Apparatus, system, and method for separating bitumen from crude oil sands

1. A trough assembly for separating liquid from a colloidal mixture, said trough assembly comprising:

a substantially spiral trough for receiving said colloidal mixture;

a plurality of vibration sources at spaced locations along said trough to vibrate said colloidal mixture as said colloidal mixture travels along said trough to cause liquid to separate from said colloidal mixture; and

a filter in said trough through which separated liquid flows.

2. The trough assembly of claim 1 , wherein said vibration sources are positioned within said trough such that said vibration sources contact said colloidal mixture.

3. The trough assembly of claim 2 , wherein said vibration sources are selected from the group comprising exciters, torsional vibration vanes, linear vibrating devices and combinations thereof.

4. The trough assembly of claim 2 , wherein said colloidal mixture comprises crude oil sands, and

wherein said vibration sources are positioned at spaced locations generally along the entire length of said trough.

5. The trough assembly of claim 1 , wherein said vibration sources are selected from the group comprising exciters, torsional vibration vanes, linear vibrating devices and combinations thereof.

6. The trough assembly of claim 5 , wherein said vibration sources are positioned within said trough such that said vibration sources contact said colloidal mixture.

7. The trough assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

an anti-dampening mesh overlying said filter.

8. The trough assembly of claim 7 , wherein said vibration sources are positioned within said trough such that said vibration sources contact said colloidal mixture.

9. The trough assembly of claim 8 , wherein said vibration sources are selected from the group comprising exciters, torsional vibration vanes, linear vibrating devices and combinations thereof.

10. The trough assembly of claim 7 , wherein said colloidal mixture comprises crude oil sands, and

wherein said vibration sources are positioned at spaced locations generally along the entire length of said trough.

11. The trough assembly of claim 1 , wherein said colloidal mixture comprises crude oil sands, and

wherein said vibration sources are positioned at spaced locations generally along the entire length of said trough.

12. An apparatus for separating bitumen from crude oil sands, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of trough assemblies in operative working vertical series, each of said trough assemblies comprising,

a substantially spiral trough for receiving crude oil sands;

a plurality of vibration sources at spaced locations along said trough to vibrate said crude oil sands as said crude oil sands travel along said trough to cause bitumen to separate from said crude oil sands; and

a filter in said trough through which separated bitumen flows.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the vibration sources of each trough assembly are configured to vibrate such that each trough assembly of said series is vibrated at a different frequency.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the vibration sources along the trough of each trough assembly are positioned within said trough such that said vibration sources contact said crude oil sands.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said vibration sources along the trough of each trough assembly are selected from the group comprising exciters, torsional vibration vanes, linear vibrating devices and combinations thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of said trough assemblies further comprises an anti-dampening mesh overlying said filter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the vibration sources along the trough of each trough assembly are positioned within said trough such that said vibration sources contact said crude oil sands.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said vibration sources are selected from the group comprising exciters, torsional vibration vanes, linear vibrating devices and combinations thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each of said trough assemblies further comprises an anti-dampening mesh overlying said filter.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the vibration sources along the trough of each trough assembly are positioned within said trough such that said vibration sources contact said crude oil sands.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said vibration sources along the trough of each trough assembly are selected from the group comprising exciters, torsional vibration vanes, linear vibrating devices and combinations thereof.