Patent ID: 7726491

Claim:
An apparatus for processing bitumen froth comprising: a cyclone body having an elongated conical inner surface defining a cyclone cavity extending from an upper inlet region with a diameter DC to a lower apex outlet with a diameter DU of not less than about 40 mm; an inlet means forming an inlet channel of a diameter DI extending into the upper inlet region of said cyclone cavity; and a vortex finder forming an overflow outlet of a diameter DO extending into the upper inlet region of said cyclone cavity toward said lower apex outlet and having a lower end extending an excursion distance below said inlet channel, said excursion distance being operable to permit a portion of bitumen that passes through said inlet channel to exit said overflow outlet without having to make a spiral journey down said cyclone cavity, wherein a lower end of the vortex finder within the cyclone cavity is disposed a free vortex height (FVH) distance from said lower apex outlet; wherein the cyclone body, the inlet means and the vortex finder are operably configured so that a ratio of the FVH distance to the diameter DI is greater than about 22 and a ratio of the FVH distance to the diameter DO is greater than about 22 so as to achieve a ternary split of the bitumen froth.