Utilizing packed columns for asphalt air blowing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11326107-B2
Application number	US-202016800352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Feb 26, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

It has been discovered that the efficiency of asphalt blow stills (reactor columns) can be improved by filling the blow still with various types of packing material, such as metal or glass spheres (or other rigid materials). The packing material acts to reduce air bubble size and improve the dispersion of the air bubbles throughout the asphalt. This increases the total surface area per unit volume of the air bubbles and promotes a faster processing time. The packing material also increases the contact time between the air bubbles and the asphalt which further results in improved efficiency and reduced blow times. This is beneficial because faster processing times can be achieved resulting in more efficient use of equipment, higher levels of productivity, lower energy requirements, cost savings, reduced blow loss, and reduced thermal history to which the asphalt is exposed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blow still comprising:
a top end,
a bottom end, and
at least one side wall which extends from the bottom end to the top end and defines the side borders of the blow still,
the blow still having at least one oxidation section,
wherein the oxidation section is at least partially packed with a packing material, wherein the packing material comprises a plurality of ball bearings, glass marbles, or metal ribbons,
the blow still having an oxidizing gas introduction inlet which is situated within the oxidation section of the blow still, and
wherein the blow still is configured to feed an oxidizing gas into an asphalt to decrease a penetration value and increase a softening point of the asphalt.

2. The blow still of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing gas introduction inlet is a sparger.

3. The blow still of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing gas introduction inlet is a direct air injection device.

4. The blow still of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing gas introduction inlet is not a sparger.

Assignees

• Building Mat Investment Corp

Inventors

• Tibah Denis Muki
• Boss Daniel E

Classifications

• B01J2219/30408

  Metal · CPC title

• B01J19/30

  Loose or shaped packing elements, e.g. Raschig rings or Berl saddles, for pouring into the apparatus for mass or heat transfer · CPC title

• B01J2219/30433

  Glass · CPC title

• B01J2219/30296

  Other shapes · CPC title

• B01J2219/30207

  Sphere · CPC title