Feedwell for a gravity separation vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9004294-B2
Application number	US-201314032078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2013
Priority date	Sep 14, 2009
Publication date	Apr 14, 2015
Grant date	Apr 14, 2015

Abstract

A feedwell for a gravity separation vessel for introducing a feed stream such as oil sand slurry to the gravity separation vessel is provided comprising a walled member having an upper perimeter edge, a lower perimeter edge and a substantially continuous wall extending from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge; an inlet for introducing the feed stream into the walled member positioned adjacent the substantially continuous wall; and a bottom floor having an opening and extending generally beneath the lower perimeter edge; whereby a perimeter of the opening is less than a perimeter of the walled member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A feedwell for a gravity separation vessel for introducing a feed stream such as oil sand slurry to the gravity separation vessel, the feedwell comprising:
a walled member having an upper perimeter edge, a lower perimeter edge and a substantially continuous wall extending from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge;
an inlet for introducing the feed stream into the walled member positioned adjacent the substantially continuous wall;
a bottom floor having an opening and extending generally beneath the lower perimeter edge, a perimeter of the opening being less than a perimeter of the walled member; and
a deflector plate having a generally conical shape and spacedly positioned beneath the opening of the bottom floor, the deflector plate having a substantially horizontal outer periphery.

2. The feedwell of claim 1 further comprising an extension pipe connected to the opening and extending downwardly from the opening to allow for a uniform discharge flow of the feed stream flows through the extension pipe and onto an upper surface of the deflector plate.

3. The feedwell of claim 1 wherein an apex of the deflector plate is provided directly below the opening.

4. The feedwell of claim 1 , wherein the opening is positioned substantially centrally in the bottom floor.

5. The feedwell of claim 1 further comprising at least one baffle in the walled member to reduce swirling flows of the feed stream and vortex formation.

6. The feedwell of claim 5 , wherein the at least one baffle is arranged around the walled member.

7. The feedwell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate is generally planar.

8. A feedwell for a gravity separation vessel for introducing a feed stream such as oil sand slurry to the gravity separation vessel, the feedwell comprising:
a walled member having an upper perimeter edge, a lower perimeter edge and a substantially continuous wall extending from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge;
an inlet for introducing a feed stream into the walled member positioned adjacent the substantially continuous wall;
a generally planar bottom portion having an opening and extending generally beneath the lower perimeter edge, a perimeter of the opening being less than a perimeter of the walled member;
a deflector plate having a generally conical shape and a substantially horizontal outer periphery the deflector plate spacedly positioned beneath the opening of the bottom floor;
whereby the opening is sized so that it constraints an amount of slurry exiting the feedwell to keep a desired level of slurry in the walled member of the feedwell.

9. The feedwell of claim 8 further comprising an extension pipe connected to the opening and extending downwardly from the opening to allow for a uniform discharge flow of the feed stream flows through the extension pipe and onto an upper surface of the deflector plate.

10. The feedwell of claim 8 wherein an apex of the deflector plate is provided directly below the opening.

11. The feedwell of claim 8 , wherein the opening is positioned substantially centrally in the substantially horizontal bottom floor.

12. The feedwell of claim 8 further comprising at least one baffle in the walled member to reduce swirling flows of the feed stream and vortex formation.

13. The feedwell of claim 12 , wherein the at least one baffle is arranged around the walled member.

Assignees

• Syncrude Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Bara Barry
• Spence Jonathan
• Lorentz Jim
• Hilderman Trevor Lloyd
• Larson Chadwick Robert
• Kiel Darwin Edward

Classifications

• B03D1/1456

  Feed mechanisms for the slurry · CPC title

• B03D1/1493

  with means for establishing a specified flow pattern · CPC title

• B03D1/1412

  with baffles, e.g. at the wall for redirecting settling solids · CPC title

• B03D1/24 Primary

  Pneumatic {(mixing gases or vapours with liquids B01F23/20)} · CPC title

• B01D21/2405 Primary

  Feed mechanisms for settling tanks · CPC title