Method for heating and dispensing asphalt in an aboveground asphalt storage facility

Abstract

A method of heating and dispensing bitumen in a storage tank and bitumen terminal in that bitumen is heated in the storage tank and in a casing installed in the tank to a temperature of in-plant transportation of at least 80 C. Bitumen is heated and maintained by heaters in the main storage tank volume outside the casing with an intake and drain pipe of the tank at a temperature not lower than the flow temperature of 60 C. Bitumen is fed from the casing to the working tank main volume as the bitumen is discharged from the working tank. Bitumen is heated in a casing in the working tank to a working temperature of not less than 140 C. with subsequent release to external transport or in the technological process. Bitumen is heated in the main working tank main volume to a temperature not lower than 80 C.

Claims

1. A method of heating and dispensing bitumen in an above-ground bitumen storage and bitumen terminal comprising: heating bitumen in a storage tank in a storage tank casing installed in the storage tank with a storage tank intake and drain pipe to a temperature of in-plant transportation of not less than 80 C.; heating bitumen in a main storage tank volume of the storage tank outside the storage tank casing with the storage tank intake and drain pipe to a temperature of not lower than 60 C. and maintaining that temperature by storage tank heaters; supplying the bitumen from the main storage tank volume of the storage tank under the storage tank casing with the storage tank intake and drain pipe of the storage tank to a main working tank volume of a working tank as the bitumen is dispensed from the working tank; heating the bitumen in the working tank within a working tank casing installed in the working tank with a working tank intake and drain pipe to a working temperature of not less than 140 C.; heating the bitumen in the main working tank volume of the working tank outside the working tank casing with the working tank intake and drain pipe to a temperature of not lower than 80 C. for in-plant transportation of the bitumen with subsequent release of the bitumen to an external transport or in a technological process, wherein heating the bitumen in the main working tank volume of the working tank is maintain by working tank heaters; heating the bitumen in the storage tank by the storage tank heaters throughout the storage tank, wherein the bitumen is transported at a temperature not lower than 80 C. and the bitumen is fed into the main working tank volume of the working tank as used bitumen from the working tank, wherein heating the bitumen is maintained by the storage tank heaters and the bitumen in the working tank is heated under the working tank casing with the working tank intake and drain pipe to a working temperature of not less than 140 C., wherein the heating of the bitumen is conducted with subsequent release of the bitumen on the external transport or in the technological process, wherein the bitumen in the main working tank volume of the working tank outside the working tank casing with the working tank intake and drain pipe is heated and maintained by the working tank heaters at a temperature of in-plant transportation of the bitumen of not lower than 80 C.

Description

(1) The essence of the invention is explained in the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the method;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a scheme of implementing the method. Schematic without the hood with the intake and drain pipe in the storage tank;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic of the method for a terminal without a storage tank.

(5) Technological equipment for the implementation of the method includes: storage tank 1; working tank 2 with heaters 3 in the main volume of the tank, casing 4 with the intake-drain pipe and heaters 5 under the casing.

(6) The method is carried out as follows.

(7) For a terminal with a storage tank and a working tank, the method is carried out according to the scheme in FIG. 1. The tanks are equipped with casings with intake and drain pipes. Filled with bitumen working tank 2 is a preparatory operation. Operations prior to the release of bitumen to external transport or in the process: bitumen in the main volume of the working tank 2 is heated to the temperature of in-plant transportation. It is heated outside the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. Heating by heaters 3 in the main volume of the working tank 2 at least 80 C. bitumen in the local volume is heated in the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. Bitumen is heated by heaters 5 under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the working tank 2. Heated to a shipment temperature of not less than 140 C. Bitumen is taken by pumps and fed to external transport or to the technological process. As bitumen is taken from under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the working tank 2, bitumen flows by gravity to its place. Bitumen comes from the main volume outside the casing of the working tank 2. When the level of bitumen in the working tank 2 to the top mark of the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe, bitumen in the main volume of the working tank 2 is replenished from the local volume of the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the storage tank 1. This is to ensure the equal delivery of bitumen to external transportation or technological process. For this purpose, bitumen is preheated in the storage tank 1. Warmed up by heaters 3 the main volume of the storage tank 1. Bitumen is heated outside the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. It is heated to a flow temperature not lower than 60 C. This ensures that the bitumen flows by gravity under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the storage tank 1. Bitumen is also heated to the temperature of in-plant transportation (not lower than 80 C.). Bitumen is heated in the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the storage tank 1. It is heated by heaters 5 under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the storage tank 1.

(8) As bitumen is dispensed into the main volume of the working tank 2, bitumen from the main volume of the storage tank 1 flows by gravity to its place. Bitumen is dispensed from under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the storage tank 1. For the particular case of the bitumen terminal, with the storage tank without the casing with the intake and drain pipe, the method is carried out according to the scheme in FIG. 2. And for the working tank, the method is carried out according to the diagram in FIG. 2. The tank is installed in a casing with the intake and drain pipe. Filled with bitumen working tank 2 undergoes preparatory operations. Operations before the release of bitumen to external transport or in the process: bitumen in the main volume of the working tank 2 is heated to the temperature of in-plant transportation. It is heated outside the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. Heated at least 80 C. by heaters 3 in the main volume of the working tank 2. bitumen in the local volume is heated in the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. Bitumen is heated by heaters 5 under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the working tank 2. Heated to a shipment temperature of not less than 140 C.

(9) Bitumen is taken by pumps and fed to external transport or to the technological process. As bitumen is taken from under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the working tank 2, bitumen flows by gravity to its place. Bitumen comes from the main volume outside the casing of the working tank 2. When the level of bitumen in the working tank 2 to the top mark of the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe, bitumen in the main volume of the working tank 2 is replenished from the local volume of the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the storage tank 1. This is to ensure the equal delivery of bitumen to external transportation or technological process. For this purpose, bitumen is preheated in the storage tank 1. Heated by heaters 3 the main volume of the storage tank 1. It is heated to a flow temperature of not less than 80 C. This temperature provides pumping or gravity feed of bitumen into the main volume of the working tank 2.

(10) For the particular case of bitumen terminal applies the scheme of implementation of the method according to FIG. 3. Terminal with one tank or with the number of tanks corresponding to the number of stored bitumen grades. According to the scheme, each tank of the terminal is a working tank. A casing with an intake and discharge pipe is installed in the tank. Filled with bitumen, the working tank 2 undergoes preparatory operations. Operations before the beginning of the release of bitumen to external transport or in the process: bitumen in the main volume of the working tank 2 is heated to the temperature of in-plant transportation. It is heated outside the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. Heated at least 80 C. by heaters 3 in the main volume of the working tank 2. bitumen in the local volume is heated in the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe. Bitumen is heated by heaters 5 under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the working tank 2. Heated to a shipment temperature of not less than 140 C. Bitumen is taken by pumps and fed to external transport or to the technological process. As bitumen is taken from under the casing 4 with the intake and drain pipe of the working tank 2, bitumen flows by gravity to its place. Bitumen comes from the main volume outside the casing of the working tank 2.

(11) Introduction of the casing with the intake and drain pipe in the working tank and bringing bitumen in it to the temperatures of shipment to external transport or in the process allows to exclude horizontal or vertical tanks of intensive heating. The introduction of the casing allows for a reduction in energy consumption. Reducing at the expense of useful use of heat loss from the casing with the intake and drain pipe for heating bitumen in the main storage volume. The introduction of the casing allows to ensure the preservation of bitumen quality. Preservation of quality due to the use of the casing with the intake and drain pipe. Use at the high-temperature stage of preparation. The pipe has a much smaller bitumen mirror area (oxidation area) than in horizontal or vertical tanks of intensive heating.

(12) Introduction of the casing with the intake and drain pipe into the storage tank and heating to the temperature of in-plant bitumen transportation provides a reduction of energy consumption. Heating only the local volume of bitumen under the casing with the intake and drain pipe. The heat loss from the casing with the intake and drain pipe is useful. The heat loss ensures that the bitumen in the main volume of the storage tank is warmed up and maintains its temperature.