System for Hot Asphalt Cooling and Pelletization Process
AssigneeKellogg Brown & Root LLC
InventorsGary L. Behelfer, Maury Schlossman
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Abstract
Systems for pelletizing hot asphaltenes are provided. Asphaltenic hydrocarbons can be dispersed to provide two or more asphaltenic particles. The asphaltenic hydrocarbons can be at a temperature of from about 175° C. to about 430° C. The asphaltenic particles can be contacted with a film of cooling medium. The film can have a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 500 mm. At least a portion of the asphaltenic particles can be solidified by transferring heat from the asphaltenic particles to the cooling medium to provide solid asphaltenic particles. The solid asphaltenic particles can be separated from at least a portion of the cooling medium.
Claims11
1) A system for pelletizing hot asphaltenes, comprising:
- means for dispersing an asphaltenic hydrocarbon comprising a temperature of from about 175° C. to about 430° C. to provide two or more asphaltenic particles;
- means for pre-cooling the asphaltenic particles, wherein the pre-cooling comprises passing the asphaltenic particles through a mist of cooling medium prior to contacting the asphaltenic particles with the film of cooling medium;
- means for cooling at least a portion of the asphaltenic particles using a film of cooling medium to provide solid asphaltenic particles, the film comprising a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 500 mm;
- and
- means for separating the solid asphaltenic particles from at least a portion of the cooling medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.