Global Patent Index - EP 3055254 A1

EP 3055254 A1 20160817 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TAILINGS USING AN AC VOLTAGE WITH A DC OFFSET

Title (en)

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TAILINGS USING AN AC VOLTAGE WITH A DC OFFSET

Title (de)

VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR ABRAUMBEHANDLUNG UNTER VERWENDUNG EINER WECHSELSTROMSPANNUNG MIT GLEICHSTROM-OFFSET

Title (fr)

MÉTHODE ET APPAREIL DE TRAITEMENT DE RÉSIDUS EN UTILISANT UNE TENSION CA AVEC UN DÉCALAGE EN CC

Publication

EP 3055254 A1 20160817 (EN)

Application

EP 14852686 A 20141006

Priority

  • CA 2829566 A 20131007
  • US 201314047730 A 20131007
  • CA 2014000728 W 20141006

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO2015051444A1] There is a method of facilitating the consolidation of fine tailings through the application of an electrical current. The fine tailings include a combination of at least some water and some clay particles. Electrodes are placed into contact with the fine tailings. An AC voltage with a DC offset is applied to the electrodes to separate water from the clay particles and to induce movement of the separated water to a collection area. The separated clay particles can consolidate more readily than unseparated clay particles. In an embodiment, the fine tailings are mixed fine oil sands extraction tailings which include residual hydrocarbons. In an embodiment, the application of an AC voltage with a DC offset across the electrodes includes applying an AC voltage of about 1 V/cm and a DC offset of about ½ V/cm.

IPC 8 full level

C02F 1/461 (2006.01); B01D 17/06 (2006.01); B03B 9/02 (2006.01); C10G 1/04 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

B01D 17/06 (2013.01); C02F 1/4696 (2013.01); C02F 2103/10 (2013.01); C02F 2201/46125 (2013.01); C02F 2201/4613 (2013.01)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

Designated extension state (EPC)

BA ME

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 2015051444 A1 20150416; AU 2014334447 A1 20160519; CN 105813986 A 20160727; EP 3055254 A1 20160817; EP 3055254 A4 20171011

DOCDB simple family (application)

CA 2014000728 W 20141006; AU 2014334447 A 20141006; CN 201480066416 A 20141006; EP 14852686 A 20141006