Patent ID: 6110359
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: B03B,C10G

Abstract:
A method of recovering bitumen from mined tar sand particles that comprises the steps of:(a) mixing the mined tar sand particles containing bitumen with a solvent to form a slurry of tar sand particles suspended in the solvent;(b) injecting the tar sand slurry into the upper end of a vertically disposed, hollow chamber of uniform cross-section and substantially simultaneously injecting fresh solvent into the bottom of the hollow chamber and flowing the solvent upwardly through the hollow chamber at a controlled rate;(c) subjecting the tar sand particles and solvent in the hollow chamber to sonic energy in the frequency range of about 0.5 to 2.0 kHz without cavitation of the solvent in said hollow chamber whereby the bitumen on the sand particles is displaced and dissolved by the solvent;(d) recovering the sand particles from the bottom of the hollow chamber;(e) recovering the solvent containing bitumen from the tope of the hollow chamber; and(f) recovering the bitumen from the solvent.