Capture Sand in Flocculated Fines: A New Approach to Optimize the Capture of Oil Sands Fines in Sand Beach
Ruijun Sun is a Senior Research Engineer with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Ruijun Sun describes a new way to optimize the capture of oil sands clay fines in sand beaches. He reports on Phase 2 of research that found that the ratio of feed fines to fines + water is a key parameter governing the rate of fines capture. Phase 2 research confirmed this and added a twist. Flocculated fines can increase the rate of fines capture if combined with sand to increase beach strength and prevent flocculated slurry runoff. SRC is now operating a new larger flume to test the effect of flocculation on permeability of oil sands tailings beaches,
Ruijun Sun's presentation was part of the Oil Sands Tailings 2014 conference, organized by the Oil Sands Tailings Research Facility, University of Alberta, at Lake Louise, Alberta, Dec. 7-10, 2014.
