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Abstract

A circular solvent extractor useful in a commercial process for the removal of bitumen from tar or oil sands or other solvent extraction processes requiring high tonnage throughput. The extractor comprises two major segments that are stationary, namely, a ring-shaped roof member and a ring-shaped drain trough means positioned therebeneath, and one segment that is movable which comprises a pair of continuous, spaced-apart sidewalls having a plurality of spaced-apart, liquid permeable, process cells rotatably attached to the sidewalls. The sidewalls and their attached process cells are movable about a circular trackway for travel between the fixed hood and drain trough means, forming an annular process chamber therearound. The annular chamber is sealed by upper and lower, circumferential liquid seals coacting between the moving sidewalls and the stationary hood and drain trough means to prevent the leakage of solvent vapors therefrom. Feed means for introducing a slurry material to the cells along with solvent distribution means for continuously feeding solvent to the slurry filled cells are also provided. The cells are individually rotated 180.degree. about their longitudinal axes in a discharge zone of the extractor to rapidly invert and dump the spent slurry into a discharge hopper for residual solvent recovery and disposal in a remote location. Cam track means and cam follower means are also provided to stabilize and to selectively rotate the cells in the discharge zone.

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