A SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING A BITUMEN-DERIVED STREAM WITHIN SECONDARY EXTRACTION

摘要

A method of processing a bitumen-derived stream within secondary extractionincludes processing the bitumen-derived stream with a primary separation stagetoproduce a primary overflow stream and an intermediary stream as an underflowstream. The intermediary stream is processed with a first cyclone separationstageto produce a first cyclone overflow stream enriched with hydrocarbons relativeto theintermediary stream. The first cyclone overflow stream is processed with agravityseparation stage to produce a further overflow stream enriched withhydrocarbonsrelative to the first cyclone overflow stream and an underflow stream depletedinhydrocarbons relative to the first cyclone overflow stream. The operatingconditionsof the primary separation stage can be modulated independently of operatingconditions of the gravity separation stage.