Patent ID: 8197676

Claim:
A method for removing solvent from a tailings feedstream containing at least bitumen, solvent and water, comprising: feeding the solvent-containing tailings feedstream to a solvent recovery vessel being substantially free of internals and having a heated atmosphere therein; discharging the solvent-containing tailings feedstream through a plurality of nozzles into the vessel for forming at least hydrocarbon droplets containing at least bitumen and solvent therefrom which are discrete from water droplets; subjecting the hydrocarbon droplets exiting the plurality of nozzles therein to a pressure drop and to the heated atmosphere for vapourizing substantially all of the solvent from the hydrocarbon droplets and reducing a diameter thereof sufficiently so as to fall to a bottom of the vessel in less than about 10 seconds, withdrawing solvent vapour from a top of the vessel; and discharging a substantially solvent-depleted underflow stream from the bottom of the vessel.