Innovation Anthology #359:
In the oil sands industry, one problem with tailings ponds is the amount of time it takes for clay particles to release water and settle.
Over the last three years, Syncrude has been working on a new technology to speed up that process. Technology development manager Jim Lorentz calls it “centrifuging”.
JIM LORENTZ: So centrifuging really is kind of like applying your washing at home on spin cycle to separate the water from the material that’s inside the washing machine.
Because the clay material is in suspension, before it goes into the spin cycle, it has a yoghurt like consistency
JIM LORENTZ: The first step in the process is to add a water treatment chemical which binds up the clay materials so that they form what we call “flocks”. And those materials when they are spun in the centrifuge separate to the sides of the centrifuge. And then the centrifuge will separate that material into what we call a “cake” and the water that is then amenable for recycling back to the plant.
As Jim Lorentz explains, the leftover clay or “cake” is placed in two meter high layers and left for the winter.
Thanks today to Syncrude Canada Ltd.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Guest
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Sponsor
Syncrude
Program Date: 2010-12-07