How to remove asphalt from crude oil in order to minimize asphalt oxidation
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The laboratory uses a constant-pressure startup procedure, requiring an asphalt softening point of 44–54 degrees. How should crude oil be extracted in order to ensure the accuracy of this asphalt softening point? What we use now is to first use 50 mmHg to remove water, gasoline, and light diesel from the crude oil; after cooling down, 2 mmHg is then used to remove heavy diesel and wax oil. We process Maray crude oil; the softening point of the asphalt obtained at a pressure of 425 degrees at atmospheric pressure falls within the range of No. 90 asphalt. However, due to differences in the methods used by different people, the softening point of the resulting asphalt varies. May I ask the experts if there is a better way to extract asphalt?
In a laboratory, it is necessary to ensure that the operating conditions are identical each time in order to enable comparison. Therefore, it is best for one person to conduct the experiments, at least one person who can control the temperature, pressure, feed rate, and the amount of material drawn from each side stream (so that the amount of each component extracted remains constant). This way, there should not be large fluctuations from one experiment to another. It can be somewhat difficult to maintain stability in actual operations; the asphalt produced by our equipment often fails to meet the required standards. However, in the laboratory, all conditions can be precisely controlled, and there should not be significant variations. Factors such as the feed rate, heating rate, vacuuming speed, amount of material drawn from side streams, reflux ratio, and the time taken to extract each fraction can all be determined. By conducting experiments, optimal operating conditions can be identified