Comparison of water-based physical separation processes for U.S. tar sands

Abstract The development of water-based, physical separation processes for domestic tar sands has been useful in demonstrating the effectiveness of three different processing strategies: the hot-water process, the diluent assisted hot-water process, and the ambient-temperature process. The effectiveness of the process strategies is evaluated and compared at optimum operating conditions with regard to bitumen recovery, concentrate characteristics. Process limitations are described in terms of important tar sand properties: bitumen viscosity, bitumen/sand association, and sand composition/particle size distribution. It is shown that the hot-water process and ambient-temperature process are restricted in their range of application. Both of these processes require a tar sand that possesses a specific set of characteristics. However, the diluent assisted hot-water process has a wider range of application and fewer process limitations when compared to the original hot-water process.