Bitumen froth is an intermediate product of bitumen upgrading which must be treated to remove solids and water. De-mineralization and de-watering occur through a settling operation in which the addition of a diluent and a demulsifier are crucial to its success. This work explores the effect of mixing variables in the addition of demulsifier, a chemical separation aid. This study probes the use of demulsifier and the effect of mixing on separation in a particularly challenging material:

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... ty bitumen froth. Low-quality froth derives from low-quality bitumen ore, and is more challenging to process. Higher water and solids content and other properties, including the nature of the solids, contribute to this challenge. We use many of the same techniques used in previous studies in averagequality bitumen froth and diluted bitumen to analyze the effects of mixing variables in this new and challenging mixture. By some criteria, the mixing variables lead to expected process results: less water and solids are present in the top layer when mixing energy is high and injection concentration is low (in other words, chemical is more prediluted). Some unexpected results occurred as well: good mixing led to high induction time, or a long period of time after demulsifier addition before settling was detectable. Good mixing also led to lower water content in the bottom layer.