A reactor is provided for the preparation of modified bitumen, which reactor comprises a horizontal housing comprising a cylindrical wall and two side walls, wherein a bitumen inlet has been provided at or near one of the side walls of the housing and a bitumen product outlet has been provided at or near the opposite side wall of the housing, wherein a plurality of inlets for the provision of oxygen-containing gas has been provided in the cylindrical wall of the housing between the bitumen inlet and the bitumen product outlet, which multi-purpose reactor is further provided with a mixer arranged inside the housing comprising at least one rotor rotating within at least one stator having a plurality of openings. The reaction is used to prepare modified bitumen by contacting bitumen in the reactor with a modified elevated temperature and pressure.

A reactor is provided for the preparation of modified bitumen, which reactor comprises a horizontal housing comprising a cylindrical wall and two side walls, wherein a bitumen inlet has been provided at or near one of the side walls of the housing and a bitumen product outlet has been provided at or near the opposite side wall of the housing, wherein a plurality of inlets for the provision of oxygen-containing gas has been provided in the cylindrical wall of the housing between the bitumen inlet and the bitumen product outlet, which multi-purpose reactor is further provided with a mixer arranged inside the housing comprising at least one rotor rotating within at least one stator having a plurality of openings. The reaction is used to prepare modified bitumen by contacting bitumen in the reactor with a modified elevated temperature and pressure.

A process for producing blown asphalt comprising the steps of mixing a heated hydrocarbon stream and a supercritical water in to produce a mixed stream, operating the supercritical water reactor to produce a reactor effluent, reducing the temperature of the reactor effluent in the cooler to produce a cooled effluent, feeding the cooled effluent through a depressurizing device to produce a depressurized stream, separating the depressurized stream in the flash drum to produce a light fraction stream and a heavy fraction stream, the heavy fraction stream contains a maltene fraction, an asphaltene fraction, and water, introducing the heavy fraction stream to a storage tank, withdrawing an oxidizing reactor feed from the storage tank, introducing the oxidizing reactor feed to an oxidation reactor, and operating the oxidation reactor at an oxidation temperature and an oxidation pressure to produce a product effluent that comprises an oxidized asphaltene fraction.

A process for producing blown asphalt comprising the steps of mixing a heated hydrocarbon stream and a supercritical water in to produce a mixed stream, operating the supercritical water reactor to produce a reactor effluent, reducing the temperature of the reactor effluent in the cooler to produce a cooled effluent, feeding the cooled effluent through a depressurizing device to produce a depressurized stream, separating the depressurized stream in the flash drum to produce a light fraction stream and a heavy fraction stream, the heavy fraction stream contains a maltene fraction, an asphaltene fraction, and water, introducing the heavy fraction stream to a storage tank, withdrawing an oxidizing reactor feed from the storage tank, introducing the oxidizing reactor feed to an oxidation reactor, and operating the oxidation reactor at an oxidation temperature and an oxidation pressure to produce a product effluent that comprises an oxidized asphaltene fraction.

A asphalt binder modifier or a stand-alone asphalt binder and the method of making the asphalt binder or binder modifier are disclosed. The asphalt modifier or binder consisting of treated re-refined engine oil bottoms/VTB's treated by injecting air into re-refining engine oil bottoms/VTB's at temperatures between 150? F. and 550? F. The re-refined engine oil can be processed with ground tire rubber. The binder modifier was blended with various paving and roofing asphalts to form performance-enhanced modified asphalt binders used in paving, roofing, and industrial products.

A asphalt binder modifier or a stand-alone asphalt binder and the method of making the asphalt binder or binder modifier are disclosed. The asphalt modifier or binder consisting of treated re-refined engine oil bottoms/VTB's treated by injecting air into re-refining engine oil bottoms/VTB's at temperatures between 150? F. and 550? F. The re-refined engine oil can be processed with ground tire rubber. The binder modifier was blended with various paving and roofing asphalts to form performance-enhanced modified asphalt binders used in paving, roofing, and industrial products.

A process for producing blown asphalt comprising the steps of mixing a heated hydrocarbon stream and a supercritical water in to produce a mixed stream, operating the supercritical water reactor to produce a reactor effluent, reducing the temperature of the reactor effluent in the cooler to produce a cooled effluent, feeding the cooled effluent through a depressurizing device to produce a depressurized stream, separating the depressurized stream in the flash drum to produce a light fraction stream and a heavy fraction stream, the heavy fraction stream contains a maltene fraction, an asphaltene fraction, and water, introducing the heavy fraction stream to a storage tank, withdrawing an oxidizing reactor feed from the storage tank, introducing the oxidizing reactor feed to an oxidation reactor, and operating the oxidation reactor at an oxidation temperature and an oxidation pressure to produce a product effluent that comprises an oxidized asphaltene fraction.

A process for producing blown asphalt comprising the steps of mixing a heated hydrocarbon stream and a supercritical water in to produce a mixed stream, operating the supercritical water reactor to produce a reactor effluent, reducing the temperature of the reactor effluent in the cooler to produce a cooled effluent, feeding the cooled effluent through a depressurizing device to produce a depressurized stream, separating the depressurized stream in the flash drum to produce a light fraction stream and a heavy fraction stream, the heavy fraction stream contains a maltene fraction, an asphaltene fraction, and water, introducing the heavy fraction stream to a storage tank, withdrawing an oxidizing reactor feed from the storage tank, introducing the oxidizing reactor feed to an oxidation reactor, and operating the oxidation reactor at an oxidation temperature and an oxidation pressure to produce a product effluent that comprises an oxidized asphaltene fraction.

An integrated process is provided to produce asphalt and desulfurized oil. Sulfur molecules contained in heavy petroleum fractions, including organosulfur molecules, and in certain embodiments organonitrogen molecules are oxidized. The polar oxidized sulfur compounds shift from the oil phase to the asphalt phase.

This invention provides for a method for producing polymer modified asphalt (PMA) using base asphalt (bitumen) blended with partially air blown (puffed) asphalt which is further modified with polymers and additives to attain desired properties for industrial applications. The partially blown or blown asphalt is oxidized to a target softening point to suit the application. In another embodiment, the base asphalt is blended with hard PEN asphalt (Zero PEN Asphalt) which is further modified with polymers and additives to attain desired properties for industrial applications. By using the partially oxidized asphalt or blending the base asphalt with partially oxidized asphalt or hard PEN asphalt, the amount of polymers and additives needed to achieve desired properties and performance are significantly reduced. In fact, this technique can be used to attain polymer modified asphalt having a highly desirable combination of characteristics that could not otherwise be attained using the base asphalt.