METHOD OF HIGH SHEAR COMMINUTION OF SOLIDS

• US 20160074870A1
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HRD Corporation
• Original Assignee: HRD Corporation
• Inventors: Hassan, Abbas, Hassan, Aziz, Anthony, Rayford, Borsinger, Gregory G.
• Application Number:
  US14/950,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20160074870A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/08 Separating or sorting of material, associated with crushing or disintegrating B02C23/18 takes precedence ; beater mills combined with sifting devices B02C13/13, B02C13/14; for tumbling mills B02C17/1835
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/18 Adding fluid, other than for crushing or disintegrating by fluid energy for tumbling mills B02C17/186; feeding devices B02C23/02
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/045 Separation of insoluble materials
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 31/08 by treating with water
• CPC Class Codes: D21D 1/30 Disc mills
• CPC Class Codes: D21D 1/303 Double disc mills
• CPC Class Codes: D21D 1/306 Discs

Abstract

Herein disclosed in a method comprising: shearing a feed comprising a solid component in a high shear device to produce a product, at least a portion of which comprises sheared solids; and separating at least some of the sheared solids from the product to produce a component-reduced product, wherein the solid component in the feed stream comprises a first particle density, and wherein the sheared solids in the product comprise a second particle density greater than the first particle density. In some embodiments, the solid component of the feed comprises gas trapped therein, and wherein at least a portion of said gas is released from the solid component upon shearing. Herein also is disclosed a method of comminuting solids in a feed stream comprising a solid component by processing the feed stream in a high shear device to produce a product stream comprising comminuted solids.

Claims

1. A method of comminuting solids in a feed stream comprising a solid component, the method comprising:

processing the feed stream in a high shear device to produce a product stream comprising comminuted solids; and

separating at least some comminuted solids from the product stream to produce a component-reduced product stream,

wherein the solid component in the feed stream comprises a first particle density and comprises gas trapped therein, and wherein gas is released from the solid component after processing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the comminuted solids in the product stream comprise a second particle density greater than the first particle density.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas comprises carbon dioxide, wherein the feed stream comprises tailings from a caustic bitumen extraction process, and wherein the component-reduced product comprises water having less than 10 wt % impurities.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the tailings are produced by:

mixing tar sand and water in a tumbler or a hydrotransport line to form a froth;

introducing the froth into a separation cell; and

removing the at least a portion of the tailings from the separation cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid component comprises particles having tar and gas inside, and wherein tar and gas are released from the particles by comminuting a skeletal structure of the particles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed stream comprises shale oil, wherein the solid component comprises trapped gas, wherein trapped gas is released from the solid component by comminuting a skeletal structure of the solid component, and wherein comminuted solids have a second density greater than the first density.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the component-reduced product stream comprises at least some of the released gas, and wherein at least a portion of the released gas is removed from the component-reduced product stream in a settler.