Oilsand slurry image and video analysis

在油砂开采中，开采出的富含沥青的矿石被粉碎、筛选、与水混合，并在管道中运输，然后进行提取，将沥青与沙子分离。沥青的回收率是波动的，众所周知，由于提取工艺条件不理想，一部分沥青可能会流失到尾。我们建议与世界上最大的油砂生产商加拿大Syncrude公司进行合作研究，通过使用图像处理技术和数据分析，进一步科学地了解采油过程。这一认识将有助于提高沥青的回收率，并通过增加产量实现经济效益，同时通过减少尾道沥青实现环境效益。具体来说，我们将开发图像处理算法来研究由Syncrude最近开发的一种新型传感器（称为泥浆图像分析仪（SIA））采样的矿浆中移动悬浮颗粒或液滴的图像。这些实时算法将得出沥青和砂粒的特征，如它们的大小、运动方向和幅度、形状和颜色。由于这些特征直接转化为沥青的采收率，当在不同的可控制的提取条件下进行测试时，Syncrude可以尝试构建一个将条件与采收率联系起来的模型。在该模型的帮助下，Syncrude的SIA可以在线安装，允许现场工程师监控采收率，调整操作条件，并实现最佳的提取性能。

In oil sands mining, mined ore which is rich in bitumen is crushed, screened, mixed with water, and transported in a pipeline before extraction takes place to separate bitumen from sand. Recovery rate of bitumen fluctuates and it is known that a portion of the bitumen can be lost to tails due to suboptimal conditions of the extraction process. We propose to conduct collaborative research with Syncrude Canada - the largest oil sands producer of the world - to gain a further scientific understanding of the recovery process by using image processing techniques and data analysis. This understanding will help to improve bitumen recovery rate, and result in benefits that are both economical - through increased production - and environmental - through reduced bitumen in tails.Specifically, we will develop image processing algorithms to study images of the moving suspended particles or droplets in ore slurry sampled by a novel sensor developed recently by Syncrude, called slurry image analyzer (SIA). These real-time algorithms will derive the characteristics of droplets of both bitumen and sand such as their size, direction and magnitude of motion, shape, and color. Since these characteristics directly translate into bitumen recovery rate, when they are examined under different extraction conditions that can be controlled, Syncrude can then attempt to construct a model that relates the conditions to the recovery rate. With the help of this model, Syncrude's SIA can be installed online to allow field engineers to monitor recovery rate, adjust operating conditions, and achieve optimal extraction performance.