CA1085554A - Release agent for bituminous sands conveyer belt - Google Patents
Release agent for bituminous sands conveyer beltInfo
- Publication number
- CA1085554A CA1085554A CA280,145A CA280145A CA1085554A CA 1085554 A CA1085554 A CA 1085554A CA 280145 A CA280145 A CA 280145A CA 1085554 A CA1085554 A CA 1085554A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- sands
- belt
- release agent
- bituminous
- hot water
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05D—PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05D5/00—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
- B05D5/08—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures to obtain an anti-friction or anti-adhesive surface
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G15/00—Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- C10G1/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal
- C10G1/04—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal by extraction
- C10G1/047—Hot water or cold water extraction processes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
- B65G2201/06—Articles and bulk
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Detergent Compositions (AREA)
Abstract
"RELEASE AGENT FOR BITUMINOUS SANDS CONVEYOR BELT"
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An aqueous solution containing at least 1000 ppm of a water soluble anionic surfactant is useful, when spread over the load-bearing surface of a conveyor belt carrying bituminous sands, to act as a release agent to promote the clean separation of the tacky sands from the belt when the latter rounds the end roller of the conveyor system and unloads the sands .
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An aqueous solution containing at least 1000 ppm of a water soluble anionic surfactant is useful, when spread over the load-bearing surface of a conveyor belt carrying bituminous sands, to act as a release agent to promote the clean separation of the tacky sands from the belt when the latter rounds the end roller of the conveyor system and unloads the sands .
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method which com-prises treating the load-bearing surface of the endless belt of a conveyor system with a release agent which is operative to cause bituminous sands subsequently deposited on the belt to separate cleanly therefrom when the belt rounds the end roller of the system.
The invention finds application with respect to a conveyor belt of nitrite or other rubber composition used to convey bituminous sands from a storage bin to a hot water process extraction circuit for recoverying bitumen from the sands.
Bituminous sands, when dropped onto a conveyor belt from a height of several feet, tend to adhere to the belt surface when it rounds the end roller. Some of the adhering sands remain attached to the belt and build up on it to form an uneven load thereon. Other portions of the sands drop off the belt as it returns to the starting point of the system.
To give some idea of the magnitude of this latter problem, in the 125,000 barrels of bitumen produced per day facility being constructed by the assignees of this invention, it is estimated that, in the absence of a suitable release agent, a deposit of tar sand 17 feet high would be generated be-'' neath the conveyor belt each day. Indeed, provision has been made to permit mechanical shovels to drive beneath the con-veyor belt to remove this material.
~ Out of doors, the problem has been solved by ^~ applying a liquid hydrocarbon, such as diesel fuel, to the belt surface before the sands are deposited thereon. However, this prior art belt release agent cannot be used on the conveyor belt connecting the storage bin and the conditioning q~
This invention relates to a method which com-prises treating the load-bearing surface of the endless belt of a conveyor system with a release agent which is operative to cause bituminous sands subsequently deposited on the belt to separate cleanly therefrom when the belt rounds the end roller of the system.
The invention finds application with respect to a conveyor belt of nitrite or other rubber composition used to convey bituminous sands from a storage bin to a hot water process extraction circuit for recoverying bitumen from the sands.
Bituminous sands, when dropped onto a conveyor belt from a height of several feet, tend to adhere to the belt surface when it rounds the end roller. Some of the adhering sands remain attached to the belt and build up on it to form an uneven load thereon. Other portions of the sands drop off the belt as it returns to the starting point of the system.
To give some idea of the magnitude of this latter problem, in the 125,000 barrels of bitumen produced per day facility being constructed by the assignees of this invention, it is estimated that, in the absence of a suitable release agent, a deposit of tar sand 17 feet high would be generated be-'' neath the conveyor belt each day. Indeed, provision has been made to permit mechanical shovels to drive beneath the con-veyor belt to remove this material.
~ Out of doors, the problem has been solved by ^~ applying a liquid hydrocarbon, such as diesel fuel, to the belt surface before the sands are deposited thereon. However, this prior art belt release agent cannot be used on the conveyor belt connecting the storage bin and the conditioning q~
- 2 ---:` 108~i4 drum in a hot water process extraction plant, as the belt is housed and the danger of fire or an explosion is too great.
In seeking a release agent for use on this belt, a set of criteria which the agent must satisfy has been developed. More particularly, the release agent must:
(a) when applied to the belt in moderate volume, effectively cause the sands to release from the belt surface when it is unloading at the end roller;
(b~ be non-flammable;
(c) not be harmful to the hot water extraction -process;
(d) not be harmful to the conveyor belt material nor render repair difficult should damage occur to the belt; and (e) be non-toxic and non-corrosive.
In seeking a release agent for use on this belt, a set of criteria which the agent must satisfy has been developed. More particularly, the release agent must:
(a) when applied to the belt in moderate volume, effectively cause the sands to release from the belt surface when it is unloading at the end roller;
(b~ be non-flammable;
(c) not be harmful to the hot water extraction -process;
(d) not be harmful to the conveyor belt material nor render repair difficult should damage occur to the belt; and (e) be non-toxic and non-corrosive.
3 SUMMARY ~F THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, it has been found that an aqueous solution containing one or more anionic surfactants, when spread over the load-bearing surface of a conveyor belt which is to transport bituminous sands, is a satisfactory release agent for use on the belt. Preferably the solution should contain at least 1000 parts surfactant per million parts of total solution; below this level, it appears that not enough surfactant is present to spread the solution to cover the belt surface.
`¦ By anionic surfactant is meant that class of compounds, excluding fluoro carbon anionic surfactants, where ~ the anionic moiety is a hydrophobic organic structure often, 1 30 although not exclusively, having a sulfonate functional group, and the cation is a metal ion with hydrophilic properties, -` 10~5554 the whole having the effect of reducing the ~urface tension of water.
Besides the so-called synthetic detergents, the definition of anionic surfactant for purposes of this specification is intended to include soaps, that is, water-soluble salts of fatty acids produced by saponification of naturally-occurring esters.
The preferred release agent is an aqueous solution containing commercially available laundry detergent formulations containing one or more water-soluble anionic surfactants, such as those sold by Proctor and Gamble under the trade marks "Tide" and "Drench Extra". In these formulations, the anionic surfactant ingredient is usually a combination of modified alkyl sulfate and linear alkane sulphonate. The fonmulations also contain "fillers" and other "builders" which do not play a role in the invention.
Broadly stated, the invention is an improvement of the process wherein bituminous sands are deposited on and transported by an endless conveyor belt to its end where the sands are unloaded as the belt rounds the end roller, prior to treating the sands by the hot water extraction process. The improvement comprises treating the sands-bearing surface of the belt with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble anionic surfactant prior to depositing the bituminous sands thereon to provide a release agent which promotes clean separation of the sands from the surface during the unloading operation, which agent, on entering the hot water extraction pro-cess by association with the bituminous sand feed, does not lead to substantially reduced levels of bitumen recovery in said hot water process.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The invention has been developed by subjecting a broad range of compounds to one or both of two tests, namely: (1) a tar sand release efficiency test, and (2) a test to determine whether the use of the compound would have a seriously deleterious effect on the hot -water extraction.
The test apparatus for release efficiency . ~ ~
-- 108~554 comprised a 15 ton punch press assembIy. The original die set was replaced with a spring-loaded adapter designed to ac-commodate belting samples. A numb-er of 6 x 6 x 1/8 inch samples of Goodyear Rubber Company B3835 neoprene belt sur-facing material were used for testing. Each sample or blockof belt material was fastened in place on the adapter by means of a recessed retaining clamp to provide an exposed area of 25 sq. in. Activation of the punch press trigger mechanism forced the belt sample downward onto a tray of bituminous sands directly beneath. By maintaining a con-sistent depth of sands in the tray, pressure exerted was regulated by the spring tension in the adapter. Preliminary testing yielded optimum reproduclbility of results at 8.8 psi with a total of nine impacts. Lateral movement of the tray allowed three repeated stamps over each of three , locations on the sands bed.
The tray was filled with homogenized bituminous sands to a depth of 1.5 inches and levelled by guiding a ~! straight edge along its rim. Compressed sand was discarded after each test and replenished with freshly chopped material.
Precoat materials requiring dissolution in an aqueous media were applied in aerosol form until the entire belt surface was wetted.
Tests were conducted at ambient room temperature.
Belt samples were weighed before and after impacts. Values ~ for weights of bituminous sand adhering were compared to blank ¦ determinations (employing untreated belt samples) and ex-pressed as a release efficiency.
The effect on hot water extraction of release agents which were successful in the release efficiency test was tested in a laboratory-scale batch extraction apparatus.
, -5-108555~
This apparatus had been used for other studies for application at the commercial level. Bituminous sand was extracted with-out, and in the presence of, the compounds or formulations proposed for use as release agents.
The extraction apparatus comprised a 2 litre capacity stainless steel vessel jacketed in a steel shroud to allow passage of heating water between the vessel and jacket.
The vessel was fitted with a driven impellor for stirring the vessel contents. Bituminous sands, belt release agent and sodium hydroxide were introduced together with slurry water into the vessel. This mixture was stirred therein for a period of time; then additional flood water was added and the flotation was carried out. Following are the details of operation:
Composition of Mixture: Grams bituminous sands 500 hot water (at 82C) - slurry 145 - flood 955 sodium hydroxide - 0.12 belt release agent ~0.10 ~ Impellor r.p.m. - 600 ; Retention time - 10 min. slurry - 10 min. primary flotation Temperature within vessel - 82C
Froth was recovered by skimming and analyzed for bitumen, water and solids by soxhlet extraction with toluene.
Following are results obtained during these tests with reference to two water soluble anionic surfactants:
Tar Sand adhering in presence of % Release ~fficiency = 100 - release agent x 100 Tar sand adhering without release agent Release Water Soluble Anionic Surfactant Concentration Efficiency .
Distilled Water 49.86 Sodium Lauryl Sulfate 2000 95.4 Alchem* 66037 2000 94.17 Tide* domestic washing detergent 2000 98.64 Tide* 5000 99.68 Effect on the hot water extraction process:
ppm on tarBitumen Recovery (Wt. ~) Additivesand basis Pri~ary Froth None 0 70.8 Tide 20 72.7 Tide 200 81.7 Tide 600 89.0 Sodium Oleate 200 70.0 Sodium Oleate 600 76.0 *Trade Mark ;-:
In accordance with the invention, it has been found that an aqueous solution containing one or more anionic surfactants, when spread over the load-bearing surface of a conveyor belt which is to transport bituminous sands, is a satisfactory release agent for use on the belt. Preferably the solution should contain at least 1000 parts surfactant per million parts of total solution; below this level, it appears that not enough surfactant is present to spread the solution to cover the belt surface.
`¦ By anionic surfactant is meant that class of compounds, excluding fluoro carbon anionic surfactants, where ~ the anionic moiety is a hydrophobic organic structure often, 1 30 although not exclusively, having a sulfonate functional group, and the cation is a metal ion with hydrophilic properties, -` 10~5554 the whole having the effect of reducing the ~urface tension of water.
Besides the so-called synthetic detergents, the definition of anionic surfactant for purposes of this specification is intended to include soaps, that is, water-soluble salts of fatty acids produced by saponification of naturally-occurring esters.
The preferred release agent is an aqueous solution containing commercially available laundry detergent formulations containing one or more water-soluble anionic surfactants, such as those sold by Proctor and Gamble under the trade marks "Tide" and "Drench Extra". In these formulations, the anionic surfactant ingredient is usually a combination of modified alkyl sulfate and linear alkane sulphonate. The fonmulations also contain "fillers" and other "builders" which do not play a role in the invention.
Broadly stated, the invention is an improvement of the process wherein bituminous sands are deposited on and transported by an endless conveyor belt to its end where the sands are unloaded as the belt rounds the end roller, prior to treating the sands by the hot water extraction process. The improvement comprises treating the sands-bearing surface of the belt with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble anionic surfactant prior to depositing the bituminous sands thereon to provide a release agent which promotes clean separation of the sands from the surface during the unloading operation, which agent, on entering the hot water extraction pro-cess by association with the bituminous sand feed, does not lead to substantially reduced levels of bitumen recovery in said hot water process.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The invention has been developed by subjecting a broad range of compounds to one or both of two tests, namely: (1) a tar sand release efficiency test, and (2) a test to determine whether the use of the compound would have a seriously deleterious effect on the hot -water extraction.
The test apparatus for release efficiency . ~ ~
-- 108~554 comprised a 15 ton punch press assembIy. The original die set was replaced with a spring-loaded adapter designed to ac-commodate belting samples. A numb-er of 6 x 6 x 1/8 inch samples of Goodyear Rubber Company B3835 neoprene belt sur-facing material were used for testing. Each sample or blockof belt material was fastened in place on the adapter by means of a recessed retaining clamp to provide an exposed area of 25 sq. in. Activation of the punch press trigger mechanism forced the belt sample downward onto a tray of bituminous sands directly beneath. By maintaining a con-sistent depth of sands in the tray, pressure exerted was regulated by the spring tension in the adapter. Preliminary testing yielded optimum reproduclbility of results at 8.8 psi with a total of nine impacts. Lateral movement of the tray allowed three repeated stamps over each of three , locations on the sands bed.
The tray was filled with homogenized bituminous sands to a depth of 1.5 inches and levelled by guiding a ~! straight edge along its rim. Compressed sand was discarded after each test and replenished with freshly chopped material.
Precoat materials requiring dissolution in an aqueous media were applied in aerosol form until the entire belt surface was wetted.
Tests were conducted at ambient room temperature.
Belt samples were weighed before and after impacts. Values ~ for weights of bituminous sand adhering were compared to blank ¦ determinations (employing untreated belt samples) and ex-pressed as a release efficiency.
The effect on hot water extraction of release agents which were successful in the release efficiency test was tested in a laboratory-scale batch extraction apparatus.
, -5-108555~
This apparatus had been used for other studies for application at the commercial level. Bituminous sand was extracted with-out, and in the presence of, the compounds or formulations proposed for use as release agents.
The extraction apparatus comprised a 2 litre capacity stainless steel vessel jacketed in a steel shroud to allow passage of heating water between the vessel and jacket.
The vessel was fitted with a driven impellor for stirring the vessel contents. Bituminous sands, belt release agent and sodium hydroxide were introduced together with slurry water into the vessel. This mixture was stirred therein for a period of time; then additional flood water was added and the flotation was carried out. Following are the details of operation:
Composition of Mixture: Grams bituminous sands 500 hot water (at 82C) - slurry 145 - flood 955 sodium hydroxide - 0.12 belt release agent ~0.10 ~ Impellor r.p.m. - 600 ; Retention time - 10 min. slurry - 10 min. primary flotation Temperature within vessel - 82C
Froth was recovered by skimming and analyzed for bitumen, water and solids by soxhlet extraction with toluene.
Following are results obtained during these tests with reference to two water soluble anionic surfactants:
Tar Sand adhering in presence of % Release ~fficiency = 100 - release agent x 100 Tar sand adhering without release agent Release Water Soluble Anionic Surfactant Concentration Efficiency .
Distilled Water 49.86 Sodium Lauryl Sulfate 2000 95.4 Alchem* 66037 2000 94.17 Tide* domestic washing detergent 2000 98.64 Tide* 5000 99.68 Effect on the hot water extraction process:
ppm on tarBitumen Recovery (Wt. ~) Additivesand basis Pri~ary Froth None 0 70.8 Tide 20 72.7 Tide 200 81.7 Tide 600 89.0 Sodium Oleate 200 70.0 Sodium Oleate 600 76.0 *Trade Mark ;-:
Claims (3)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. In a process wherein bituminous sands are deposited on and transported by an endless conveyor belt to its end where the sands are unloaded as the belt rounds the end roller, prior to treating the sands by the hot water extraction process, the improvement comprising:
treating the sands-bearing surface of the belt with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble anionic surfactant prior to depositing the bituminous sands thereon to provide a release agent which promotes clean separation of the sands from the surface during the unloading operation, which agent, on entering the hot water extraction process by association with the bituminous sand feed, does not lead to substantially reduced levels of bitumen recovery in said hot water process.
treating the sands-bearing surface of the belt with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble anionic surfactant prior to depositing the bituminous sands thereon to provide a release agent which promotes clean separation of the sands from the surface during the unloading operation, which agent, on entering the hot water extraction process by association with the bituminous sand feed, does not lead to substantially reduced levels of bitumen recovery in said hot water process.
2. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein:
the surface is treated with an aqueous solution of a laundry detergent formulation containing as the principal surface-active constituent a water-soluble anionic surfactant.
the surface is treated with an aqueous solution of a laundry detergent formulation containing as the principal surface-active constituent a water-soluble anionic surfactant.
3. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 or 2 wherein:
the aqueous solution contains at least 1,000 parts of surfactant per million parts of total solution.
the aqueous solution contains at least 1,000 parts of surfactant per million parts of total solution.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,145A CA1085554A (en) | 1977-06-08 | 1977-06-08 | Release agent for bituminous sands conveyer belt |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,145A CA1085554A (en) | 1977-06-08 | 1977-06-08 | Release agent for bituminous sands conveyer belt |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1085554A true CA1085554A (en) | 1980-09-16 |
Family
ID=4108849
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,145A Expired CA1085554A (en) | 1977-06-08 | 1977-06-08 | Release agent for bituminous sands conveyer belt |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1085554A (en) |
-
1977
- 1977-06-08 CA CA280,145A patent/CA1085554A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |