Saves water and energy

High pressure: The spacer is lowered into the vessel. It operates at a pressure of up to 2000 psi (140 bar) and weighs 50 tons

Lowering carfully: The spacer has an inflatable seal around the circumference

Complex-machined: The underside of the assembled spacer with sensors and wires "potted" in the channels

Separating oil with waves

Tar sands, also referred to as oil sands, are a combination of clay, sand, water and bitumen, a heavy black viscous oil. Polystone® helps to extract oil.

Tar sands can be mined and processed to extract the oil-rich bitumen, which is then refined into oil. This recovery process includes extraction and separation systems to separate the bitumen from the clay, sand and water.

A big oil group is researching alternative methods of this water and energy-intensive recovery process. Part of this research includes the study of pressure and "wave" patterns of fluids in a solids-packed bed.

For this process a 4" thick x 80" diameter Polystone® P disc was machined at Röchling Machined Plastics in Mount Pleasant, (PA) USA, with a series of channels and cuts to allow for sensors being attached. These sensors will transmit data regarding the patterns of the fluids as the disc undulates.

Polystone® P was chosen for this application due to weight, service temperature range and chemical resistance. Another part which will require 7" thick Polystone® P for a similar experiment is planned.