APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SOLVENT RECOVERY

摘要

A system and method is described for separating solvent from a solvent-diluted bitumen feedstream from oil sands froth treatment processing. A distillation tower receives a first feedstream portion intermediate the tower at or above the solvent bubble point and a second feedstream portion at an upper end of the tower at temperature at about or lower than the dew point of bitumen. A bitumen liquid product is recovered from a tower bottom and a solvent product is recovered from an upper end as recycle solvent to the upstream froth treatment process. Prior to splitting into first and second portions, the feedstream may be flashed, the underflow forming the tower feedstream while the overhead vapor is available directly as recycle solvent. The two feedstream portions and temperatures thereof enable solvent recovery without the use of a reflux or a bottom reboiler.