Granted Patent B2

US 12,624,293 · App. 18/203,739 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: James Auld (Calgary, CA); John Bleile (Calmar, CA); Kasra Nikooyeh (Edmonton, CA); Amanda Prefontaine (Legal, CA); Derek Stanger (Vancouver, CA); Jesse White (Calgary, CA)

Assignee: Canadian National Railway Company

C10G1/00C08J3/126C08L95/00C08J2395/00C08J2423/06C08L2201/56C08L2207/062C08L2207/066C08L2207/53C08L2555/32C08L2555/86

Abstract

Claims (32)

1 . A method of preparing non-volatile bituminous material for transport comprising the following steps:

a) heating non-volatile bituminous material until it is suitably viscous for casting;

b) introducing the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material to a plurality of molds, wherein each mold defines a mold cavity configured to define a pellet of irregular shape and to receive the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material;

c) filling each mold cavity of the plurality of molds with the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material;

d) solidifying the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material in the plurality of molds until a plurality of substantially solid pellets are formed;

e) removing the plurality of pellets from the plurality of molds; and

f) preparing the plurality of molds before the step of introducing the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material to the plurality of molds by positioning a buoyant polymer structure in the mold cavity defined by each of the molds to form an internal web structure within each of the plurality of pellets.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets has a shape selected from generally spherical, generally lozenge, generally cylindrical, generally discoidal, generally tabular, generally ellipsoidal, generally flaky, generally acicular, generally ovoidal, generally pillow shaped and any combinations thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets has a generally lozenge shape.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets comprises a plurality of non-planar surfaces.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets comprises a plurality of edges.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets has a cross-sectional dimension that varies along a longitudinal axis of the substantially solid pellet.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein, for each of the substantially solid pellets, the cross-sectional dimension of the pellet tapers towards a longitudinal end of the substantially solid pellet.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising blending the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material with an additive before introducing it to the plurality of molds.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the additive comprises a polymer.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a coating to each of the plurality of pellets after removing them from the plurality of molds.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each buoyant polymer structure further comprises a plurality of pockets of gas formed within the polymer.

12 . A method of preparing non-volatile bituminous material for transport comprising:

a) heating non-volatile bituminous material until it is suitably viscous for casting;

b) accessing a plurality of molds, wherein each mold defines a mold cavity configured to receive the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material and to mold a pellet of irregular shape;

c) positioning a buoyant polymer structure in the mold cavity defined by each of the molds,

d) filling the mold cavities defined by the molds with the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material;

e) solidifying the suitably viscous non-volatile bituminous material until a plurality of substantially solid pellets of irregular shape are formed, each of the plurality of substantially solid pellets having an internal web structure formed by the buoyant polymer structure positioned in the mold cavity defined by the corresponding one of the molds; and

f) removing the plurality of substantially solid pellets of irregular shape from the plurality of molds.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each buoyant polymer structure further comprises a plurality of buoyant features supported by a polymer of the buoyant polymer structure.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of buoyant features comprises a plurality of pockets of gas formed within the polymer.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets has a shape selected from generally spherical, generally lozenge, generally cylindrical, generally discoidal, generally tabular, generally ellipsoidal, generally flaky, generally acicular, generally ovoidal, generally pillow shaped and any combinations thereof.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets has a generally lozenge shape.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets comprises a plurality of non-planar surfaces.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets comprises a plurality of edges.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the substantially solid pellets has a cross-sectional dimension that varies along a longitudinal axis of the substantially solid pellet.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein, for each of the substantially solid pellets, the cross-sectional dimension of the pellet tapers towards a longitudinal end of the substantially solid pellet.

Assignments (6)

Continuity (11)

References Cited (153)