The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 22, 1977
Filed:
Aug. 21, 1974
LaVaun S Merrill, Jr, Englewood, CO (US);
Marathon Oil Company, Findlay, OH (US);
Abstract
Hydrocarbon mixtures (e.g. 'waxy' crude oils) are transported as a slurry by first fractionating the mixture into at least a relatively low pour point fraction and a relatively high pour point fraction. Thereafter, the high pour point fraction is congealed by dispersing it as particles into the bottom of a tower having a continuous stream of water flowing countercurrent to the dispersed fraction and wherein the water in at least the upper portion of the tower is at a temperature sufficient to congeal the dispersed particles. The particles pass upwardly through the tower and through an interface within the tower, the interface being the juncture of water and the low pour point fraction being introduced into the top portion of the tower. A portion of the resulting slurry is withdrawn and transported in a conduit at temperatures below those which bring about solution of the congealed particles in the low pour point fraction. Concentration of the congealed particles in the slurry is preferably about 10% to about 50% by weight. Also, the average diameter of the congealed particles is preferably about 0.1 to about 10 mm (millimeters).