Dispersion and conditioning techniques for thick fine tailings dewatering operations

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9708206
APP PUB NO 20150144571A1
SERIAL NO

14408695

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Abstract

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Techniques are described that relate to enhancing flocculation and dewatering of thick fine tailings, for example by reducing process oscillations. One example method includes dispersing a flocculant into thick fine tailings having a turbulent flow regime to produce turbulent flocculating tailings; subjecting the turbulent flocculating tailings to shear to build up flocs and increase yield stress, to produce a flocculated material having a non-turbulent flow regime; and shear conditioning the flocculated material to decrease the yield stress and produce conditioned flocculated tailings within a water release zone; and dewatering the conditioned flocculated tailings, for example by employing sub-aerial deposition. The thick fine tailings may have a Bingham Reynolds Number of at least 40,000 upon flocculant addition. Inhibiting process oscillations may include providing turbulent tailings feed, configuring a downstream pipeline assembly to reduce backpressure fluctuations and/or reducing air content in the flocculant solution, for example.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
SUNCOR ENERGY INCCALGARY

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Bugg, Trevor Fort McMurray, CA 12 49
Macaulay, James Patrick Fort McMurray, CA 2 1
Revington, Adrian Fort McMurray, CA 13 19
Sanchez, Ana Calgary, CA 7 3

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