CA2352274A1 - Oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus - Google Patents
Oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus Download PDFInfo
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- CA2352274A1 CA2352274A1 CA 2352274 CA2352274A CA2352274A1 CA 2352274 A1 CA2352274 A1 CA 2352274A1 CA 2352274 CA2352274 CA 2352274 CA 2352274 A CA2352274 A CA 2352274A CA 2352274 A1 CA2352274 A1 CA 2352274A1
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- sand
- bitumen
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C41/00—Methods of underground or surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/26—Methods of surface mining; Layouts therefor
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C37/00—Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading
- E21C37/18—Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading by electricity
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C41/00—Methods of underground or surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/26—Methods of surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/31—Methods of surface mining; Layouts therefor for oil-bearing deposits
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Abstract
A renewable energy for oil exchange system comprising: A modular computer controlled oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus having a pivoting circular steel building assembled on a ring shaped reinforced concrete foundation at a specifically selected location within a oil sand field. A ring shaped railway steel track at the top to support a modular four-boom crane with a plurality of "Electromagnetic Wheels" chassis that provides 360 degrees of rotation freedom. A servicing helicopter landing platform at the top of the central tower for servicing, assisting with the construction and maintenance of the system. Laboratory and office supervisor space at the top inside the building also provide containment of fumes and air condition inside.
Four diametrically opposed X, Y, Z, precision mining ladles each suspended by four cables from their crane chassis having carbide cutters powered by electric motors to grind the sand and rock to small bits. Four diametrically opposed hoppers trailing the mining ladles with augers to provide sand feed control. The four hoppers download the oil sand into a main giant size stainless steel bowl for separation of the bitumen by steam provided by four Hydrogen Rotary Generator and also having make-up electric heaters for precise temperature control. The partly washed sand slur is further crushed and press filtered by the Hydrogen Oil Sand Extraction Apparatus and returned back to the bitumen separation bowl respective ports, after being separated into bitumen and fine sand. Four diametrically opposed sand tailing spreaders for depositing the clean sand into reinforced sand bags back from where it was mined. The bitumen is collected by a surface skimmer and shipped out by pipeline to a refinery. The modular cross suspension bridge like structure overhead crane provides a means to progressively increase the radius of operation by adding more modules and to mine while depositing the clean sand tailings opposite, back to the site being mined after having extracted the bitumen and fine tailings with rotary crushers and progressively finer filtering presses for their containment into large plastic bags to prevent contamination of the clean sand. Electric power and hydrogen fuel for the operation requirements is provided by Electromagnetic Propellers Modules anchored in nearby river current intensifiers built from washed sand, piped out and mixed with concrete into inflatable molds anchored to the surgically adapted river bottom. After the area has been mined the system can be disassembled, relocated and reassembled elsewhere, including other types of mining operations.
Four diametrically opposed X, Y, Z, precision mining ladles each suspended by four cables from their crane chassis having carbide cutters powered by electric motors to grind the sand and rock to small bits. Four diametrically opposed hoppers trailing the mining ladles with augers to provide sand feed control. The four hoppers download the oil sand into a main giant size stainless steel bowl for separation of the bitumen by steam provided by four Hydrogen Rotary Generator and also having make-up electric heaters for precise temperature control. The partly washed sand slur is further crushed and press filtered by the Hydrogen Oil Sand Extraction Apparatus and returned back to the bitumen separation bowl respective ports, after being separated into bitumen and fine sand. Four diametrically opposed sand tailing spreaders for depositing the clean sand into reinforced sand bags back from where it was mined. The bitumen is collected by a surface skimmer and shipped out by pipeline to a refinery. The modular cross suspension bridge like structure overhead crane provides a means to progressively increase the radius of operation by adding more modules and to mine while depositing the clean sand tailings opposite, back to the site being mined after having extracted the bitumen and fine tailings with rotary crushers and progressively finer filtering presses for their containment into large plastic bags to prevent contamination of the clean sand. Electric power and hydrogen fuel for the operation requirements is provided by Electromagnetic Propellers Modules anchored in nearby river current intensifiers built from washed sand, piped out and mixed with concrete into inflatable molds anchored to the surgically adapted river bottom. After the area has been mined the system can be disassembled, relocated and reassembled elsewhere, including other types of mining operations.
Description
TITLE: OIL SAND SPIRAL SURFACE MINING APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a modular computer controlled oil sand spiral mining apparatus for the extraction of bitumen specifically adapted to expand outward, exchange renewable electricity for oil in its production process with minimal disruption to the environment and as a new conceptual option that can be adapted for the mining industry in its many other applications, including construction, which modules can be relocated with economic advantages over conventional methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
How much oil is in Alberta's oil sands deposits?
Alberta's three oil sand deposits - Athabasca, Cold Lake and Peace River - contain resources that could supply Canada's energy needs for more than 475 years, or total world needs for up to 15 years. The production potential of all the oil sand deposits could be as high as 2.5 trillion barrels of bitumen (five times more than the conventional oil reserves in Saudi Arabia). The Athabasca deposit is twice the size of Lake Ontario. The Athabasca oil sands of McMurray formation are 40 to 60 meters thick with oil saturation varying between 10 to 18o by weight, and were deposited approximately 130 million years ago.
The concept of using abundant reliable renewable energy to recuperate oil from abandoned wells, oil sands and other mining operations is an important step towards protecting the environment and preserving it for the future's many other applications. The controversial exchanging a clean fuel for polluting dwindling fossil fuels is very important as a first step to protect the environment. Since we will need it in ever-larger quantities for many years to come, to power the technologies that evolved from oil, presently in operation. Phasing out from fossil fuels completely will take many years no matter how hard we try, since phasing in hydrogen technologies completely will also take many years. Besides oil has many other potential applications other then as a fuel to produce oil, which is inflicting very considerable damage to the environment by using oil as a combustible.
Among the fascinating aspects of the surface mining of the Alberta's oil sands is that by blending new technologies and creativity with new computer programming the oil production costs can be reduced to a small fraction. V~Thile at the same time enormously increase the production rate and also provide a legacy of abundant inexpensive renewable energy for future generations, far into the foreseeable future.
The applicant has recently filed applications directed to related technologies needed to confirm this potential. They are: the "Hydrogen Oil Sand Extraction Apparatus", the "E-Propeller", the "E-Wheel" the "Environment Friendly Hydrogen SynerQies" and the "Hydrogen Rotary Generator", recently filed for patent in CA. Together, they provide the basic building blocks needed to assemble this next powerful invention of the present embodiments. Potentially, an accurate survey of the oil sand fields is entered into computer memory coordinate system to provide a choice of the most promising locations near the fastest river currents. This will permit the system computer to mine the field accordingly and to plan for the system's scale. A process applicable to other mining operations in the future since it provides very important advantages over conventional mining, which will likely be recognized with its application in the oil sands. That this technology will prove to be not just environment friendly, but very profitable as well as an incentive for their application.
Wide application of leading-edge hydrogen technology will bring immense synergies for the oil industry in its various sectors, as it eventually imposes itself as a new standard Most importantly, these technologies have a beneficial accumulative effect on the environment as more water is released into the atmosphere. The sense of energy security will likely stimulate many new industries.
According to the objectives of the present invention the areas bordering with river rapids would be mined first to permit the construction of the current intensification E-propeller anchoring to supply power as the operations progress.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object according to the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a modular computer controlled oil sand environment friendly spiral precision mining apparatus capable of operating with reference to computer software coordinate programs and a plurality of transducers including lasers and video cameras and the like powered by renewable electricity and hydrogen fuel as a form of energy exchange for oil.
Another object is to provide an oil sand surface mining system assembled on a reinforced concrete ring shaped foundation at the bottom of the oil sand field comprising a plurality of steel beams and steel plate section modules forming a watertight ring shaped structure with a ring shaped railroad track at the top to support a chassis frame having a plurality of steel track wheels, which can be disassembled for relocation elsewhere, including other type of mining applications.
Another object is to provide an oil sand mining apparatus having a precision mining head cutter and ladle, electric powered circular replaceable carbide steel cutting blades that can potentially be rated for very large production rates and to excavate along the X, Y, Z, axis with computer accuracy according to encoded electric servomotors, load cells and other interfaces as deemed necessary for sophisticate operation, which operates along the tubular steel tracks provided by the supporting suspension frame.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a modular computer controlled oil sand spiral mining apparatus for the extraction of bitumen specifically adapted to expand outward, exchange renewable electricity for oil in its production process with minimal disruption to the environment and as a new conceptual option that can be adapted for the mining industry in its many other applications, including construction, which modules can be relocated with economic advantages over conventional methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
How much oil is in Alberta's oil sands deposits?
Alberta's three oil sand deposits - Athabasca, Cold Lake and Peace River - contain resources that could supply Canada's energy needs for more than 475 years, or total world needs for up to 15 years. The production potential of all the oil sand deposits could be as high as 2.5 trillion barrels of bitumen (five times more than the conventional oil reserves in Saudi Arabia). The Athabasca deposit is twice the size of Lake Ontario. The Athabasca oil sands of McMurray formation are 40 to 60 meters thick with oil saturation varying between 10 to 18o by weight, and were deposited approximately 130 million years ago.
The concept of using abundant reliable renewable energy to recuperate oil from abandoned wells, oil sands and other mining operations is an important step towards protecting the environment and preserving it for the future's many other applications. The controversial exchanging a clean fuel for polluting dwindling fossil fuels is very important as a first step to protect the environment. Since we will need it in ever-larger quantities for many years to come, to power the technologies that evolved from oil, presently in operation. Phasing out from fossil fuels completely will take many years no matter how hard we try, since phasing in hydrogen technologies completely will also take many years. Besides oil has many other potential applications other then as a fuel to produce oil, which is inflicting very considerable damage to the environment by using oil as a combustible.
Among the fascinating aspects of the surface mining of the Alberta's oil sands is that by blending new technologies and creativity with new computer programming the oil production costs can be reduced to a small fraction. V~Thile at the same time enormously increase the production rate and also provide a legacy of abundant inexpensive renewable energy for future generations, far into the foreseeable future.
The applicant has recently filed applications directed to related technologies needed to confirm this potential. They are: the "Hydrogen Oil Sand Extraction Apparatus", the "E-Propeller", the "E-Wheel" the "Environment Friendly Hydrogen SynerQies" and the "Hydrogen Rotary Generator", recently filed for patent in CA. Together, they provide the basic building blocks needed to assemble this next powerful invention of the present embodiments. Potentially, an accurate survey of the oil sand fields is entered into computer memory coordinate system to provide a choice of the most promising locations near the fastest river currents. This will permit the system computer to mine the field accordingly and to plan for the system's scale. A process applicable to other mining operations in the future since it provides very important advantages over conventional mining, which will likely be recognized with its application in the oil sands. That this technology will prove to be not just environment friendly, but very profitable as well as an incentive for their application.
Wide application of leading-edge hydrogen technology will bring immense synergies for the oil industry in its various sectors, as it eventually imposes itself as a new standard Most importantly, these technologies have a beneficial accumulative effect on the environment as more water is released into the atmosphere. The sense of energy security will likely stimulate many new industries.
According to the objectives of the present invention the areas bordering with river rapids would be mined first to permit the construction of the current intensification E-propeller anchoring to supply power as the operations progress.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object according to the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a modular computer controlled oil sand environment friendly spiral precision mining apparatus capable of operating with reference to computer software coordinate programs and a plurality of transducers including lasers and video cameras and the like powered by renewable electricity and hydrogen fuel as a form of energy exchange for oil.
Another object is to provide an oil sand surface mining system assembled on a reinforced concrete ring shaped foundation at the bottom of the oil sand field comprising a plurality of steel beams and steel plate section modules forming a watertight ring shaped structure with a ring shaped railroad track at the top to support a chassis frame having a plurality of steel track wheels, which can be disassembled for relocation elsewhere, including other type of mining applications.
Another object is to provide an oil sand mining apparatus having a precision mining head cutter and ladle, electric powered circular replaceable carbide steel cutting blades that can potentially be rated for very large production rates and to excavate along the X, Y, Z, axis with computer accuracy according to encoded electric servomotors, load cells and other interfaces as deemed necessary for sophisticate operation, which operates along the tubular steel tracks provided by the supporting suspension frame.
Another object is to provide a galvanized square steel frame chassis powered by a plurality of E-Wheels having a plurality of stack-on modular steel square tubing modules with steel cable couplings to support the tubular suspension track modules, optionally, with automatically adjustable servomotor controlled stands at the tip ends on opposite sides to provide a stable operating platform.
Another object is to provide a hopper suspended from the suspension bridge lower tracks, which follows the mining ladle chassis suspension frame progressively for indexing with the mining head unloading ladle having an auger to control the feed rate to a giant size stainless steel bowl to ready the oil sand for the intermediate extraction process of bitumen from sand separation with hot water and steam.
Another object is to provide an electric powered progressive pressure rotary crusher with a single brush-less variable speed servomotor integral to the hub crusher drive wheel, which extracts the milled sand rock and bitumen slur mixture from the bottom of the giant bowl and crunches it into fine sand, ready for the bitumen and fine tailings filtering rotary press.
Another object is to provide an electric powered progressive pressure rotary press having a specially built-in filter to extract the bitumen and fine tailings in rapid sequence as a means to eliminate the need for fine tailing pounds? and environment pollution, by providing and orderly progressive rapid process mining operation, transportation, bitumen extraction and containment of the tailings from contamination.
Another object is to provide a sand tailings packaging circular spreader suspended from the suspension bridge lower tracks, which follows the hopper to return the sand tailings from the filtering press back, optionally, to be packaged into a long plastic tube reinforced by a nylon rope net, as a means to prevent contamination of the washed sand.
Another object is to provide a hopper suspended from the suspension bridge lower tracks, which follows the mining ladle chassis suspension frame progressively for indexing with the mining head unloading ladle having an auger to control the feed rate to a giant size stainless steel bowl to ready the oil sand for the intermediate extraction process of bitumen from sand separation with hot water and steam.
Another object is to provide an electric powered progressive pressure rotary crusher with a single brush-less variable speed servomotor integral to the hub crusher drive wheel, which extracts the milled sand rock and bitumen slur mixture from the bottom of the giant bowl and crunches it into fine sand, ready for the bitumen and fine tailings filtering rotary press.
Another object is to provide an electric powered progressive pressure rotary press having a specially built-in filter to extract the bitumen and fine tailings in rapid sequence as a means to eliminate the need for fine tailing pounds? and environment pollution, by providing and orderly progressive rapid process mining operation, transportation, bitumen extraction and containment of the tailings from contamination.
Another object is to provide a sand tailings packaging circular spreader suspended from the suspension bridge lower tracks, which follows the hopper to return the sand tailings from the filtering press back, optionally, to be packaged into a long plastic tube reinforced by a nylon rope net, as a means to prevent contamination of the washed sand.
Another object is to provide at least four Hydrogen Rotary Generators to provide hot steam exhaust to assist with the bitumen extraction by inducing agitation and a circular motion of the bitumen within the circular bowl for acceleration of the process and electricity to complement the overall operations and backup power sources.
Another object is to provide a plurality of E-Propeller module arrays anchored to nearby river current intensifiers and coupled to a central transforming station building with provisions for large-scale production of hydrogen fuel and the electrolysis facilities and optionally, adapted for the extraction of minerals from the hot water sand-washing process.
Another object is to optionally provide a special insulating material pipe section module adapted with an induction-heating coil to burn the micro-bubbles and other impurities within the bitumen before being shipped by pipeline to the refinery.
Another object is to provide modular semi-spherical top steel and glass frame building assembled at the top of the tubular modular building as a means to provide laboratory and management space facilities for the operation, including computer operation monitoring facilities and communications.
Another object is to start the mining operation outwards from the center spirally in specific steps according to the system's scale, then continue the process by adding four complementary modules at a time, with the computer system keeping an exact track record of the volume and weight of sand mined, the amount of energy used, the amount of bitumen produced, the amount of sand tailings produced, the amount of electricity harnessed and hydrogen fuel and possibly the amount of minerals extracted, with the overall operations 'being centrally controlled.
Another object is to provide a circular monorail bridge on a plurality of steel beams and arches assembled on reinforced concrete foundations at the outer periphery of the suspension bridge limit, powered by synchronized electric power wheels as a means to continue mining outward by adding more standard size modules, and so on.
Another object of the invention is to provide a oil ladle that can be exchanged with the mining head ladle after a well has been dug to retrieve out oil from abandoned shallow oil wells and be able to repeat the process at alternative prime locations, them plow the removed soil back in after the operation has been completed.
Another object is to eliminate the need for trucking of the oil sands.
Another object is to eliminate the need for fine tailings settling ponds.
Another object is to provide the Hydrogen Rotary Generator with other types of fuel until a suitable supply of hydrogen can be established.
Another object is to provide a highly efficient environment friendly surface mining apparatus, potentially, adaptable to many other types of mining operations and construction digging operations, for a very wide range of scales and production rates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an environment friendly computer controlled precision oil sand surface mining apparatus, specifically adapted for the exchange of renewable energy for the production of oil as a first step to protect the environment and preserve the otherwise burned fossil fuels for future applications with much more profitable operations.
A detailed survey of the oil sand field (or other areas to be mined) is loaded into the computer control system of the Oil Sand Precise Spiral Surface Mining Apparatus as a reference for future operations. Ideally, a site closest to river rapids is chosen and based on this and other pertinent information a system scale is chosen for the operation. The apparatus is specifically adaptable to be progressively expended outward by adding modules and monorail ring shaped bridges to support the suspension bridge track sections extending form the pivoting bitumen extraction plant.
The four remotely computer controlled X, Y, Z, oil sand surface precision mining head ladles capacity are specifically rated according to the apparatus production rate. They are electrically powered and precisely operated with reference to encoders, servomotors and other computer control programming data. The bottom of the ladle has tow longitudinal counter rotating cylindrical carbide cutters sized for a specific feeding rate and size of rock cutting, and the ladle specifically shaped to index with the trailing hopper for downloading.
The hopper has an auger coupled to a track suspended pipeline leading to a crusher within the bitumen extraction plant, which feed a common giant stainless steel bowl for bitumen extraction by steam and hot water and progressive rotary press. After the oil sand has been washed clean it is returned by a track suspended pipeline to a hopper tracking packaging spreader that deposits the sand optionally into a specifically adapted reinforced plastic bag to prevent contamination of the cleaned sand.
Four Hydrogen Rotary Generators provide the high volume steam at regulated pressure and temperature, which is discharged into the common bowl by a plurality of manifold with nozzles aimed in specific directions t'o produce an air bubbling agitation and circular motion of the bitumen to speed up the sand bitumen separation process. The settled particles are fed by pipeline into four progressive rotary crushers that reduce them to fine sand and feed it by conveyor to their respective progressive rotary filtering presses for rapid separation of the bitumen and fine tailings at once. The filtered bitumen from each filtering press is returned to the bowl to be pumped out by the surface skimmer, which has a heat induction module to burn micro-bubbles and other impurities within the bitumen. A heat exchanger adapted to the pipeline recuperates the excess thermal energy in the bitumen before being sent to the refinery. The filtered sand tailings are returned by pipeline back to the hopper chassis to feed a spreader that optionally, packages them into a reinforced plastic bag below, from where the sand was originally excavated from to prevent their contamination.
Ideally, the washed sand tailings are piped out to river current intensification sites and mixed with concrete to fill the inflatable moulds anchored to the pre-conditioned river floor to provide reliable abundant inexpensive electricity. Submersible modules frames with a plurality of electromagnetic propellers are anchored to floating anchors attached by cables to the river rapids bottom to convert their energy directly to electricity.
The electricity is coupled to a transforming station with hydrogen fuel production facilities and optionally electrolysis of re-circulated sand washed water as a potential alternative to extract minerals in the hydrogen fuel production process. These installations would remain as a byproduct of the oil sands project after they are depleted, as future renewable energy sources for future generations of a new hydrogen fuel age. Thus making the Oil Sand Spiral Surface Mining Apparatus a very exciting concept, since the modules can be relocated elsewhere after the operation has been completed.
These overall environment friendly operations also have immense economic potential advantages over conventional mining of oil sand, extraction of oil from abandoned shallow oil wells, and other types of mineral surface mining and foundation buildings excavations. The basic modular concept can be adapted in other alternative ways to suit the particular application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the oil sand spiral mining apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing river rapids current intensifiers with submersible electromagnetic propellers arrays that _ g _ convert the river current's energy directly to electricity for exchange for oil with minimal disruption to the environment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective cut section view of the pivoting modular steel bitumen extraction plant on a reinforced concrete foundation to show the relative position of the respective main components to be described next.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the suspension bridge like tubular steel track frames having an X, Y, Z, overhead crane chassis on the top track with a four steel cable suspended mining ladle and a second lower track trailing chassis for the oil sand down loading hopper and the washed sand tailings returning spreader on the same chassis.
FIG. 4 is a perspective cut view of the surface mining ladle to show particular construction and operation details of the main parts.
FIG .5 is a front longitudinal center cut section view of one of the electric powered circular multi-carbide steel blade cutters to show the specifics of construction parts and their relative position.
FIG. 6 is a front cut view of one of the circular cutters assembly to better illustrate the respective parts configuration.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the giant size common stainless steel sand-bitumen separation bowl first shown in FIG. 2 with the arrows showing the direction of an induced current by the nozzles and a bitumen skimmer coupled to an heat induction coil to clear the bitumen from micro-bubbles by disintegrating them, and a heat exchanger to recuperates the excess thermal energy before piping to the oil refinery.
FIG. 8 is a perspective of a partially cut view of a shallow abandoned oil well ladle with two pivoted vanes that form a sealed bottom ladle until indexed to the hopper for downloading, which is exchanged with the mining ladle after a well has been dug to extract the leftover oil.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows an elevation view of an oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus according to the present invention generally shown as 10 having a pivoting modular steel building 11 on a reinforced concrete foundation 12 and a ring shaped monorail 13 at the top with a plurality of electric powered wheels 14 on a chassis 15 to permit a 3&0 degrees of rotation freedom as indicated by arrow 16.
A modular central four square beam tower 17 is assembled on chassis 15 and extends up by a specific number of modules with couplings for steel cables modules generally shown as 18 and with a top helicopter landing platform 19 to assist with the construction, future expansion and maintenance of the system. Assembled to the central square tubing frame tower 17 better shown in FIG. 2, there are four interconnecting tubular triangular shaped frames 20 extending horizontally at 90 degrees to each other, which form modular suspension bridge like with two sets of upper tubular tracks 21 and lower racks 22.
Mining ladles chassis 23 with suspended ladles 24 ride on the top racks 21 and a trailing chassis 25 for hopper 26 and sand tailings spreader 27 into string reinforced sand bags 28 on solid foundation 29 are better shown in FIGS 2 and 3.
A ring shaped modular steel monorail 30 with a plurality of square tubing steel beams 31 on a plurality of reinforced concrete foundation 32 and reinforcing arcs 33 provide for 360 of angular rotation of the suspension bridge 20 on electric powered track wheels 34 on four tower chassis 35 which are operated in synchronism with track wheels 14 by computer control. A molded river current intensifier generally shown as 36 has a plurality of electromagnetic propeller arrays 37 anchored to the bottom by floating anchors 38 to convert the river's intensified current directly to electricity are coupled by electric cables 40 to a transforming station 41 with electrolysis provisions to produce hydrogen fuel to assist in the operation with interfacing lines 42. A
bitumen pipeline 43 and a shutoff valve 44, interface the oil sand extraction mining operation 11 with an oil refinery. The oil sand surface being mined is shown by cutouts 45.
Typically the mining operation starts with the first suspension module and progresses outward in specific computer controlled steps provided in the coordinate software program and the encoded servomotors. The specifically adapted interfaces permit monitoring the various aspects and parameters of the total operation to display on computer monitors and to keep records of the specific aspects of the operation.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cutout view of the frame in FIG 1 to better illustrate the overall disposition of the respective components inside and a better view of the pivoting tower vertical modules 17 and horizontal modules 18 which provide access for assembly and maintenance of the respective components from the helicopter-landing platform 19 in FIG 1. Pivoting building 11 has a semi-circular modular metal roof with a plurality of modules 46 and a plurality of glass windows 47 and a few floors 48 below to provide office space and containment of fumes from escaping into the atmosphere. Ideally the building is erected on a solid foundation at the bottom of the oil sand field of a choice location and after that the mining operation progresses outward spirally in steps ideally clockwise. Inside building 11 there are a rotary sand crusher 49 and a rotary progressive pressure bitumen filtering press 50 for each mining ladle 24.
Concentrically to the building a giant size modular stainless steel bowl 51 to separate the bitumen from the sand by washing with hot water steam and compressed air by hydrogen rotary generators 52 having a plurality of manifolds 53 with nozzles 54 according to computer control. A plurality of electric heaters 55 provide for make-up electric heating as needed. Four pipelines 56 each coupled to a hopper with an electric variable speed servomotor- feeding auger drain the mined sand into the bowl, which is agitated and washed by turbulence generated by the pressurized steam, then pumped into a rotary progressive crusher 49 by pipeline 57 where it is reduced to fine sand before being fed into the bitumen extraction progressive pressure filtering press 50 by a pre-heating conveyor 58 for extraction of the remaining bitumen and settle the fine tailings at once, rapidly.
The sand tailings are piped out through pipeline 59 to a circular container concentric to the sand washing bowl 51 and internally coupled to four pipelines assemble on a rotary coupling for returning the tailings to the spreader 27, which optionally deposits them into a string reinforced plastic bag to keep the washed sand from contamination.
The filtered sand tailings are returned to the place from where they were originally mined in a rapid sequence by pipeline transportation. Thus eliminating the need for the tailing ponds and transportation by trucks. Washed bitumen in bowl 51 is extracted by skimmer 61 and pumped through pipeline 43 to an oil refinery.
FIG. 3 a view of a cut section of suspension bridge tubular tracks 18 with the mining ladle chassis 23 having four brush less encoded electric wheel type servomotor track wheels 62 at the top to provide the "X" axis of operation and four track wheels 63 of the same type for the "Y" axis, steel cable drums 64 with internal brush less variable speed motors of the same, which include an electric brake, provide the "Z" axis operation of the mining ladle 24. Mining ladle 24 is precisely positioned according to X, Y, Z, computer control and indexes with hopper 26 to deposit the oil sand by revering direction of the rotary cutters. Hopper 26 has a variable speed electric servomotor 65 and auger 66 to feed pipeline 56 suspended along the lower beam of frame 18 by laid out brackets leading to a rotary coupling at the top of the pivoting building roof and down into the bowl 51.
Hopper 26 is assembled on chassis 25 with four electric powered wheels 67, which track chassis 23 in steps. A
flexible power cord 68 and junction box 69 provide power and control for all the necessary operations by both chassis. Pipeline 59 returns the washed sand tailings and deposits them with the aid of a centrifugal spreader into the reinforced plastic bag 29. This basic assembly and mode of operation is applied to the other three mining cranes according to manual and automatic computer control.
FIG. 4 is a partial cut view of a mining ladle generally shown as 24 to better illustrate its construction. The mining ladle is suspend by four steel cables 70 pivoted to a steel frame 71 and a flexible power cord 72 suspended from a reel to provide power for the two tubular rotary cutters 73 fitted with carbide teeth 74 and turn according to the direction of arrows 75 and arrows 76 represent the flow of the mined sand rock cut bits. Stress cells in the chassis and video cameras and float switch may be employed to detect a preset level of ladle fill. For unloading, the ladle indexes with the hopper and reverse rotation. The bottom of the ladle also has carbide steel teeth 77 that are replaceable. The tubular stator shafts 78 end have an octagonal shape that matches that of the end frames 79 and retainer rings 80 to hold them firmly in position. Frame 79 is bolted to frame 71 by a plurality of bolts 81 within a formed cavity generally shown as 82 and has a terminal board 83 for electrical connections and two proximity sensors 84 to permit to stop the motors in an indexed position that forms a sealed bottom of the ladle by sensing a magnet 85 inserted in the cutter's aluminum frame of FIG. 6 for automatic control.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal center cut of the rotary cutter assembly to the end frame 79 fitted over with top covers 86 bolted on by a plurality of bolts 87, which form a watertight assembly. Sealing rings 88 and 89 also make for a watertight assembly. Roller bearing 90 and 91 provide support of the cutter assembly. The brush less variable speed motor within the cutters are formed by stator windings 92, permanent magnets 93 and a magnetic shield 94 press fitted within the tubular aluminum alloy extrusion 96 having a plurality of ridges 97 for supporting of the carbide cutters 74.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the rotary cutter to better show the installation of cutter 74 bolted down to aluminum alloy extrusion 96 and press fitted on ridges 97 to form a powerful variable speed electric servomotor capable of cutting through oil sand and rock and to reduce it to small bits suited for the rotary crusher in the bitumen extraction plant. Cutter surfaces 98, 99 and 100 are shaped help with the flow of the cut material in filling the ladle rapidly and downloading fast into the hopper 26 when in the indexed position.
FIG. 7 Is an enlarged view of the common bitumen bowl 51 to better show the combined flow direction by arrow 101 of the oil sand feeder pipelines 56 and out to the crushers after partially washed by 57 and returned by pipeline from the rotary filtering presses by 59 as fine sand tailings that are deposited back from where it was originally mined from, into containers 28. The hydrogen rotary generators 52 provide hot steam and compressed air computer controlled to specific amounts through manifolds 53 and nozzles 54 to induce turbulence and bubbling action into the mixture to speed up the separation process and induce a clockwise rotation to ensure that the bowl surfaces are kept clean from debris. Pipelines 102 return the filtered bitumen from the rotary filtering presses 50 automatically kept to a level 103 to be pumped out by skimmer 61 and optionally fed through an induction coil 104 to permit to disintegrate the micro-bubbles and particles typically lodged in the bitumen before being pumped out to the refinery.
A heat exchanger 105 permits to recuperate the excess temperature before the oil is shipped out to the refinery. The bitumen extraction bowl is radially supported by stands 106 on a concrete foundation 107 and has a rotary coupling 108 and another on the roof top better shown in FIG. 2 to permit the pipe assembly to turn 360 degrees. Bitumen volume in pipeline 43 is automatically computer controlled by servo valve 44.
FIG. 8 is a fluid pumping ladle to be suspend from the X, Y, Z crane by cable 72 having a steel frame 109 with two hinged bottom floor plates 110 that form a watertight ladle after being filled with a fluid, in which the hopper is specifically adapted to drain when the ladle in indexed with the hopper by partially opening the hinged bottom plates. Among other applications the ladle is intended for oil recuperation from abandoned shallow oil wells, after the surface wells have been dug with the surface mining ladle and replaced with the pumping ladle for the recuperation.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing for its spirit or scope.
Another object is to provide a plurality of E-Propeller module arrays anchored to nearby river current intensifiers and coupled to a central transforming station building with provisions for large-scale production of hydrogen fuel and the electrolysis facilities and optionally, adapted for the extraction of minerals from the hot water sand-washing process.
Another object is to optionally provide a special insulating material pipe section module adapted with an induction-heating coil to burn the micro-bubbles and other impurities within the bitumen before being shipped by pipeline to the refinery.
Another object is to provide modular semi-spherical top steel and glass frame building assembled at the top of the tubular modular building as a means to provide laboratory and management space facilities for the operation, including computer operation monitoring facilities and communications.
Another object is to start the mining operation outwards from the center spirally in specific steps according to the system's scale, then continue the process by adding four complementary modules at a time, with the computer system keeping an exact track record of the volume and weight of sand mined, the amount of energy used, the amount of bitumen produced, the amount of sand tailings produced, the amount of electricity harnessed and hydrogen fuel and possibly the amount of minerals extracted, with the overall operations 'being centrally controlled.
Another object is to provide a circular monorail bridge on a plurality of steel beams and arches assembled on reinforced concrete foundations at the outer periphery of the suspension bridge limit, powered by synchronized electric power wheels as a means to continue mining outward by adding more standard size modules, and so on.
Another object of the invention is to provide a oil ladle that can be exchanged with the mining head ladle after a well has been dug to retrieve out oil from abandoned shallow oil wells and be able to repeat the process at alternative prime locations, them plow the removed soil back in after the operation has been completed.
Another object is to eliminate the need for trucking of the oil sands.
Another object is to eliminate the need for fine tailings settling ponds.
Another object is to provide the Hydrogen Rotary Generator with other types of fuel until a suitable supply of hydrogen can be established.
Another object is to provide a highly efficient environment friendly surface mining apparatus, potentially, adaptable to many other types of mining operations and construction digging operations, for a very wide range of scales and production rates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an environment friendly computer controlled precision oil sand surface mining apparatus, specifically adapted for the exchange of renewable energy for the production of oil as a first step to protect the environment and preserve the otherwise burned fossil fuels for future applications with much more profitable operations.
A detailed survey of the oil sand field (or other areas to be mined) is loaded into the computer control system of the Oil Sand Precise Spiral Surface Mining Apparatus as a reference for future operations. Ideally, a site closest to river rapids is chosen and based on this and other pertinent information a system scale is chosen for the operation. The apparatus is specifically adaptable to be progressively expended outward by adding modules and monorail ring shaped bridges to support the suspension bridge track sections extending form the pivoting bitumen extraction plant.
The four remotely computer controlled X, Y, Z, oil sand surface precision mining head ladles capacity are specifically rated according to the apparatus production rate. They are electrically powered and precisely operated with reference to encoders, servomotors and other computer control programming data. The bottom of the ladle has tow longitudinal counter rotating cylindrical carbide cutters sized for a specific feeding rate and size of rock cutting, and the ladle specifically shaped to index with the trailing hopper for downloading.
The hopper has an auger coupled to a track suspended pipeline leading to a crusher within the bitumen extraction plant, which feed a common giant stainless steel bowl for bitumen extraction by steam and hot water and progressive rotary press. After the oil sand has been washed clean it is returned by a track suspended pipeline to a hopper tracking packaging spreader that deposits the sand optionally into a specifically adapted reinforced plastic bag to prevent contamination of the cleaned sand.
Four Hydrogen Rotary Generators provide the high volume steam at regulated pressure and temperature, which is discharged into the common bowl by a plurality of manifold with nozzles aimed in specific directions t'o produce an air bubbling agitation and circular motion of the bitumen to speed up the sand bitumen separation process. The settled particles are fed by pipeline into four progressive rotary crushers that reduce them to fine sand and feed it by conveyor to their respective progressive rotary filtering presses for rapid separation of the bitumen and fine tailings at once. The filtered bitumen from each filtering press is returned to the bowl to be pumped out by the surface skimmer, which has a heat induction module to burn micro-bubbles and other impurities within the bitumen. A heat exchanger adapted to the pipeline recuperates the excess thermal energy in the bitumen before being sent to the refinery. The filtered sand tailings are returned by pipeline back to the hopper chassis to feed a spreader that optionally, packages them into a reinforced plastic bag below, from where the sand was originally excavated from to prevent their contamination.
Ideally, the washed sand tailings are piped out to river current intensification sites and mixed with concrete to fill the inflatable moulds anchored to the pre-conditioned river floor to provide reliable abundant inexpensive electricity. Submersible modules frames with a plurality of electromagnetic propellers are anchored to floating anchors attached by cables to the river rapids bottom to convert their energy directly to electricity.
The electricity is coupled to a transforming station with hydrogen fuel production facilities and optionally electrolysis of re-circulated sand washed water as a potential alternative to extract minerals in the hydrogen fuel production process. These installations would remain as a byproduct of the oil sands project after they are depleted, as future renewable energy sources for future generations of a new hydrogen fuel age. Thus making the Oil Sand Spiral Surface Mining Apparatus a very exciting concept, since the modules can be relocated elsewhere after the operation has been completed.
These overall environment friendly operations also have immense economic potential advantages over conventional mining of oil sand, extraction of oil from abandoned shallow oil wells, and other types of mineral surface mining and foundation buildings excavations. The basic modular concept can be adapted in other alternative ways to suit the particular application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the oil sand spiral mining apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing river rapids current intensifiers with submersible electromagnetic propellers arrays that _ g _ convert the river current's energy directly to electricity for exchange for oil with minimal disruption to the environment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective cut section view of the pivoting modular steel bitumen extraction plant on a reinforced concrete foundation to show the relative position of the respective main components to be described next.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the suspension bridge like tubular steel track frames having an X, Y, Z, overhead crane chassis on the top track with a four steel cable suspended mining ladle and a second lower track trailing chassis for the oil sand down loading hopper and the washed sand tailings returning spreader on the same chassis.
FIG. 4 is a perspective cut view of the surface mining ladle to show particular construction and operation details of the main parts.
FIG .5 is a front longitudinal center cut section view of one of the electric powered circular multi-carbide steel blade cutters to show the specifics of construction parts and their relative position.
FIG. 6 is a front cut view of one of the circular cutters assembly to better illustrate the respective parts configuration.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the giant size common stainless steel sand-bitumen separation bowl first shown in FIG. 2 with the arrows showing the direction of an induced current by the nozzles and a bitumen skimmer coupled to an heat induction coil to clear the bitumen from micro-bubbles by disintegrating them, and a heat exchanger to recuperates the excess thermal energy before piping to the oil refinery.
FIG. 8 is a perspective of a partially cut view of a shallow abandoned oil well ladle with two pivoted vanes that form a sealed bottom ladle until indexed to the hopper for downloading, which is exchanged with the mining ladle after a well has been dug to extract the leftover oil.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows an elevation view of an oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus according to the present invention generally shown as 10 having a pivoting modular steel building 11 on a reinforced concrete foundation 12 and a ring shaped monorail 13 at the top with a plurality of electric powered wheels 14 on a chassis 15 to permit a 3&0 degrees of rotation freedom as indicated by arrow 16.
A modular central four square beam tower 17 is assembled on chassis 15 and extends up by a specific number of modules with couplings for steel cables modules generally shown as 18 and with a top helicopter landing platform 19 to assist with the construction, future expansion and maintenance of the system. Assembled to the central square tubing frame tower 17 better shown in FIG. 2, there are four interconnecting tubular triangular shaped frames 20 extending horizontally at 90 degrees to each other, which form modular suspension bridge like with two sets of upper tubular tracks 21 and lower racks 22.
Mining ladles chassis 23 with suspended ladles 24 ride on the top racks 21 and a trailing chassis 25 for hopper 26 and sand tailings spreader 27 into string reinforced sand bags 28 on solid foundation 29 are better shown in FIGS 2 and 3.
A ring shaped modular steel monorail 30 with a plurality of square tubing steel beams 31 on a plurality of reinforced concrete foundation 32 and reinforcing arcs 33 provide for 360 of angular rotation of the suspension bridge 20 on electric powered track wheels 34 on four tower chassis 35 which are operated in synchronism with track wheels 14 by computer control. A molded river current intensifier generally shown as 36 has a plurality of electromagnetic propeller arrays 37 anchored to the bottom by floating anchors 38 to convert the river's intensified current directly to electricity are coupled by electric cables 40 to a transforming station 41 with electrolysis provisions to produce hydrogen fuel to assist in the operation with interfacing lines 42. A
bitumen pipeline 43 and a shutoff valve 44, interface the oil sand extraction mining operation 11 with an oil refinery. The oil sand surface being mined is shown by cutouts 45.
Typically the mining operation starts with the first suspension module and progresses outward in specific computer controlled steps provided in the coordinate software program and the encoded servomotors. The specifically adapted interfaces permit monitoring the various aspects and parameters of the total operation to display on computer monitors and to keep records of the specific aspects of the operation.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cutout view of the frame in FIG 1 to better illustrate the overall disposition of the respective components inside and a better view of the pivoting tower vertical modules 17 and horizontal modules 18 which provide access for assembly and maintenance of the respective components from the helicopter-landing platform 19 in FIG 1. Pivoting building 11 has a semi-circular modular metal roof with a plurality of modules 46 and a plurality of glass windows 47 and a few floors 48 below to provide office space and containment of fumes from escaping into the atmosphere. Ideally the building is erected on a solid foundation at the bottom of the oil sand field of a choice location and after that the mining operation progresses outward spirally in steps ideally clockwise. Inside building 11 there are a rotary sand crusher 49 and a rotary progressive pressure bitumen filtering press 50 for each mining ladle 24.
Concentrically to the building a giant size modular stainless steel bowl 51 to separate the bitumen from the sand by washing with hot water steam and compressed air by hydrogen rotary generators 52 having a plurality of manifolds 53 with nozzles 54 according to computer control. A plurality of electric heaters 55 provide for make-up electric heating as needed. Four pipelines 56 each coupled to a hopper with an electric variable speed servomotor- feeding auger drain the mined sand into the bowl, which is agitated and washed by turbulence generated by the pressurized steam, then pumped into a rotary progressive crusher 49 by pipeline 57 where it is reduced to fine sand before being fed into the bitumen extraction progressive pressure filtering press 50 by a pre-heating conveyor 58 for extraction of the remaining bitumen and settle the fine tailings at once, rapidly.
The sand tailings are piped out through pipeline 59 to a circular container concentric to the sand washing bowl 51 and internally coupled to four pipelines assemble on a rotary coupling for returning the tailings to the spreader 27, which optionally deposits them into a string reinforced plastic bag to keep the washed sand from contamination.
The filtered sand tailings are returned to the place from where they were originally mined in a rapid sequence by pipeline transportation. Thus eliminating the need for the tailing ponds and transportation by trucks. Washed bitumen in bowl 51 is extracted by skimmer 61 and pumped through pipeline 43 to an oil refinery.
FIG. 3 a view of a cut section of suspension bridge tubular tracks 18 with the mining ladle chassis 23 having four brush less encoded electric wheel type servomotor track wheels 62 at the top to provide the "X" axis of operation and four track wheels 63 of the same type for the "Y" axis, steel cable drums 64 with internal brush less variable speed motors of the same, which include an electric brake, provide the "Z" axis operation of the mining ladle 24. Mining ladle 24 is precisely positioned according to X, Y, Z, computer control and indexes with hopper 26 to deposit the oil sand by revering direction of the rotary cutters. Hopper 26 has a variable speed electric servomotor 65 and auger 66 to feed pipeline 56 suspended along the lower beam of frame 18 by laid out brackets leading to a rotary coupling at the top of the pivoting building roof and down into the bowl 51.
Hopper 26 is assembled on chassis 25 with four electric powered wheels 67, which track chassis 23 in steps. A
flexible power cord 68 and junction box 69 provide power and control for all the necessary operations by both chassis. Pipeline 59 returns the washed sand tailings and deposits them with the aid of a centrifugal spreader into the reinforced plastic bag 29. This basic assembly and mode of operation is applied to the other three mining cranes according to manual and automatic computer control.
FIG. 4 is a partial cut view of a mining ladle generally shown as 24 to better illustrate its construction. The mining ladle is suspend by four steel cables 70 pivoted to a steel frame 71 and a flexible power cord 72 suspended from a reel to provide power for the two tubular rotary cutters 73 fitted with carbide teeth 74 and turn according to the direction of arrows 75 and arrows 76 represent the flow of the mined sand rock cut bits. Stress cells in the chassis and video cameras and float switch may be employed to detect a preset level of ladle fill. For unloading, the ladle indexes with the hopper and reverse rotation. The bottom of the ladle also has carbide steel teeth 77 that are replaceable. The tubular stator shafts 78 end have an octagonal shape that matches that of the end frames 79 and retainer rings 80 to hold them firmly in position. Frame 79 is bolted to frame 71 by a plurality of bolts 81 within a formed cavity generally shown as 82 and has a terminal board 83 for electrical connections and two proximity sensors 84 to permit to stop the motors in an indexed position that forms a sealed bottom of the ladle by sensing a magnet 85 inserted in the cutter's aluminum frame of FIG. 6 for automatic control.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal center cut of the rotary cutter assembly to the end frame 79 fitted over with top covers 86 bolted on by a plurality of bolts 87, which form a watertight assembly. Sealing rings 88 and 89 also make for a watertight assembly. Roller bearing 90 and 91 provide support of the cutter assembly. The brush less variable speed motor within the cutters are formed by stator windings 92, permanent magnets 93 and a magnetic shield 94 press fitted within the tubular aluminum alloy extrusion 96 having a plurality of ridges 97 for supporting of the carbide cutters 74.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the rotary cutter to better show the installation of cutter 74 bolted down to aluminum alloy extrusion 96 and press fitted on ridges 97 to form a powerful variable speed electric servomotor capable of cutting through oil sand and rock and to reduce it to small bits suited for the rotary crusher in the bitumen extraction plant. Cutter surfaces 98, 99 and 100 are shaped help with the flow of the cut material in filling the ladle rapidly and downloading fast into the hopper 26 when in the indexed position.
FIG. 7 Is an enlarged view of the common bitumen bowl 51 to better show the combined flow direction by arrow 101 of the oil sand feeder pipelines 56 and out to the crushers after partially washed by 57 and returned by pipeline from the rotary filtering presses by 59 as fine sand tailings that are deposited back from where it was originally mined from, into containers 28. The hydrogen rotary generators 52 provide hot steam and compressed air computer controlled to specific amounts through manifolds 53 and nozzles 54 to induce turbulence and bubbling action into the mixture to speed up the separation process and induce a clockwise rotation to ensure that the bowl surfaces are kept clean from debris. Pipelines 102 return the filtered bitumen from the rotary filtering presses 50 automatically kept to a level 103 to be pumped out by skimmer 61 and optionally fed through an induction coil 104 to permit to disintegrate the micro-bubbles and particles typically lodged in the bitumen before being pumped out to the refinery.
A heat exchanger 105 permits to recuperate the excess temperature before the oil is shipped out to the refinery. The bitumen extraction bowl is radially supported by stands 106 on a concrete foundation 107 and has a rotary coupling 108 and another on the roof top better shown in FIG. 2 to permit the pipe assembly to turn 360 degrees. Bitumen volume in pipeline 43 is automatically computer controlled by servo valve 44.
FIG. 8 is a fluid pumping ladle to be suspend from the X, Y, Z crane by cable 72 having a steel frame 109 with two hinged bottom floor plates 110 that form a watertight ladle after being filled with a fluid, in which the hopper is specifically adapted to drain when the ladle in indexed with the hopper by partially opening the hinged bottom plates. Among other applications the ladle is intended for oil recuperation from abandoned shallow oil wells, after the surface wells have been dug with the surface mining ladle and replaced with the pumping ladle for the recuperation.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing for its spirit or scope.
Claims (8)
1. An oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus specifically adapted for the exchange of renewable electricity and hydrogen fuel for the combustion of fossil fuels for the production of oil, as a first step in protecting the environment from pollution with economic advantages, comprising:
a central modular circular steel pivoting plant forming a watertight fire proof thermally insulated assembly, erected on a reinforced concrete ring shaped foundation;
a ring shaped steel monorail at the top of the erected building to provide support to a chassis having a plurality of encoded electric powered wheels and a square tubing incremental tower with a helicopter-landing platform at the top to assist with the construction and maintenance of the system;
a four-harm suspension bridge like modular tubular steel frame supported by the square frame tower and steel cable modules so as to provide a horizontal structure that can move laterally in sequential specific size steps according to computer coordinate control;
a ring shaped monorail forming a bridge like modular steel frame assembled on reinforced concrete pillar in a solid foundation to a specific level to provide support to a modular square tubing frame with arches supporting the horizontal monorail in line with the monorail in the pivoting tower, also having encoded electric powered wheel servomotors that operate to maintain proper alignment of the frame;
a computer controlled electric powered precision mining ladle suspended by four steel cables from an X, Y, Z, encoded electric wheel powered servomotors chassis;
a trailing hopper assemble on a chassis with encoded electric track wheels having an electric variable speed motor powered auger coupled to a pipeline suspended to the lower frame tracks for feed rate control;
at least four hydrogen rotary generators (optionally operable with other fuels) to provide electricity and pressurized steam according to computer control to assist in the bitumen extraction process by inducing bubbling agitation and induce a circular motion;
four rotary progressive pressure crushers to convert the mined oil sand and rock bits into fine sand after being partially washed in preparation for the next filtering pressing process;
four bitumen rotary progressive pressure filtering presses having high pressure steam nozzles adjacent to each compression wheel for extraction of the bitumen and fine tailings, at once in rapid sequence enabling to return the washed sand tailings back to where it was originally mined from;
a modular large scale stainless steel bowl common to the four said mining ladles to provide separation of the bitumen from sand by means of hot water, with air-pressurized steam, make-up electric heaters for precise computer controlled operation;
an induction heating coil pipeline interfacing module to provide disintegration of micro-bubbles and metallic impurities in the bitumen before being piped out to the refinery;
an heat exchange pipeline interfacing module to provide recuperation of the excess heat energy in the bitumen before being piped out to the refinery;
an oil pumping ladle adaptable to shallow abandoned oil wells and the like specifically adapted to function with a modified hopper;
a river current intensifier having a plurality of electromagnetic propeller array modules anchored to the bottom for conversion of the river current's energy directly to renewable electricity and subsequently to hydrogen fuel for exchange for oil in its production process, as a first step to protect the environment with improved economics advantages.
a central modular circular steel pivoting plant forming a watertight fire proof thermally insulated assembly, erected on a reinforced concrete ring shaped foundation;
a ring shaped steel monorail at the top of the erected building to provide support to a chassis having a plurality of encoded electric powered wheels and a square tubing incremental tower with a helicopter-landing platform at the top to assist with the construction and maintenance of the system;
a four-harm suspension bridge like modular tubular steel frame supported by the square frame tower and steel cable modules so as to provide a horizontal structure that can move laterally in sequential specific size steps according to computer coordinate control;
a ring shaped monorail forming a bridge like modular steel frame assembled on reinforced concrete pillar in a solid foundation to a specific level to provide support to a modular square tubing frame with arches supporting the horizontal monorail in line with the monorail in the pivoting tower, also having encoded electric powered wheel servomotors that operate to maintain proper alignment of the frame;
a computer controlled electric powered precision mining ladle suspended by four steel cables from an X, Y, Z, encoded electric wheel powered servomotors chassis;
a trailing hopper assemble on a chassis with encoded electric track wheels having an electric variable speed motor powered auger coupled to a pipeline suspended to the lower frame tracks for feed rate control;
at least four hydrogen rotary generators (optionally operable with other fuels) to provide electricity and pressurized steam according to computer control to assist in the bitumen extraction process by inducing bubbling agitation and induce a circular motion;
four rotary progressive pressure crushers to convert the mined oil sand and rock bits into fine sand after being partially washed in preparation for the next filtering pressing process;
four bitumen rotary progressive pressure filtering presses having high pressure steam nozzles adjacent to each compression wheel for extraction of the bitumen and fine tailings, at once in rapid sequence enabling to return the washed sand tailings back to where it was originally mined from;
a modular large scale stainless steel bowl common to the four said mining ladles to provide separation of the bitumen from sand by means of hot water, with air-pressurized steam, make-up electric heaters for precise computer controlled operation;
an induction heating coil pipeline interfacing module to provide disintegration of micro-bubbles and metallic impurities in the bitumen before being piped out to the refinery;
an heat exchange pipeline interfacing module to provide recuperation of the excess heat energy in the bitumen before being piped out to the refinery;
an oil pumping ladle adaptable to shallow abandoned oil wells and the like specifically adapted to function with a modified hopper;
a river current intensifier having a plurality of electromagnetic propeller array modules anchored to the bottom for conversion of the river current's energy directly to renewable electricity and subsequently to hydrogen fuel for exchange for oil in its production process, as a first step to protect the environment with improved economics advantages.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the modular system can be disassemble and relocated.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the modular system can be specifically adapted to other types of surface mining operations including excavations in the construction and the recuperation of oil from abandoned shallow oil wells.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conventional trucks and conveyors to transport the oil sand, or other minerals are replaced by pipelines.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a survey of the area to be mined can be entered as a software coordinate system into memory of the main control computer to provide a reference to the mining operation in manual and automatic mode.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface mining ladle and rotary cutters can be rated and scaled for different applications.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the induction-heating module provide a means to purify the bitumen by disintegration of the impurities within.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bitumen extraction building provides a means of containing and recycling the emissions within.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2352274 CA2352274A1 (en) | 2001-07-04 | 2001-07-04 | Oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2352274 CA2352274A1 (en) | 2001-07-04 | 2001-07-04 | Oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2352274A1 true CA2352274A1 (en) | 2003-01-04 |
Family
ID=4169404
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2352274 Abandoned CA2352274A1 (en) | 2001-07-04 | 2001-07-04 | Oil sand spiral surface mining apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2352274A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7677397B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2010-03-16 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8328126B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2012-12-11 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
| US8393561B2 (en) | 2005-11-09 | 2013-03-12 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Method and apparatus for creating a slurry |
| US8646615B2 (en) | 2009-07-24 | 2014-02-11 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Screening disk, roller, and roller screen for screening an ore feed |
-
2001
- 2001-07-04 CA CA 2352274 patent/CA2352274A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7677397B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2010-03-16 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8136672B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2012-03-20 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8851293B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2014-10-07 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8393561B2 (en) | 2005-11-09 | 2013-03-12 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Method and apparatus for creating a slurry |
| US8328126B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2012-12-11 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
| US8622326B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2014-01-07 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
| US8646615B2 (en) | 2009-07-24 | 2014-02-11 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Screening disk, roller, and roller screen for screening an ore feed |
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