LAUSR

The settling rate of aggregates formed during paraffinic froth treatment depends strongly on process conditions. This work examined the influences of process temperature, solvent-to-bitumen ratio (S/B), and type of solvent used on the settling rate. Experiments were performed at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 °C and various S/Bs, using isopentane, n-pentane, and n-hexane as paraffinic solvents. Based on studies of the settling rate, two factors can be emphasized. First, process temperature has the greatest influence on the settling rate of aggregates. Second, for a given solvent and temperature, increasing S/B results in an increase of the settling rate. Study of the aggregates formed during paraffinic froth treatment allowed for better understanding of the phenomena affecting the settling rate. Besides developing an aggregate sampling method based on solubility parameters, experimental procedures for determining structural parameters were successfully applied.