspension of the fine solids into the water; and depositing the fine tailings on a land surface to allow the release of water, formation of a non-flowing fine tailings deposit and drying of the non-flowing fine tailings deposit on the land surface.