EA045897B1 - RECEIVER FOR SOLID FORMATIONS OF NON-VOLATILE BITUMEN MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR REDUCING CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS DURING TRANSPORTATION - Google Patents

Description

Cross reference to related applications

The invention claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/146812, filed February 8, 2021, and co-pending U.S. Utility Model Application No. 17/665531, filed February 5, 2022, each of which is included in this document by reference.

Field of technology to which the invention relates

The present invention relates to bitumen materials containing bitumen, polymer modified bitumen, heavy oil, extra heavy oil, asphalt, polymer modified asphalt, and more particularly to solid formations of bituminous materials and methods for preparing, storing and transporting bituminous materials without added diluent.

State of the art

Worldwide oil demand has increased to nearly 100 million barrels per day, increasing the need to exploit other sources of hydrocarbons as well as alternative energy sources. Two resources of interest are heavy oil and bitumen, which account for more than two-thirds of the world's oil reserves. Heavy oil has an API gravity of less than 20°, and bitumen is the heaviest oil in use today, with an API gravity of less than 10°. Heavy oil and bitumen are more difficult to extract, transport and refine than conventional light oil due to their increased viscosity and density.

Modern methods for extracting and processing heavy oil and bitumen are in development, with a particular emphasis on accessing oil in the vast oil sands of Venezuela and Canada. In Canada, which is the world's third largest oil exporter, 97% of its proven oil reserves are in the oil sands region. Bitumen is extracted from oil sands through mining or using advanced oil recovery techniques such as thermal stimulation, solvent displacement, chemical and microbial stimulation. Thermal reservoir techniques in particular are widely used and include steam injection, cyclic steam stimulation, steam gravity drainage, combustion displacement and directed air injection. Approximately 80% of Canada's oil sands reserves are accessible through improved extraction techniques, with steam assisted gravity drainage being the most widely used extraction method.

Once the bitumen is extracted, it must be improved or diluted to be transported by pipeline or used as a feedstock in refineries. Upgrading the bitumen converts it into synthetic crude oil (SCO), which can be refined and sent to market as consumer products such as diesel and gasoline. In general, improvement results in the breaking down of heavy bitumen molecules into lighter and less viscous molecules, and a portion of the bitumen is further improved through refining and distillation to remove unnecessary impurities such as nitrogen, sulfur and trace metals so that it can be used as a raw material for processing plants. Alternatively, bitumen can be diluted using either conventional oil, paraffin base, or a cocktail of gas condensate liquids. The resulting diluted or liquid bitumen, often called dilbit, has the consistency of regular crude oil and can be pumped through pipelines. The diluents used to dilute bitumen vary depending on the specific type of dilbit being produced, and the most widely used diluents include condensate from natural gas production, naphtha, kerosene, and lighter grades of petroleum. Often, thinners are mixtures that include benzene, a known human carcinogen.

Dilution of bitumen with a thinner is necessary for transporting bitumen through pipelines and is generally preferable to transport by rail. More than 95% of the heavy oil and bitumen produced in Canada and Venezuela, for example, is transported from field to refinery via pipelines. The ratio of materials in the dilbit mixture may contain 25%-55% diluent by volume, depending on the characteristics of the bitumen and diluent, piping specifications, operating conditions and processing plant requirements. Once dilbit arrives at its destination, the diluent can be removed through distillation and reused. Alternatively, all dilbit can be processed, but dilbit is more difficult to process than conventional crude oil due to the presence of hydrocarbons at the extreme ends of the viscosity range.

Although diluting bitumen with a thinner makes it easier to transport through pipelines, there are several risks and disadvantages associated with dilbit. For example, dilbit production involves excess costs and a large carbon footprint. Two significant risks of dilbit are pipeline ruptures and oil spills, which prevent dilbit from being transported across sea despite high demand. When a pipeline or tanker carrying dilbit suffers a rupture, the unstable dilbit does not float on the surface of the water for long, but the heavier components

- 1 045897 chickpeas, and the lighter components evaporate. As a result, cleanup is more difficult and there are concerns about impacts on the reproductive cycles of fish and other animals. In marine environments, where dilbit continues to float on the surface of the water, it is harmful to a wide range of marine animals, including sea otters, toothless whales, fetal fish and juvenile salmon. Additionally, any evaporated dilbit components have an impact on air quality. For example, when a pipeline carrying dilbit ruptured and spilled into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, the local health department issued a voluntary evacuation advisory for nearby residents based on elevated levels of benzene measured in the air.

Once the thinner is removed from the bitumen, some applications require additional additives to improve the function of the bitumen for certain applications. Bitumen in general is brittle in cold environments and softens easily in warm environments. To improve its strength, cohesiveness, and resistance to fatigue and deformation, bitumen is often mixed with asphalt binders such as polymers, whether green or waste, to produce polymer-modified asphalt. Polymer modified asphalt is typically used for paving roads, particularly those designed to withstand heavy traffic and extreme weather conditions. This material is also used as a sealant in residential roofing applications.

Given the disadvantages and risks associated with dilbit, it would be desirable to prepare and transport bituminous materials, which include heavy oil, extra heavy oil, bitumen, asphalt and polymer modified asphalt, without diluents and to prepare and transport polymer modified bitumen materials without diluents. It would also be desirable to prepare bituminous materials and polymer modified bitumen materials for transportation by rail, truck and shipping lines, avoiding the risks associated with pipeline ruptures. It would also be desirable to prepare bituminous materials and polymer-modified bituminous materials for transportation in a manner that would increase buoyancy when released into aquatic environments, facilitating cleanup in the event of a spill into lakes, rivers or oceans.

The essence of the invention

Irregular solid formations of non-volatile bituminous materials provide solutions to reduce the environmental impacts currently associated with the transportation of bituminous materials. Methods for preparing, transporting, storing and receiving bituminous materials include first receiving or accessing non-volatile bituminous materials, which include asphalt, polymer modified asphalt, bitumen, polymer modified bitumen, petroleum varieties, other high molecular weight hydrocarbons and non-bitumen materials. or polymers with thermoplastic and viscoelastic properties that are stable at room temperature and face transportation challenges similar to those of bitumen to receiving locations around the world. The bituminous material may be provided or received in a solid, semi-solid or liquid state, but is preferably in a liquid or suitably viscous state, and any diluent that may have been used to extract the bituminous material is removed before it is received or accessed. The bituminous material can then be prepared for transportation by casting it into a solid formation having an irregular geometric shape. Shortly before casting, the bituminous material is first prepared for casting. It is preferably heated to a predetermined casting temperature at which the bituminous material reaches a suitable viscosity for the casting, and optionally mixed with polymers or other additives. Once prepared, the bituminous material is then introduced into one or more molds, each of which is adapted to cast a solid, or briquette, of irregular geometric shape. Preferably, a suitably viscous bituminous material is injected into molds further provided with an adaptable polymer framework, which is optionally and preferably also provided with buoyant elements, such as encapsulated air or other substances, to create a buoyant and polymer-enhanced solid, or briquette, of irregular geometric shape. After the molds have been filled, the bitumen material is cured and several briquettes are formed, having an irregular geometric shape determined by the mold. The irregular geometric shape is adapted to reduce surface contact with adjacent briquettes when they are collected together in a container, and is defined by multiple non-planar facing surfaces. Preferably, each of the resulting briquettes has a geometric shape similar to a modified tetrahedron. The molds and solid briquettes produced by them are scalable in size depending on industrial needs. After removing the briquettes from the molds, a coating may optionally be applied to enhance friction.

Multiple briquettes may be cast simultaneously using a series or group of multi-part molds that are assembled and moved through multiple stations on a conveyor or other production system. The stations include, for example, stations for preparation, filling, capping, curing, mold dismantling and briquette removal. With such a system, before

- 2 045897 respectfully after preparing the bituminous material so that it is suitably viscous, the viscous bituminous material is transferred into the vessel and contained in the vessel with a pull-out line delivery system at the filling station so that the viscous bitumen material can be introduced into the molds gradually from the bottom of the molds to the top as the pipeline is withdrawn. The plugging station can optionally supply and install plugs on the pullout line access point. At the curing station, the molds and bituminous material can be cured using any industrial system capable of causing the bituminous material to cure. Once cured, the briquettes can be moved to a station where the mold pieces are dismantled or separated. For example, this station may contain a vacuum or mechanical system that removes plugs and mold tops to expose briquettes. Once opened, the briquettes can be removed manually, mechanically or by gravity at a briquette retrieval station. Additional stations may be present where molds are cleaned or replaced and where briquettes are coated or other treatments are applied. Stations can also be combined or further divided into substations if necessary.

Once several briquettes have been formed, they can be collected for transport and delivered to the shipper or picked up by the shipper. When a shipper receives briquettes, the shipper transports the briquettes by rail, truck, air, or ship to a receiving location, such as a distributor, an asphalt end user, or a processing plant that plans to further process the asphalt material. The briquettes are preferably transported in a shelter, such as a special aerodynamic transport chamber with passive systems or environmental control elements. For example, the transport chamber may include a plurality of vents that allow atmospheric air to enter and circulate through and among the briquettes, including around all sides of each individual briquette. Alternatively, the transport chamber may include a water distribution system that draws in external water and sprays it onto and among the briquettes. Preferably, during transport, the briquettes are continuously or intermittently opened and substantially surrounded by water, air, refrigerated air or other substances that help maintain the briquettes in solid form. More preferably, the desired environment within the transport chamber holding the briquettes is maintained simply by the flow of air, water or other substance that naturally occurs as the vehicle carrying the transport chamber moves, thereby minimizing energy loss. In addition to the benefits that result from transporting bituminous materials without diluent and not having to heat the bituminous material for transport by vehicle in liquid form, which is current practice, the use of low or zero emission vehicles for transporting shipping containers with passive environmental control systems environment further reduces or eliminates harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

When the briquettes reach the receiving location, the recipient can store the briquettes in transport chambers or transport them to receivers, including receiving chambers that provide continuous active or passive environmental control. For example, briquettes may be stored as briquettes in large floating or gravity storage chambers that allow water, air, or other substances to circulate around and among the briquettes to help control the environment. Alternatively, the briquettes may be overheated until they return to a liquid state or their original state. Optionally, the briquettes can be moved to a specialized storage chamber, which has a heat-transmitting removable concave receiving cover. In the event that the consumer or recipient wishes to store the briquettes in their solid form, for example when the bituminous material is asphalt or polymer modified asphalt, a dedicated storage container can be used without a removable receiving lid. In the event that the consumer or recipient wishes to re-liquefy the briquettes, for example when the bitumen material is bitumen or polymer modified bitumen, a specialized storage container is used with a removable receiving lid, which is preferably equipped with a radiant heating system to melt the briquettes as they are collected into lid. A delivery system, such as drain holes located around the cap, drains the molten bituminous material from the top of the cap into a chamber below where the molten bituminous material can undergo further processing to remove or distribute the frame or any previously applied additive. For example, the now molten polymer frame can be removed at the receiving point from the surface of the bituminous material or further mixed into it. Finally, the recipient may further process the bituminous material according to its needs and optionally recast the bituminous material into briquettes using the systems and methods described herein.

Transporting bituminous materials in the form of solid briquettes with irregular geometric shapes provides several advantages over traditional methods in which continuous heat, added thinner or both were necessary to move the bitumen materials.

- 3,045,897 terials from one place to another in an economical manner. By essentially eliminating thinner and any other harmful additives, the resulting bituminous material is non-volatile and unlikely to ignite given its higher flash and ignition temperatures. As a result, it can be transported more easily by vehicle, reducing dependence on pipelines, and the threat to the environment is reduced or eliminated, especially if any bitumen spill occurs during transportation. By further enhancing the asphalt briquettes with fitted frames or other floating features, the briquettes are less likely to sink if exposed to marine environments and can be delivered to consumers with preferred, rather than excessive, amounts of polymer or other additives. By eliminating the need to heat the bituminous material during transport, dependence on fossil fuels is reduced, and when traditional vehicles and shipping containers are replaced with low or zero emission vehicles carrying transport chambers containing passive systems and environmental controls, Carbon dioxide emissions are significantly reduced.

Brief description of graphic materials

Fig. 1A is a flow diagram illustrating a process for manufacturing a bituminous material for transportation in solid form according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1B is a flow diagram illustrating a process for transporting solid forms of bituminous materials to receptacles according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an illustration of a process for taking bituminous materials mined according to known methods and preparing them for transportation in solid form according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 3A is a first side view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3B is a first side view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with contour lines shown.

Fig. 3C is a first side view of a briquette according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4A is a second side view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4B is a second side view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with contour lines shown.

Fig. 5A is a top view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5B is a top view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with contour lines shown.

Fig. 6A is a bottom view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6B is a bottom view of a briquette according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with contour lines shown.

Fig. 7 is a first side view of a briquette, showing the frame distributed throughout the bituminous material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a second side view of the briquette, showing the framework distributed throughout the bituminous material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a top view of a briquette showing the framework distributed throughout the bitumen material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a first perspective view of a briquette, showing the framework distributed throughout the bituminous material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a second perspective view of the briquette, showing the frame distributed throughout the bituminous material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a top view of a briquette according to the present invention with its preferred dimensions noted.

Fig. 13 is a first side view of a briquette according to the present invention with its preferred dimensions noted.

Fig. 14 is a second side view of a briquette according to the present invention with its preferred dimensions noted.

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Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a frame formed from groups of fibers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a top view of the frame shown in FIG. 15.

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of the frame of FIG. 16, cut along the line marked 17-17.

Fig. 18A is a flow diagram illustrating land and sea methods for transporting briquettes according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 18B is a block diagram illustrating transport paths according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 19A is an illustration of a low emission rail transportation system with a dedicated aerodynamic transport chamber according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 19B is a perspective view of a bulk carrier with a transport chamber in the cargo compartment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 19C is a perspective view of a transport chamber with ventilation holes according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 20A is a top view of a dedicated storage chamber for receiving briquettes according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 20B is a cross-sectional side view of the dedicated storage locker of FIG. 20A, cut along the line designated 20B-20B.

Fig. 20C is a schematic representation of the elements of a preferred embodiment of the radiant heating system for the dedicated storage locker of FIG. 20A.

Fig. 20D is a schematic representation of the elements of a second embodiment of the radiant heating system for the dedicated storage locker of FIG. 20A.

Fig. 21A is a perspective view of an exemplary mold used to prepare briquettes according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 21B is a side view of the shape shown in FIG. 21A, illustrating its two independent parts.

Fig. 21C is a side view of the shape shown in FIG. 21A, illustrating a cavity contained therein.

Fig. 21D is a top view of the first mold part and the first mold cavity shown in FIG. 21A.

Fig. 21E is a bottom view of the second mold portion and the second mold cavity shown in FIG. 21A.

Fig. 22 is an illustration of a process for forming briquettes with the exemplary shape shown in FIG. 21A, and according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 23A is a top view of a plurality of briquettes arranged on a conveyor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 23B is an end view of a plurality of briquettes on the conveyor shown in FIG. 23A.

Fig. 24A is an illustration of a filling station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, at the moment when the bituminous material begins to fill the mold.

Fig. 24B is an illustration of a filling station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, at the moment when the bituminous material has filled approximately half of the mold.

Fig. 24C is an illustration of a filling station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, at the moment when the bituminous material has almost filled the mold.

Fig. 24D is an illustration of a filling station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, at a time after the bituminous material has filled the mold and the draw-out conduit has been removed from the mold.

Fig. 25A is an illustration of a capping station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, before installing the plug.

Fig. 25B is an illustration of a capping station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, while installing the plug.

Fig. 25C is an illustration of a capping station of the exemplary briquette forming process shown in FIG. 22, after installing the plug.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In fig. 1A and 1B illustrate a preferred embodiment of a general process 100 for curing, transporting, storing, and receiving diluent-free bituminous material 105, also referred to herein as nitbit or non-volatile bituminous material 105, to receiving locations 905, such as those owned by distributors, end users, and processing plants. Terms bituminous material, heavy oil, extra heavy crude oil, heavy crude

- 5 045897 petroleum, heavy crude oil, bitumen, asphalt, bituminous material 105 and bituminous materials 105 used herein independently or in any combination herein are to be understood to cover any type of petroleum, and any application thereof, that is consistent herewith The United States Geological Survey (USGS) definition of heavy oil and bitumen is as described in USGS Fact Sheet 70-03 and also includes heavy crude oil, extra-heavy crude oil, bitumen and asphalt. Additionally, this includes, for the purposes of the present invention, other high molecular weight hydrocarbons and other non-bitumen materials or polymers with thermoplastic and viscoelastic properties that are stable at room temperature and face transportation difficulties similar to those of bitumen. Additionally, any reference to briquettes 300 herein includes briquettes formed from any of the bitumen materials defined above, and any reference to a bitumen material 105 that is pure, undiluted or non-volatile, herein includes a bituminous material without diluent or a bituminous material with significantly reduced diluent content. For example, briquettes 300 may be composed of bitumen, polymer-modified asphalt, asphalt, or polymer-modified asphalt, or briquettes 300 may be made from custom blends of asphalt materials requested by the customer.

Prior to curing, transporting, storing, and receiving the bituminous material 105 of the present invention, the bituminous material 105 may be recovered from the oil sands 107, as shown in FIG. 2, or obtained from other sources or locations. For example, bituminous material can be recovered from oil sands 107 by mining, steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), steam solvent assisted gravity drainage (SASAGD) and steam solvent gravity drainage with cyclic expansion (ES-SAGD). . If a diluent was used to extract bituminous material 105, the diluent and any other unwanted materials should be removed from the bituminous material 105, and the diluent may not necessarily be reused. It can then be made available to the manufacturer as a solid, semi-solid or preferably liquid substance for processing and casting according to the present invention.

The terms solid and hardening with respect to bituminous material 105 as used herein mean to take a form, or cause to take a form, that behaves substantially like a solid mass, including one in which it does not change phase but still resists flow and exhibits structural integrity. As shown in FIG. 1, bituminous material 105 is first received or accessed 110 and then prepared 115 for casting. Preparing 115 for casting includes heating 120 the bituminous material 105 to a temperature that melts it or renders it liquid or suitably viscous 205, and then optionally mixing 125 it with an additive 106, such as a polymer, to improve its buoyancy or performance as an asphalt binder. . The bituminous material 105 in its liquid or suitably viscous state 205 is then introduced 130 into one or more molds 305, each of which is configured to mold its contents into a solid of irregular geometric shape that is configured with little or no similar dimensions on a given surface area. to reduce surface contact between adjacent briquettes and thereby maximize the cooling efficiency around the briquettes as they are transported from one location to another. Each mold is preferably provided with a frame 400, which is more preferably made of a polymer, further adapted to support additional or built-in floats 420 and positioned across and throughout the mold 305. Both the frame 400 and the floats 420 can be customized to suit the needs of the user. After the liquid or suitably viscous bitumen material 205 fills the molds 305, the bitumen material in the molds 305 is cured 140 until briquettes 300 are formed. Each briquette 300 is an irregularly shaped body that preferably resembles a modified tetrahedron. The 305 molds and the resulting 300 briquettes are scalable in size depending on industrial needs. The molds are disassembled where necessary and the briquettes 300 are removed 150 from the molds 305 manually, mechanically or by gravity. The briquettes 300 are then collected 160 for final transportation and preferably temporarily stored in solid form in storage compartments 908, 909, 910 until picked up by the shipper 600. Optionally, a friction-enhancing coating 302 may be applied 155 to the surface of the briquettes 300 before or after assembly. . The frame 400, floats 420, briquettes 300, molds 305, and friction coatings 302 are discussed below.

After the desired number of briquettes 300 are formed and collected, the shipper 600 picks up 165 the plurality of briquettes 300 to transport 170 them in a transport chamber 610 or other enclosure that preferably has an environmental control system 615. For example, the transport chamber 610 may actively, such as through refrigeration systems, or passively, such as through vents and color and material selection, introduce and circulate air or water so that it flows through and around substantially 180 sides. each individual briquette 300. The shipper 600 transports the 170 transport chamber 610 and many

- 6 045897 transport of briquettes 300 by rail, road, air, sea or any combination thereof, for example by intermodal or multimodal transport, to an intermediate location 904 or a consumer receiving location 905. Shipper 600 may use any vehicle capable of carrying cargo or cargo, and the terms vehicle and vehicles as used herein include all commonly used and emerging transportation and logistics systems, including railroad trains, trucks, aircraft, vans, trailers, tankers , cargo ships, drones, trolleys, tubes and autonomous cargo ships, freight railway trains, cargo aircraft and other unmanned systems. Additionally, the vehicle and vehicles include specialized vehicles with dedicated or integrated transport bladders 610. Preferably, shipper 600 uses low or zero emission vehicles to transport transport bladders 610, which further reduces or eliminates carbon dioxide emissions. Intermediate locations 904 are generally those in which the briquettes 300 may need to be moved from one vehicle to another, for example, when the briquettes 300 are moved by both rail and ship.

At the receiving location 905, briquettes 300 may be transferred directly as briquettes 300 to a new shipper 600; be held in intermediate storage rooms as briquettes 300 until they can be picked up by a new shipper 600, or placed in storage rooms and held as briquettes 300 or in liquid form until they can be picked up by a consumer 195, 197, 199. Receiving locations 905 include any locations capable of accepting briquettes 300, and includes those associated with intermediaries 185, distributors 195 who will ultimately distribute the briquettes to end users 199, end users 199 who may, for example, be willing to accept asphalt briquettes 305, or recyclers plants 197, which may, for example, wish to re-liquefy, further process and then recast the bitumen into briquettes 300 for transport to end user 199. During transport 170, preferably the environmental control system 615 continuously or periodically circulates air, water or other substances among the briquettes 300 in the chamber 610 to help maintain 180 them in solid form, as discussed below.

When the briquettes 300 reach the intermediate location 904 or receiving location 905, they may be stored in their current transport chambers 610 or transferred 190 to receivers 907, such as receiving chambers, which are preferably also equipped with active or passive environmental control systems 615, including those which allow the continuous flow of air, water or other substances through them to help maintain a suitable environment for the contents of the receiving chambers. Preferably, the briquettes 300 are stored in receiving chambers, which are large floating storage chambers 909 if located in a port, or gravity storage chambers 908 if located on land, both types of storage chambers 908, 909 allowing temperature or climate maintaining substances circulate among the briquettes 300. Alternatively, especially if the receiving location 905 is associated with a processing plant where the briquettes 300 may be overheated until they return to a liquid state or their original state, the briquettes 300 may be transferred to a dedicated storage chamber 910. The dedicated storage chamber 910 will facilitate either storing briquettes 300 in their solid form or superheating 190 briquettes 300 using a heat transfer cap to return the bituminous material 105 to a liquid or suitably viscous state.

If the briquettes 300 have been delivered to a distributor 195 or to an intermediate location 904, the briquettes 300 are stored 195 in their solid form until they are delivered to the end user 199 or another shipper 600. If the briquettes 300 have been distributed to an end user 199, such as an asphalt end user, the bituminous material 105 can be liquefied or stored as briquettes 300 for immediate use. Alternatively, if the briquettes 300 have been received by a processing plant 197 that requires bitumen, or by a customer that intends to further process the bitumen material 105 prior to transportation to end users 199, the briquettes 300 may be stored 197a in solid or liquid form and then optionally returned to liquid or suitably viscous state 197b. The liquefied bituminous material 205 may also be subjected to further processing 197c. For example, additives may optionally be removed from or further mixed into the surface of the bituminous material 105, and additional additives or treatments may be added or applied prior to optionally re-casting 130 of the liquid or suitably viscous bitumen material 205 into briquettes 300 for subsequent transportation.

Formation of briquettes.

In fig. 21A-25C illustrate an exemplary shape and process for forming solid, irregularly shaped asphalt material briquettes 300 from liquid or other suitably viscous bituminous material 205. After receiving the bituminous material in solid, semi-solid, or liquid form, the bituminous material 105 may be stored until shortly before how it will be cast into 300 briquettes. When the casting is approaching, for example, will be done within the next twenty

- 7 045897 four hours, the bitumen material 105 is first prepared for casting at the preparation station 117, where it is heated until it reaches a temperature at which the bitumen material liquefies or becomes suitably viscous for molding. Preferably, the bituminous material 105 is heated to at least or about 150 degrees Celsius. Because bitumen softens gradually over a range of temperatures, the temperature suitable for casting may vary depending on the composition of the bitumen material 105 being softened or melted. Additionally, after the bitumen material 105 reaches the desired consistency, optional additives 106 can be mixed into the bitumen material 105 at the preparation station 117. The bituminous material 105 can then be cast 130 directly into a mold or stored in a liquid or suitably viscous state for processing and casting at a later time.

When ready to form solid briquettes 300, a suitably viscous bitumen material 205 is introduced into molds 305 to cast 130 into solids or irregularly shaped briquettes 300. In fig. 21A-21E illustrate an exemplary mold 305 used to cast irregular solid geometric briquettes 300 according to a preferred embodiment as described herein and shown in FIG. 3A-6B. Preferably, each mold 305 is provided with a cavity 810 corresponding to the size, geometric shape, and volume of the desired irregular solid body to be formed. Each mold 305 is further preferably provided with a frame 400, which is more preferably a three-dimensional lattice or mesh of polymer fiber groups supporting the floating elements 420, which is positioned or tensioned across each mold 305. The frame 400 is discussed further below and shown in FIG. 7-11.

Preferably, each mold 305 comprises two parts, a first mold part 800 that defines a first cavity 810a corresponding to a large portion of the resulting briquette 300, and a second mold part 805 that defines a second cavity 810b corresponding to the top of the resulting briquette 300. the mold portion 800 has a top surface 800a, a bottom surface 800b, and one or more walls 800c extending from the top surface 800a to the bottom surface 800b. Together, the top surface 800a, bottom surface 800b, and walls 800c enclose or define the boundaries of a preferably solid first mold portion 800. Additionally, the first mold portion 800 defines a first cavity 810a that extends from the top surface 800a to, but not through, the bottom surface 800b. Additional cavities 810a may also be formed by the first mold portion 800, which would facilitate the casting of multiple briquettes 300 or portions of a briquette in a single mold.

The second mold portion 805 also has a top surface 805a, a bottom surface 805b, and one or more walls 805c extending from the top surface 805a to the bottom surface 805b. Together, the top surface 805a, the bottom surface 805b, and the walls 805c enclose or define the boundaries of a preferably solid second mold portion 805. Additionally, the second mold portion 805 defines a second cavity 810b that extends from the bottom surface 805b to, but not through, the top surface 805a. The second mold portion 805 also defines a channel 807 extending from its top surface 805a to a second cavity 810b to provide access to the cavity 810 from outside the mold 305. The channel 807 is preferably located at or near the center of the top surface 805a, but may be located elsewhere. location, depending on the geometric shape of the 300 briquette to be cast and the needs or desires of the manufacturer. Also, additional cavities 810b and/or channels 807 may be formed by the second mold part 805. Additional cavities 810b allow multiple preforms 300 or preform parts to be cast in a single mold, and additional channels 807 may speed up processing by providing multiple access points to cavity 810 from outside the mold 305 or providing independent access to each cavity 810 where multiple preforms 300 or preform parts will be be cast in one mold.

Preferably, the first and second mold portions 800 and 805 also have the same or complementary overall configurations and geometric shapes. For example, the walls 800c and 805c extending from the upper surfaces 800a and 805a to the lower surfaces 800b and 805b of the upper and lower mold portions 800 and 805, respectively, may be four connected walls oriented at right angles such that the mold portions 800 and 805 have top and bottom surfaces that are substantially square geometrically shaped as shown herein, a single continuous wall connected at its end such that mold portions 800 and 805 have top and bottom surfaces that are substantially circular or oval geometrically shaped , or have any other configuration or geometric shape as required. Moreover, although the walls 800c and 805c are illustrated as extending at right angles to the top and bottom surfaces of the mold portions 800 and 805, the walls 800c and 805c may have a variable slope, beveled, or irregular geometric shape, depending on the geometric shape of the briquette 300. to be obtained, and the needs or wishes of the manufacturer. Preferably, the mold portions 800 and 805 are sized and geometrically shaped to cooperate with trays, modules, or other support and load-bearing structures used in manufacturing.

- 8 045897 ve.

The first and second mold portions 800 and 805 are configured such that, when releasably attached or positioned one behind the other, the lower surface 805b of the second mold portion 805 engages the upper surface 800a of the first mold portion 800. For example, the bottom surface 805b of the second mold portion 805 may simply rest on the top surface 800a of the first mold portion, held in place by gravity or friction, or it may be releasably secured by fasteners, adhesives, or other means, depending on the desired fit and ease of assembly and disassembly. Additionally, when the first and second mold portions 800 and 805 are releasably attached or positioned one behind the other, complementary cavities 810a and 810b cooperate to form a single cavity 810 or multiple cavities 810, each of which has the desired overall geometric shape of the briquette 300 or parts that are desired take a leak.

In fig. 23A-25C illustrate production stations in accordance with an exemplary casting process 815, where multiple molds 305 are filled with a suitably viscous or liquid bituminous material 205 simultaneously. Preferably, a plurality of first mold portions 800 305 are releasably coupled in groups along a conveyor belt 820, and their respective second mold portions 805 are releasably coupled to or spaced from the first mold portions 800 from the belt 820 at a first or home station 825, as shown in FIG. 23A and 22B. Conveyor 820 may be any type of conveyor, including an automated belt conveyor, and the first portions 800 may be attached thereto by staples, tray 822, modules, or other support structures as would be known to one skilled in the art. Although the figures show six molds 305 arranged in a single row along the conveyor 820, it will be understood that the number of parts in a group can be scaled up or down and can be arranged in multiple rows or other configurations depending on production needs and capabilities.

After placement and assembly, the plurality of molds 305 are transported by conveyor 822 to a second position, or filling station 830, where the molds 305 can receive suitably viscous or liquid bituminous material 205 through channels 807 in the second mold portions 805. The filling station 830 preferably includes one or more vessels 834 that are in direct or indirect fluid communication with the preparation station 117 so that they can receive a load of suitably viscous bitumen material 205. The vessels 834 hold, deliver, or hold and deliver, the suitably viscous bituminous material. material 205 into one or more forms 834 through one or more riser pipes or conduits 832 that are in fluid communication with the vessel 834 or vessels 234. The vessels 234 may be of any design capable of holding, carrying, or facilitating the delivery of viscous or liquid bituminous material 205 Each riser conduit 832 is sized to descend into a cavity 810 within the mold 305 through a single channel 807, and is configured to be in fluid communication with the cavity 810 when positioned at least partially within the channel 807 of the mold 305. Each riser 832 provides a path from the vessel 834 to the cavity 810 for the liquid bituminous material. When the plurality of molds 305 are in the filling station 830, the first and second mold portions 800 and 805 are filled with a suitably viscous or bituminous material 205 from the bottom of the first mold portions 800 to the top of the second mold portions 805 as the drawer lines 832 are withdrawn as shown. in fig. 24A-24D. This action improves the quality of the resulting briquettes because each mold 305 is filled gradually to progressively consolidate into a geometric shape and enclose the frames 400 located within the mold 305. Preferably, the frames 400 located within the molds 305 are designed and positioned so that they do not intersect with retractable pipelines 832 when they fill the molds 305.

After a suitably viscous bituminous material 205 has filled the plurality of mold portions 800 and 805, and hence the molds 305, and after all drawer lines 832 have been withdrawn from the channels 807, the molds 305 are preferably conveyed by belt 820 to a third position, or capping station 835. The capping station includes a plug structure 839 for holding, carrying, or otherwise facilitating delivery of plugs 837. Each plug 837 is configured to interact with one of the channels 807 so as to block or seal access to a corresponding cavity 810 within the molds 305. 837 stoppers include alternatives to stoppers, including plugs, plugs, caps, seals, or other mechanical barriers. In fig. 25A-25D illustrate installation of plug 837 into channel 807 of second mold portion 805 when mold 305 is located at plugging station 835. Although plugging station 835 is shown as an independent station in the figures, it will be appreciated that it may be combined with a station immediately preceding it. or thereafter, where feasible and depending on production needs and capabilities. For example, the molds 305 may receive liquid bitumen material 205 and be closed with plugs 837 at the same station.

After the molds 305 have been equipped with plugs 837, the bituminous material in the cavities 810 can be cured. Preferably, the molds 305 are transported by a belt 820 to a fourth position, or curing station 840, which contains a curing system 842. System 842

- 9 045897 curing may use water, air, pressure or other curing methods and tools 844. The curing system 842 may be any type of industrial system typically used for casting parts by curing a viscous material, as long as the system is capable of curing an asphalt material. Preferably, the molds 305 and suitably viscous bituminous material 205 are cured by cooling them to room temperature or below 25 degrees Celsius, although the exact temperature will depend on the composition of the bituminous material 105.

After the bituminous material has cured into briquettes 300, each briquette 300 is ready to be removed from each mold 305 and transported. To remove each briquette 300 from its mold 305, the group of molds 305 and their contents are preferably conveyed by belt 820 from the curing station 840 to a fifth position, or mold dismantling station 850, where the second mold portions 805 can be removed or separated from the first mold portions 800. At the mold dismantling station 850, a vacuum 854 or other release device or machine is coupled to the second mold parts 805 to facilitate their separation from the first mold parts and subsequent removal. When vacuum device 854 is used, preferably a vacuum cup 852 is attached to the top surface 805a of every other mold portion 805. Vacuum cups 852 are operatively coupled to a vacuum device 854 to pull the second mold portions 805 away from the first mold portions 800. Once separated, the second mold portions 805 can be removed from the suction cups 852 for cleaning, repair, plug removal, additional configuration, or other processing. Although a vacuum device is discussed, other removal devices and machines can perform the same function and fall within the scope of the present invention, including those that use magnets, cranes, levers, hydraulics, lifts and other separation devices.

After the second mold portions 805 are removed from the first mold portions 800, the briquettes 300 remain partially seated in the first mold portions 800. The first mold pieces 800 and briquettes 300 may then be transported by belt 820 to a sixth position, or briquette release station 860. Preferably, the briquette release station 860 is located where the conveyor causes the objects carried on it to turn over. The tray 822 and the first mold portions 800 are then inverted and the briquettes 300 are dropped from the first mold portions 800 by gravity, optionally into a receiving basket 862 or other collection device, or into a chute, onto a second conveyor, or other conveyor structure adapted to move the briquettes out of the area. castings into a nearby position. Alternatively, briquettes 300 may be removed manually or mechanically. Once the briquettes 300 are removed, the first mold pieces 800 may be moved to additional positions along the belt 820 for removal, repair, cleaning, and additional configuration or processing before being reassembled and attached to trays 822 or conveyor 820 for further casting of briquettes.

Additional stations may be included in process 815 as needed. For example, process 815 may include specialized stations for cleaning parts, placing frames, delivering additives, assembling parts, applying pre-treatments, post-processing, labeling, data collection, inspection, or other steps typically occurring during a manufacturing or casting process. Also, where desired and possible, multiple independent stations may be combined to improve efficiency, save space, or both, and conveyor 820 may be replaced by another automatic, manual, or combination thereof for moving or transporting products from one location to another, including use of rollers, steppers, chutes, conveyors, carts, pulleys, overhead transfer devices and other equipment for assembly lines and manufacturing sites.

Preferably, after the briquettes 300 have been removed from their molds 305, a friction enhancing coating 302 may be applied 155 to the surface of the briquettes 300. One or more coatings 302 may be applied as a liquid, sprayed, or applied using a polymer wrapping technique.

Briquette configuration.

Each briquette 300 of bituminous material is designed such that a given surface area has little or no similar dimensions such that when multiple briquettes 300 are collected in a container or placed adjacent to each other, surface contact between adjacent briquettes 300 is minimized and air, water or other cooling agents can easily flow around and between the individual briquettes 300, thereby maximizing the cooling efficiency around the briquettes as they are transported from one location to another. Preferably, surface contact between adjacent briquettes is limited to less than 5% of their surface area, although more surface contact is acceptable in the present invention, provided that the briquettes 300 can be maintained at a temperature below that at which softening or melting would compromise the integrity of the briquettes 300 Generally, the surface contact should be less than that which causes the briquettes 300 to join or fuse together and are no longer individual briquettes 300. For example, a briquette 300 with irregular sides and edges will minimize surface contact between adjacent briquettes 300, and a briquette with

- 10 045897 concave sides and curved edges will further minimize surface contact between adjacent briquettes 300. Surface contact between adjacent briquettes 300 can be further minimized by including multiple surfaces among which no two surfaces are the same size, and by including along surfaces and edges additional surface or edge irregular geometries, such as notches, protrusions, peaks, channels, cavities, or combinations thereof, or by configuring the overall geometric shape as a solid irregular body not composed of other recognized geometric shapes .

In fig. 3A-14 illustrate a briquette 300 according to the present invention with a preferred geometric shape and size. In fig. 3A-6B illustrate the preferred overall geometric shape of the briquette 300, which is similar to a modified tetrahedron having no right angles. In fig. 7-11 illustrate how the frame 400, described in detail further below, is distributed throughout the briquette 300 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In fig. 12-14 illustrate the dimensions of a briquette 300 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

According to a preferred embodiment, the briquette 300 has a substantially solid body (not designated) that is formed by an outer surface that includes three non-flat modified triangular face surfaces 330, a modified triangular domed top surface 310, three curved edges 320, and an apex opposite the top surface 310, where three front surfaces 330 converge, which is a modified dome-shaped bottom surface 314, as shown in FIG. 3A-6B. As used herein, the term modified when used to describe geometric shapes, surfaces and solids refers to geometric shapes, surfaces and solids that resemble a particular geometric shape, surface or solid, but also include variations such as truncated corners or areas curved edges or surfaces, irregular geometric shapes intentionally or unintentionally formed on surfaces or edges, or other unconventional properties of a geometric shape, solid, or surface. Likewise, the term substantially, as used herein, should be understood to mean substantially, substantially, or for the most part. For example, a substantially solid body is a body that is intended to be solid but may contain unintentional defects, or which is intended to be substantially solid but with features or defects, such as air pockets, that are intentionally embedded within it.

As shown in FIG. 3A-6B, the curved edges 320 are where the sides or edges of the adjacent face surfaces 330 generally meet. They act as a permanent connection between the edges of the adjacent face surfaces 330 and can also be considered surfaces, especially if they have some width H. Each curved edge 320 preferably includes adjacent first, second, and third edge portions 320a, 320b, and 320c adjacent an upper end 320h that is connected to the domed top portion 310, and a fourth portion 320d that constitutes the remainder of the curved edge 320 and is connected at the opposite lower end 320g of the curved edge. edges 320 with a domed bottom portion 314. The curved edges 320 along their longer sides or edges 320e and 320f, which are spaced a substantially constant distance H from each other, preferably have a radius 132. Each of the first, second and third edge portions 320a, 320b and 320c are preferably substantially flat. In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3C, the curved edges may have dimensions different from each other, as shown with respect to the first curved edge 320AA having an overall length F1, the second curved edge 320BB having an overall length F2, and the third curved edge 320CC having an overall length F3, as discussed. Additionally with respect to FIG. 12-14.

Each non-planar modified triangular face 330 preferably further consists of a first triangular portion 332, a second triangular portion 334, a third triangular portion 336, and a fourth triangular portion 338. The first triangular portion 332 is connected to the modified domed top portion 310 along the first edge 332a, to the second triangular portion 332. a portion 334 along the second edge 332b and a third triangular portion 336 along the third edge 332c. The second triangular portion 334 is connected along the first edge 334a to one of the adjacent face surfaces 330 through one of the curved edges 320, to the first triangular portion 332 along the second edge 334b, and to the fourth triangular portion 338 along the third edge 334c. A third modified triangular portion 336 is connected along a first edge 336a to one of the adjacent face surfaces 330 via another of the curved edges 320, to a fourth triangular portion 338 along a second edge 336b, and to a first triangular portion 332 along a third edge 336c. The fourth triangular portion 338 is connected to the domed bottom portion 314 along the first edge 338a, to the third triangular portion 336 along the second edge 338b, and to the second triangular portion 334 along the third edge 338c. All four triangular portions 332, 334, 336 and 338 also converge at a central apex 340 of each face surface 330, and the central apex 340 is preferably substantially

- 11 045897 stvu round. In addition, each of the triangular portions 332, 334, 336 and 338 may have a substantially triangular geometric shape or other geometric shapes that together form an overall triangular face 330, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Preferably, the third triangular portion 336 includes a recess 342 or a recess surface located where the third triangular portion 336 is connected to the domed bottom portion 314.

The domed bottom surface 314 of the briquette 300 includes a central domed portion 315 that abuts the fourth triangular portions 338 of the three face surfaces 330 and three edge projections 316 that abut the lower ends 320h of the curved edges 320 where the edge projections 316 and the curved edges 320 meet. the edge projections 316 are connected and placed within the central dome-shaped portion 315 of the domed bottom surface 314, forming an overall modified dome-shaped surface having a hexagonal perimeter at its base.

The modified triangular domed top surface 310 includes three truncated triangular top portions 311, three top edge projections 312, and a central apex 318. Each of the truncated triangular portions 311 is connected by a first edge 311a to the first triangular portion 332 of each face surface 330, two second edges 311b to the top edge projections 312 and a frustum 311c that is connected to the center peak 318. The upper edge projections 312 are connected to the upper ends 320h of the curved edges 320 and to the center point 318.

Each of the face, portion, and edge surfaces of the briquette 300 are optionally contoured to further emphasize their irregular geometric shape. In fig. 3B, 4B, 5B and 6B, the contour formation of the outer surface is illustrated by gray lines. Preferably, with respect to each face surface 330, the first triangular portion 332 and the fourth triangular portion 338 are substantially planar, the second triangular portion 334 is substantially concave, and the third triangular portion 336 is substantially convex. The domed top surface 310 and the domed bottom surface 314 typically have a convex overall geometric shape, but may include some variation in contour if necessary. With respect to each curved edge 320, each of its individual portions 320a, 320b, 320c and 320c is substantially flat, as described above. In addition, the recess 342 and the central peaks 340 are preferably substantially flat.

In fig. 12-14 illustrate preferred dimensions of the briquette 300. As shown, the width A of each face surface 330 along the location where its first triangular portion 332 is connected to the top surface 310 and including the ends of the curved edge 320 is approximately 305 mm, and the distance D from the center of each the first edge 332 to the center of each opposite curved edge 320 is approximately 275 mm. The width E of the top portions 311 of the top surface 310 where it is connected to the first triangular face portions 332 is approximately 280 mm, and the width C of the top portions 311 and the edge projections 312 on each side of the top surface 310 is approximately 315 mm. The total distance B from the center of the top surface 310 to the center of the bottom surface 312 is approximately 270 mm, and the total length F of each curved edge 320 is approximately 253 mm. The width G of each face surface 330 along the location where its fourth triangular portion 338 is connected to the bottom surface 312 is approximately 45 mm. The width H of each curved edge 320 is approximately 35 mm. If the briquette 300 has a geometric shape corresponding to the alternative briquette 300 in FIG. 3C, the overall dimensions will be different. As shown in FIG. 3C, each of the curved edges has a different overall length, with the first curved edge 320AA having a length F1, the second curved edge 320BB having a length F2, and the third curved edge 320CC having a length F3. Because the lengths of the curved edges 320AA, 320BB, and 320CC are different, each of the face surfaces 330 will also have different dimensions from each other, and the top surface 310 and bottom surface 314 will have additional contours. Accordingly, an alternative embodiment of briquette 300 would have an even more irregular geometric shape and would likely further inhibit surface contact with adjacent briquettes.

Although the figures generally illustrate the preferred embodiment for the size and geometric shapes of the surfaces, edges, top and bottom, and the contours of the outer surface of the briquettes 300, those skilled in the art will understand that changes in the size, geometric shape and contour formation of the irregular solid body and its surfaces may be provided so long as the resulting briquette 300 minimizes surface contact between adjacent briquettes 300. Preferably, the size, geometric shape and contouring of the irregular solid body and its surfaces prevent adhesion of the two or more briquettes 300 or counteract it and instead promote the flow of fluid or air between and among adjacent briquettes 300, as discussed above. In addition, the briquettes 300 and their corresponding shapes 305, as shown and discussed herein, can be formed into

- 12 045897 on a larger or smaller scale depending on industrial needs, as understood by those skilled in the art.

Polymer frame.

In a preferred embodiment of the briquettes 300, each briquette 300 is reinforced with a polymer or other buoyant additive that can be scaled and tailored to suit the needs of the consumer. In addition to optionally including a polymer or other additive mixed with the bituminous material 105, each briquette 300 is preferably also provided with a rigid, semi-rigid or flexible frame 400 to further enhance its buoyancy in salt and fresh water. More preferably, the components of the frame 400 are distributed throughout each briquette 300 in such a way that they increase the buoyancy of each briquette 300 both in a completely intact state and in the event of its destruction into smaller pieces. As used herein, the term frame includes all three-dimensional configurations of materials and components arranged in a pattern or predetermined manner, including, for example, matrices, structures, networks, structures, meshes, layers, lattices, architectures, scaffolds, cages, fabric, circuits, mosaics, layouts and their combinations. Additionally, within each preform 300, the frame 400 may be composed of solid, semi-solid or hollow components, rigid, semi-rigid or flexible components, and integrated or interacting components, including, for example, the following: a hollow structure filled with air, lifting gas or liquid; a substantially continuous structure containing a plurality of air pockets, bubbles, nanobubbles or other buoyancy enhancing substance; a structure made of porous material impregnated with complementary floating material; and a matrix, structure, network, lattice or mesh of fibers or solid materials formed by or designed to contain secondary buoyancy enhancing elements, including chambers, compartments, pockets, capsules, bubbles, nanobubbles and combinations thereof.

In fig. 7-11 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the frame 400 according to the present invention, which is a polymer frame 400 that is further substantially uniformly distributed throughout the body of each briquette 300. FIG. 15-17 illustrate an embodiment of a polymer frame 400 which preferably comprises a lattice, frame or mesh arrangement of fibers made from a polymer or plastic material commonly used for upgrading heavy oil, extra heavy oil, bitumen and asphalt. For example, the frame 400 may be formed from plastomers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate and ethylene butyl acrylate, or thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene-butadiene alternating block copolymer, styrene-isoprene alternating block copolymer, and styrene-butylene block copolymer. /ethylene with alternating blocks. Preferably, the frame 400 is formed from waste or recycled plastic. Also, as shown in FIG. 15-17, the frame 400 optionally and preferably further includes a plurality of floating elements 420 enclosing air or other lifting material.

In a preferred embodiment of the frame 400, the polymer fibers are arranged in linear groups of fibers that are further arranged in a structure, such as a three-dimensional mesh or lattice formation. More preferably, groups of fibers are located parallel to some groups of fibers and at right angles to other groups of fibers. As shown in FIG. 15, a plurality of first fiber groups 412 extend along the y-axis, a plurality of second fiber groups 414 extend along the x-axis, and a plurality of third fiber groups 416 extend along the z-axis. The first fiber groups 412 extend substantially parallel to the other first fiber groups 412 and at right angles to the second and third fiber groups 414 and 416. The second sets of fibers 414 extend substantially parallel to the other second sets of fibers 414 and at right angles to the first and third sets of fibers 412 and 416. The third groups of fibers 416 extend substantially parallel to the other third groups of fibers 416 and at right angles to the first and second groups of fibers 412 and 414. In addition, each of the fiber groups 412, 414 and 416 preferably has four or more individual fibers 412a, 414a and 416a, optionally arranged substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart by a fixed distance. For example, the fibers in each group extend substantially parallel to each other at a distance DD and are further arranged so that the cross-section of the fiber groups has a square geometric shape. Alternatively, the fibers in the groups may be arranged to have cross-sections of other geometric shapes, such as circular, rectangular, hexagonal, or triangular, and the fiber groups may have fibers that are substantially parallel, twisted together, converge, diverge, intersect, or are in any other grouped arrangement desired.

Optionally and preferably, being attached to, attached to, hanging from, or disposed among the fibers 412a, 414a, and 416a of each of the plurality of fiber groups 412, 414, and 416, a plurality of floating elements 420 may be formed or supported so as to enhance buoyancy of the briquettes 300 by increasing, for example, the entrainment of air into each briquette 300. Alternatively, the floats 420 may replace the frame 400, for example, when the floats 420 are introduced gaseous substances. Floating elements 420 mo

- 13 045897 may be individual pockets, bubbles, nanobubbles of air or other buoyancy-enhancing gases such as nitrogen or liquids, or groups thereof, formed within or on fibers 412a, 414a and 416a, or held by fibers 412a, 414a and 416a in separate capsules, chambers or other compartments, or any combination of such elements. For example, in FIG. 15-17, the floaters 420 are illustrated as a plurality of air capsules, the material enclosing the air being the same material used for the fibers 412a, 414a, and 416a. The size of the individual floating elements 420 affects the buoyancy of the briquettes 300 and can be adjusted to the specifications required by shippers, consumers, or other interested parties. In addition, the locations of the floaters 420 can be controlled before casting the briquettes 300 so that, for example, the floaters 420 are cast evenly into the briquettes 300. In some cases, the floating elements 420 may be intentional voids introduced into the preforms 300, in the absence of a frame 400 or in addition to the use of a frame 400. For example, during casting, the manufacturer may introduce gases such as air, steam, oxygen, and inert gases, to form bubbles or use other methods of air entrainment or aeration to create bubbles or voids that increase buoyancy. Whether used with or without frame 400, buoyancy elements 420 can be any element added to briquettes 300, preferably deliberately and uniformly applied, to enhance buoyancy. The inclusion of floating elements 420 throughout the frame 400, and therefore throughout the briquettes 300, increases the likelihood that the briquettes 300 will float if released into oceans, lakes or rivers. Moreover, the 300 briquettes will float even if they are broken or otherwise damaged.

The frame components 400, including the fiber groups 412, 414 and 416 and the floaters 420, are preferably configured to be placed within the molds 305 and are formed by injection molding. The density of the frames 400 can also be adjusted, and for the embodiment shown in FIG. 15-17, the overall size of the individual fibers 412a, 414a and 416a making up the fiber groups 412, 414 and 416, the number of fiber groups 412, 414 and 416 and the number of fibers in each fiber group 412, 414 and 416 can be adjusted as necessary to create briquettes 300 s given polymer content. For example, briquettes 300 containing 4% polymer by weight will be manufactured with frames 400 having larger fibers than briquettes 300 containing 2% polymer by weight. Preferably, for each heavy oil briquette 300, the amount of polymer by weight should be from 1% to 4% to realize buoyancy. Also preferably, for each briquette 300 of asphalt material, the amount of polymer by weight may be up to 10% in warmer climates or 7% in colder climates to further improve its performance.

Once the frames 400 are formed, they are placed into molds 305 such that a bituminous material 205 with a suitable viscosity can fill the space not occupied by the frames 400. For example, with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 15-17, a suitable viscous bituminous material 205 can fill the spaces around and among the fiber groups 412, 414 and 416 and the floats 420 during the casting process. As the bituminous material 105 and molds 305 cool, each resulting briquette 300 has a frame 400 embedded within it.

Transportation of briquettes.

Because the briquettes 300 have an irregular geometric shape that allows air, water, or other substances to circulate among them, and because the briquettes 300 can float on, in, or near the surface of salt and fresh water, they can be transported in bulk as bulk cargo by most or all vehicles, that transport cargo or cargo, including truck, rail, air and sea modes. Transporting the bituminous material in solid form eliminates the need to heat the bitumen material 105 during transportation, which in turn significantly reduces or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, briquettes 300 can be transported in hydrogen-powered vehicles, thereby further reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

In fig. 18A and 18B illustrate alternative methods for transporting, storing and receiving briquettes 300 according to the preferred methods of the present invention. Once the desired number of briquettes 300 have been cast and assembled, the shipper 600 can pick up a plurality of briquettes 300 that may have been stored by the manufacturer, for example, in gravity storage cells 908. The shipper 600 then transports 170 the plurality of briquettes 300 in a transport chamber 610 to a receiving location 905 on a vehicle 620. As defined and discussed above, vehicles 620 include both manned and unmanned vehicles, and the transport chamber 610 may be a dedicated container, associated with or being an integral part of a specially designed vehicle for transporting briquettes. As used herein, the terms chamber and chambers refer to structures that can hold goods, including containers, compartments, tanks, modules, receptacles, cartons, packages, boxes and other types of containers. Additionally, it is possible to transport cameras from one place to another.

- 14 045897

If a plurality of briquettes 300 are to be transported over land, then the briquettes 300 are preferably transported in transport chambers 610 on trains or trucks, although alternative land transportation methods may be substituted, including multimodal and intermodal transport. Preferably, the transport chambers 610 are special aerodynamic transport chambers in trains, as described below and shown in FIG. 19A. Transport chambers 610 that are intended for overland transportation preferably allow atmospheric air to circulate freely within them, have temperature or climate control, or are otherwise equipped with an environmental control system 615 to supply atmospheric or cooled air so that air can circulate around the briquettes 300 due to their irregularities. geometric shapes. As air circulates through the spaces created between adjacent briquettes 300 in containers 610, it helps the briquettes 300 remain substantially solid in shape. Alternatively, transport chambers 610 intended for land transportation may be configured to use water or other liquid or gaseous substances instead of air for environmental control. To facilitate ambient air control, transport chambers 610 may be provided with or formed with a plurality of slits or vents 611, 612, as shown in FIG. 19A and 19C, which are formed and located preferably on the side walls 610d and optionally on the roof 610a, floor 610b and ends 610c of the chamber. Vents 611, 612 may act as inlets and outlets and may include or interact with registers, vent bridges, damper actuators, fans, wings, flanges, blades, and other static or dynamic components that provide or control the amount and direction of air or other substances drawn into or circulating within the transport chambers 610. The vents 611, 612 may allow air to flow into or out of the transport chambers 610 depending on the direction of movement, and additional features may be provided to promote continuous or intermittent air circulation.

In fig. 19C illustrates a preferred embodiment of a rail transportation system that can reduce or eliminate carbon dioxide emissions during transportation. In this embodiment, the vehicle 620 for transporting the plurality of briquettes 300 is a dedicated train that includes a locomotive 622 powered by one or more hydrogen fuel cells 624 and a plurality of dedicated transport chambers 610, which are preferably aerodynamically shaped and optionally made of aluminum. The transport chambers 610, which are connected in series with and behind the locomotive 622 and fuel cells 624, also preferably include a plurality of slots or vents 611, 612 on their sides 610d, roofs 610a and ends 610c. Additionally, each transport chamber 610 contains active environmental control systems 626, such as air conditioners or other cooling means, in case the external environment ever reaches conditions that could damage or partially melt the briquettes 300. To further reduce or optionally active environmental control systems 626 may also be powered by one of the fuel cells 624. As evolving vehicles adopt fuel cell technology, trucks, ships, and other transportation vehicles may be similarly configured to reduce or eliminate emissions. and are also optionally equipped with similar redundant fuel cell powered cooling sources.

If multiple briquettes 300 are to be transported by water, the briquettes 300 are preferably transported on vehicles 620 such as ships, barges, or bulk carriers 630 that have large cargo spaces 632 capable of accommodating the plurality of briquettes 300, as shown in FIG. 19V. Alternatively, the briquettes 300 may be placed in individual, mobile, or modular transport cells 610 on ships or barges, or they may be replaced by alternative maritime transport methods, including multimodal and intermodal transport. When individual, mobile, or modular transport chambers 610 are used for maritime transport, each preferably allows air, water or other substances to circulate within itself in the same manner as transport chambers 610 used on land. If bulk carrier 630 accommodates briquettes in its cargo compartment 632 such that cargo compartment 623 becomes transport chamber 610, the briquettes fill cargo compartment 632 such that there is sufficient space between adjacent briquettes to allow air, water, and other substances to circulate. In a preferred embodiment, to maintain the integrity of the briquettes, bulk carrier 630 preferably includes an environmental control system 615 that uses water. It can receive water from a dedicated water source (not shown) or using a water intake 636 that can draw external water, such as from the sea. The water source or intake 636 also preferably interfaces with a water distribution system 634, such as high-pressure sprinkler systems used to quickly clear the cargo hold of ships. For distributing water over briquettes, either in separate, mobile, or modular

- 15 045897 transport cells 610, or directly contained in the cargo compartment as a single transport cell 610, the water distribution system 634 can receive water from a water source or draw water through the intake 636 and spray, splash or otherwise distribute it over the top of the cargo compartment and any transport chambers 610. Water is then allowed to fall freely around and among the briquettes 300 before exiting through drain holes (not shown) near the base of the cargo compartment. To reduce or eliminate carbon dioxide emissions during transportation, briquettes 300 are preferably transported on ships or cargo vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Whether transported by land, sea, or air, transport chambers 610 preferably contain passive environmental control systems, such as structural members that promote the flow of air, water, or other substances through their interiors, as described above. Alternatively, transport chambers 610 may contain other environmental control systems, such as forced air, cooling blocks, cooling systems, insulation, cold plates, dry ice, cold packs, insulation quilts, bottom air devices, reflective paint, and other known active agents. and passive elements or environmental control systems. As air, water, or other substance circulates through the transport chambers 610, it also circulates through and among the spaces between adjacent briquettes 300 collected within the transport chambers 610. As a result, the briquettes 300 are able to maintain their irregular, solid geometric shape.

Reception of briquettes.

Those who accept deliveries of briquettes 300 include intermediaries 185, distributors 195, end users 199 and processing plants 197. End users 199 may store the briquettes 300 until they are needed, distributors may temporarily store the briquettes prior to delivery to end users 199, and processors plants 197 may re-liquefy the bituminous material 105, further process it, and then return it to solid form for transport to end user 199 or distributor 195. Accordingly, those who accept briquettes 300 may store briquettes 300 in solid form or require equipment or on-site facilities for re-liquefying the bituminous material 105. Typically, if the briquettes 300 are made from asphalt or polymer modified asphalt, they will be stored by end users 199 and used in briquette form. If the briquettes 300 are made from bitumen or polymer modified bitumen, they will be re-liquefied in the processing plants 197 for further processing.

According to the present invention, once the transport chamber 610 and the plurality of briquettes 300 reach a receiving location 905 for the end user 199, processing plant 197, distributor 195, or other intended recipient, the briquettes 300 may be stored or prepared for use. If multiple briquettes 300 need to be stored, they may be retained in transport chambers 610 or moved to other chambers, containers or storage areas, and may optionally continue to be stored as briquettes 300 using active or passive environmental control systems, including those that circulate air. , water or other substances that affect temperature and climate. For example, briquettes 300 transported by sea to a receiving location 905 having associated port facilities may be stored partially or completely submerged in large floating storage chambers 909. Such floating storage chambers 909 may be double-hulled and may be configured to allow external water to flow through the floating storage chambers 909, flow between the housings, or drain into the chambers, helping to maintain the integrity of the briquettes 300 while they are stored. Likewise, briquettes transported by rail or truck to a land-based receiving location 905 may be stored in gravity storage chambers 908, which likewise may be double-hulled and optionally further adapted to allow external air or water to circulate among the briquettes 300 to maintain them in a chilled state. Storage chambers 908 may optionally be partially or completely buried in the ground to further control their environment. The floating storage chamber 909 and other storage chambers 908 may be modified in the same manner as the transport chambers 610, with vents 611, 612 and their associated members, as discussed above, to allow air, water, or other substances to flow into and through them. . Additionally, such storage chambers 908, 909 may contain smaller chambers or modules within themselves or be part of a series of shared chambers or modules.

If the briquettes 300 are to be used immediately or are best stored or prepared for use by melting them or heating them to a liquid state or their original state, then they can be melted upon arrival at the receiving location 905. Once the briquettes 300 reach the receiving location 905, they are heated 190 using methods known to those skilled in the art until they melt, return to a liquid state, or their original state. Briquettes 300 may also be placed in specialized storage chambers with removable lids equipped with heating elements, such as the floating storage chamber 910 shown in

- 16 045897 fig. 20A and 20B, or a similar chamber located on land.

In fig. 20A and 20B illustrate a dedicated storage chamber 910 having a heat transfer receiving cover 912 adapted to receive briquettes 300 and immediately melt or soften them using a heating system 914 incorporated into the cover 912, chamber body or casing 918, container or cavity 920 formed by a chamber housing 918, and a delivery system 916 that facilitates the movement of liquid or suitably viscous material from the top surface 912a of the cap 912 into the cavity 920 below. The dedicated storage chamber 910 can receive briquettes 300 from any shipper 600 and vehicle and is particularly useful for receiving briquettes 300 from a bulk carrier. Using an excavator, bulldozer, crane 638, or other unloading or self-unloading system, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the briquettes can be easily transferred from the cargo compartment 632 of the truck 630 to the receiving cover 912.

The dedicated storage chamber 910 may be made of any material suitable for storing either the viscous or liquid bitumen material 205 or the solid briquettes 300, and may be further reinforced with insulation, lining, or other enhancements. It may also have a double body and may have several sub-containers located inside it. For example, container 910 may be formed from concrete and the walls of the cavity are coated or lined with a non-stick material. Cover 912 may be made of one or more materials, depending on the heating element used and as necessary to enhance its conductive properties. For example, the cover 912 may be made of concrete enriched with nanocarbon black, graphite, or other fillers or coatings that increase its conductivity. The cover 912 is preferably removable so that the chamber body 918 can be used separately as a storage chamber 908 for solid briquettes 300. Accordingly, the dedicated storage chamber 910 has a dual purpose, serving both as a controlled environment storage chamber for storing briquettes 300 and facilitating maintaining their solid form, and as a heat transfer storage chamber that can receive the briquettes 300, melt or soften them, and maintain them in a liquid or suitably viscous form when stored therein.

Preferably, the dedicated storage container 910 liquefies the briquettes upon receiving on its lid 912, the receiving lid 912 using electric or liquid radiant heat. As shown in the figures, the receiving cap 912 is preferably concave to hold the briquettes 300 and facilitate their collection at its center, and the heating system 914 is a series of cables or other heating elements 924 distributed throughout the cap 912. When cables are used, they are preferably arranged at regular intervals throughout the majority of the cap 912. Alternative heating elements 924 include coils, mesh, preformed mats, electrically conductive coatings, electrically conductive fillers, or other heating elements embedded in plastic films. The lid heating system 914 may be self-heating, as is the case with some electrically conductive concrete systems, or it may be operably connected to a power source 922 and a controller 923 for supplying power and a heating element 924, as shown in FIG. 20C.

Alternatively, other liquid or air radiant heating systems or components may be used for heating system 914. In the case of a liquid radiant heating system, an open or closed channel system 925 may be located throughout the cap 912, which as used herein includes tubes, pipes, and other conduits for circulating heated liquid or fluids, such as water, brine, oils, or a mixture of water and propylene glycol. Using a heat source 926 and a boiler 927 or water heater, the liquid can be heated to a temperature high enough to heat the cap 912 and thereby melt the briquettes 300 collected on the cap 912. Using a pump 928, the liquid can be pumped into and through the channel system 925. The 927 boiler can be powered by propane, natural gas, electricity, or oil, and additional operating components (not shown) may include valves, an expansion tank, additional pumps, an air separator, air vents, and controllers. Similar to a fluid heating system, the air radiant heating system circulates air heated by heat generated by the fuel or air heated by solar energy through channels within the 912 cap.

The delivery system 916 on the receiving cap 912 is preferably a plurality of slots sized and configured to allow molten bituminous material 105 to flow into the cavity 920 of the chamber body 918 from the top surface 912a of the cap 912 while preventing solid bitumen material or any of the briquettes 300 from passing therethrough. Alternatively, the delivery system 916 may be a single central slot, a plurality of channels or grooves, a series of slopes or grooves, or any other structure capable of assisting viscous material to flow from one location to another. In addition, any cracks, grooves, slopes, or the like may be further coated with a material that further promotes fluid flow.

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Claims (10)

Optionally, after reheating the briquettes 300 to return the bituminous material 105 to its original state, any additives, including polymer, can be removed from the surface by the recipient at the receiving location 905 using methods known to those skilled in the art. To facilitate surface removal, one or more strippers 930 may optionally be coupled to or located within a dedicated storage chamber 910 or any other receiving or storage chamber for molten bituminous materials. Pullers suitable for such applications will be known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the molten bituminous material 105 and any additives 106 may be further heated by the second heating system 950 to mixing temperatures, and then the additive 106 may be mixed into the bitumen material 105. To facilitate mixing, the mixer 940 may optionally be permanently coupled to a dedicated chamber. 910 storage or any other receiving or storage chamber for or placed within the molten bituminous material. Mixers suitable for such applications will be known to those skilled in the art. Other additives may be added and further processing of the bituminous material 105 may be performed depending on the needs of the recipient. Under some conditions, particularly when the molten bituminous material 105 will be stored in its viscous state, it may be desirable to further heat the bituminous material 105 during storage. Accordingly, the second heating system 950 may optionally be coupled to a dedicated storage chamber 910 or any other receiving or storage chamber for molten bituminous material, and suitable heating systems will be known to those skilled in the art. If the dedicated storage chamber 910 has multiple sub-chambers or modules, each sub-chamber or module may have a heater, mixer, or stripper. If desired, a dedicated storage chamber 910 or any other receiving or storage chamber for molten bituminous material may be connected to a nearby pipeline so that the molten bituminous material can be pumped out of the storage chamber, as is known to those skilled in the art. Finally, when a refinery or other recipient of the briquettes 300 melts them and further processes the bitumen material 105, they may optionally recast the molten bitumen material 105 into briquettes 300 according to the methods and systems discussed herein. While what is now considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true scope of the disclosed invention, but the present invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. CLAIM 1. A receptacle for briquettes made of solid bitumen material, containing: a) receiver housing defining the camera; b) a removable cover located on the receiver body and above the chamber, the cover comprising a concave top surface and defining a delivery system in fluid communication with the top surface of the cover and the chamber; And c) a first heating system operably connected to the lid and configured to increase the temperature of the lid. 2. The receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that it additionally contains a puller located in the chamber. 3. The receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that it additionally contains a second heating system, functionally connected to the receiver body and configured to heat the chamber. 4. The receiver according to claim 3, characterized in that it additionally contains a mixer located in the receiver body. 5. The receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the first heating system includes an electric radiant heating system. 6. The receiver according to claim 5, characterized in that the first heating system contains a plurality of electrically charged cables located in the cover. 7. The receiver according to claim 5, characterized in that the first heating system contains an electrically charged grid located in the lid. 8. The receiver according to claim 5, characterized in that the first heating system contains an electrically conductive coating applied to the upper surface of the cover. 9. The receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the first heating system is a liquid radiant heating system. 10. A method for melting a plurality of briquettes containing non-volatile bituminous material, wherein -