Provided are a method for manufacturing a high yield and high performance mesophase pitch and a high yield and high performance mesophase pitch manufactured therefrom by hydrogenating, mesophase formation, thin film evaporation, solvent-extracting, filtering and then drying to obtain only mesogen components in flow-domained mesophase pitch and then mixing the mesogen components with an isotropic pitch as a solvent component. Further, the high yield mesophase pitch of the present disclosure exhibits high spinnability while maintaining whole anisotropy and exhibits a much higher production yield than existing mesophase pitches.

The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.

A bitumen having the properties of a Newtonian liquid is a mixture of a first oil pitch made of particles of soot and saturated oils and a second oil pitch made of aromatic oils and resins, characterized in that the first oil pitch has saturated oils at a content of at least 10% in wet weight and the second oil pitch has aromatic oils at a content of at least 10% in wet weight.

Disclosed are methods for preparing a high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition for transportation in a railcar, wherein the method may include: (a) providing to a fractionator system a low-viscosity bitumen composition previously residing in a pipeline having a first viscosity and comprising a miscible blend of hydrocarbons, which blend was prepared by mixing a first diluent composition with a first bitumen composition; (b) heating the low-viscosity bitumen composition in the fractionator system at an operating temperature of from 170 C to 232 C to provide a first light fraction and a first heavy fraction; (c) removing at least a portion of the first heavy fraction from the fractionator system, wherein the first heavy fraction has a second viscosity that is higher than the first viscosity; (d) forming a high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition from at least a portion of the first heavy fraction; and (e) directing the high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition to a railcar.

An asphalt composition comprising 0.1 to 8 wt.-% based on the total weight of the composition of an Isocyanate as thermosetting reactive compound and 0.1 to 8 wt.-% based on the total weight of the composition of a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of orthophthalates, terephthalates, cyclohexanoates, azelates, actetates, butyrates, valeriates, alkylsulfonates, adipates, benzoates, dibenzoates, citrates, maleates, phosphates, sebacates, sulfonamides, epoxy es-ters, trimellitates, glycerol esters, succinates, mineral oils and polymeric plasticizers or mixtures thereof, wherein the polymeric plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of Hexanedioic acid polymer with 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol and 1,2-propanediol isononyl ester, Hexanedioic acid polymer with 1,2-propanediol octyl ester and Hexanedioic acid polymer with 1,2-propanediol acetate or mixtures thereof.

The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.

A method for producing asphalt comprising a heat treatment step, wherein the rubber granules deriving from an end-of-life tyre granulation process are subjected to a temperature of between 80 and 300 C., for a period of time necessary in order to obtain rubber granules with a density of between 1.0 and 1.5 g/cm.sup.3; and a mixing step wherein the rubber granules from the heat treatment step are mixed with stone aggregate and bitumen in order to obtain asphalt.

An asphalt processing system is formed from a heating drum and an induction heating system. Flights move asphalt through the heating drum, which concurrently heat the asphalt along with the heating drum wall. A mixing drum can be connected to the heating drum, and include paddles or flights to move the asphalt, while concurrently mixing the material to ensure consistent temperatures through the asphalt cement. The asphalt is heating using one or more induction heating systems to quickly heat the asphalt to between 275 F. and 750 F., followed by moving the asphalt to between 275 F. and 350 F. The system can include a convection system that heats recirculated air through the heating drum. A water condenser can be employed to remove moisture during air recirculation, and reduce asphalt moisture content. The asphalt cement is optionally modified by addition of one or more rejuvenation oils. This system is particularly useful for recycled asphalt pavement, but can be used for all asphalt products.

The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.

An asphalt processing system is formed from a heating drum and an induction heating system. Flights move asphalt through the heating drum, which concurrently heat the asphalt along with the heating drum wall. A mixing drum can be connected to the heating drum, and include paddles or flights to move the asphalt, while concurrently mixing the material to ensure consistent temperatures through the asphalt cement. The asphalt is heating using one or more induction heating systems to quickly heat the asphalt to between 275 F. and 750 F., followed by moving the asphalt to between 275 F. and 350 F. The system can include a convection system that heats recirculated air through the heating drum. A water condenser can be employed to remove moisture during air recirculation, and reduce asphalt moisture content. The asphalt cement is optionally modified by addition of one or more rejuvenation oils. This system is particularly useful for recycled asphalt pavement, but can be used for all asphalt products.