Process for Recovering Bitumen from Tar Sands (Patent No: 493081)

Inventor: Fitzsimmons, Robert Cosmos

Location: Edmonton

Comments: see above

Description: 1. In combination with floatation apparatus for extracting bituminous products from tar sands, having a separation tank containing water maintained in the temperature range from 200-220 degrees Fahrenheit; the process of preparing the bituminous mass for separation which consists of gradually raising the temperature of the bituminous sand from its introduction into the floatation apparatus to a temperature of between 129-131 degrees fahrenheit immediately prior to the introduction of the bituminous sand to the said separation tank.

2. The combination as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the temperature of the water in the separation tank is 212 degrees fahrenheit and the temperature of the bituminous sand prior to its introduction to the said separation tank is 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The improvement in the floatation process of recovering bitumen from tar sands comprising the maintenance of the water temperature in the bitumen and sand separation tanks in the temperature range of 200-220 degrees fahrenheit and the gradual raising of the temperature of the bituminous mass to the temperature range of 129-131 degrees fahrenheit immediately prior to the deposit of the said bituminous mass into the said separation tank.

4. The improvement as claimed in Claim 3 in which the water temperature in the bitumen and sand separation tank is maintained at 212 degrees fahrenheit and the temperature of the bituminous mass is gradually raised to 130 degrees fahrenheit immediately prior to the deposit of the bituminous mass into the said separation tank.