Bitumen solidification and prilling
Methods, processes, and apparatuses for preparing and transporting bitumen. Bitumen may be prilled such that a bitumen product comprising a prill core and a non-stick coating is produced. The non-stick coating may comprise asphaltenes and the prill core may comprise bitumen, deasphalted oil, or both bitumen and deasphalted oil. The resultant non-stick coated prills have reduced adhesion to transportation vessels and other non-stick coated prills at a temperature below an adhesion temperature, facilitating transport.
1. An apparatus for preparing a non-stick coated bitumen prill, the apparatus comprising:
a deasphalter for separating a crude composition into: (i) a first stream comprising asphaltenes, and (ii) a second stream comprising bitumen, deasphalted oil, or a combination thereof;
a prilling vessel having an upper section and a lower section;
a first inlet for inputting at least a portion of the bitumen, the deasphalted oil, or the combination thereof, in the upper section of the prilling vessel and forming a prill core;
a second inlet for inputting a carrier gas to the lower section of the prilling vessel for cooling the prill core;
a first outlet for discharging the carrier gas from the upper section of the prilling vessel;
a third inlet for inputting at least a portion of the asphaltenes as a component of a non-stick coating material for coating the prill core; and
a second outlet for outputting the non-stick coated bitumen prill.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first inlet comprises a nozzle or prilling head.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to cool the prill core from about 180° C. at the upper section of the prilling vessel to about 30° C. at the lower section of the prilling vessel.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the asphaltenes of the non-stick coating material are a powder, a liquid which subsequently solidifies, a solvent-diluted asphaltenes solution which subsequently solidifies, or a combination thereof.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the asphaltenes of the non-stick coating material comprise toluene-diluted asphaltenes.
6. An apparatus for preparing a non-stick coated bitumen prill, the apparatus comprising:
a prilling vessel having an upper section and a lower section;
a first inlet for inputting bitumen, deasphalted oil, or a combination thereof, in the upper section of the prilling vessel and forming a prill core;
a second inlet for inputting a carrier gas to the lower section of the prilling vessel for cooling the prill core;
a first outlet for discharging the carrier gas from the upper section of the prilling vessel;
a third inlet for inputting a non-stick coating material for coating the prill core; and
a second outlet for outputting the non-stick coated bitumen prill,
wherein the first inlet is configured to input the bitumen, the deasphalted oil, or the combination thereof, in the upper section of the prilling vessel via a nozzle or prilling head having a diameter, D n , and at a velocity, v, that satisfy the following equations:
We
l
=
ρ
l
D
n
v
l
2
σ
>
8
,
and
We
g
=
ρ
g
D
n
(
v
g
-
v
l
)
2
σ
<
0.4
,
wherein:
We represents Weber number,
l represents liquid,
g represents gas,
ρ represents density,
D n represents diameter,
v represents velocity, and
σ represents surface tension.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is configured to cool the prill core from about 180° C. at the upper section of the prilling vessel to about 30° C. at the lower section of the prilling vessel.
8. The apparatus according to 6 , wherein the non-stick coating material comprises asphaltenes as a powder, as a liquid which subsequently solidifies, as a solvent-diluted asphaltenes solution which subsequently solidifies, or a combination thereof.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the non-stick coating material comprises asphaltenes as a toluene-diluted asphaltenes.