Component blending for bitumen production for Indian refineries

Abstract

This investigation pertains to the bitumen production using component blending. During the manufacture of blended bitumen, the proportion of the constituents, the temperature during blending, and the duration of blending are selected to meet the penetration at 25°C and the absolute viscosity at 60°C as per the Indian specifications. The choices of the blend parameters become challenging when the constituents from multiple crudes are blended to produce different paving grades. Two constituent and three constituent blends for four different grades of bitumen were prepared in a laboratory blending facility from four different crude sources. A design of experiments framework was used to develop prediction models for penetration and viscosity. Simulations were carried out to suggest blending schemes to manufacture all the viscosity grades from different crude sources. Correspondence between the viscosity grade and high-temperature performance grade was observed for blend parameters for the crude sources investigated in this study.