Patent ID: 8741107
Filing Date: 2014-06-03
Classification: B01D,C10G

Abstract:
1. A solvent recovery vessel for recovery of solvent from a tailings feedstream containing at least bitumen, solvent and water comprising: a vessel being substantially free of internals, having a heated atmosphere and receiving a pressurized tailings feedstream therein, the vessel having an upper outlet for removing at least a vapour stream of solvent therethrough and a lower outlet at a bottom of the vessel for removing a substantially solvent-depleted underflow stream therethrough; a plurality of nozzles positioned in an upper section of the vessel for imparting shear to the tailings feedstream introduced into the vessel at a pressure drop of about 550 kPa to about 825 kPa for vaporizing solvent from the tailings feedstream, the nozzles forming at least hydrocarbon droplets containing at least bitumen and solvent, discrete from water droplets, the nozzles directing the tailings feedstream generally vertically therein, the plurality of nozzles being directed upwardly within the vessel; and a height of the vessel, wherein at least a portion of the hydrocarbon droplets introduced by the plurality of nozzles fall through the height of the vessel to the bottom in a fall residence time less than about 10 seconds, further vaporizing solvent from the hydrocarbon droplets and reducing a diameter of the solvent-depleted hydrocarbon droplets to within a range from about 0.2 mm to about 0.1 mm for forming a substantially solvent-depleted underflow stream.