Measuring Solid Percentage of Oil Sands Mature Fine Tailings Using the Dual Probe Heat Pulse Method

Abstract

The reclamation of mature fine tailings (MFT) is a critical challenge for the oil sands industry in western Canada, and a nonradioactive, automated, and inexpensive method to monitor the MFT solidification is needed. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the feasibility of a dual-probe heat pulse (DPHP) method to measure MFT solid percentage. Dual-probe heat pulse measurements were performed on three MFT samples, each at various solid percentages. A linear relationship ( = 0.9495 + 0.0558) was established between the DPHP-measured solid percentage () and that of oven-dry method (). Six additional MFT samples were collected and measured to validate the DPHP method. The specific heats of the six MFT solids were measured independently using a modulated differential scanning calorimetry method, and the sensitivity of DPHP-measured MFT solid percentage to the specific heat of MFT solids was evaluated. The result shows that the DPHP method can be used to accurately measure MFT solid percentages, and the accuracy can be further improved if the specific heat of the MFT solids is measured independently.

Coagulation/flocculation process with polyaluminum chloride for the remediation of oil sands process-affected water: Performance and mechanism study

“…This range was lower than that in MFT where the particles larger than 2 mm were predominant (Li et al, 2015). The larger particle sizes would be expected in the settled MFT versus the smaller, unsettled particles found in OSPW.…”

Development and Application of the Heat Pulse Method for Soil Physical Measurements

“…In saturated soils, θ v = 1 − ρ b / ρ s , where ρ s is the particle density (about 2.65 g/cm 3 for mineral soils). Therefore, saturated soil water content and/or soil bulk density can be determined for a two phase system such as saturated soils or suspensions as shown by M. Li et al (). For a three‐phase system such as unsaturated soils, either the volumetric soil water content or bulk density must be known before the other could be determined with a HP measurement.…”

Water soluble polymeric nanofibres for rapid flocculation and enhanced dewatering of mature fine tailings

“…Coagulants such as gypsum or alum can be added to MFT to neutralize negatively‐charged particles and reduce repulsion, causing them to coagulate in flocs, which can then settle through gravity, as their sizes increase due to more collisions between the flocs . The problem with this technique is the high concentration of bivalent cations introduced in the recovered water, which cannot be recycled to the bitumen extraction process without further refining . Additionally, flocs produced by coagulation are delicate and have low shear resistance .…”

“…This may cause breakage during transportation. Paste technology uses polymer flocculants to settle suspended particles in the MFT and densify its sediments . Depending on the polymer's characteristics, destabilization of clay in MFT is caused by charge neutralization, charge patching, and bridging.…”

“…Depending on the polymer's characteristics, destabilization of clay in MFT is caused by charge neutralization, charge patching, and bridging. However, these flocculants may be expensive to synthesize and may retain a large amount of water in the sediments …”