Solid formations of non-volatile bituminous materials suitable for reducing carbon dioxide emissions during transport
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transporting bituminous materials like heavy crude oil and bitumen involve the use of diluents, which pose environmental risks, such as pipeline ruptures, oil spills, and high carbon emissions, and are challenging to handle due to their viscosity and density.
Innovation Solution
Preparing bituminous materials into irregular solid formations with customizable polymer skeletons and buoyant features, allowing them to be transported without diluents, reducing surface contact, and using low-emission vehicles with passive environmental control systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bituminous materials are transported as liquids through pipelines with diluents, then transport efficiency is improved, but environmental harm increases due to pipeline ruptures and oil spills
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of bituminous materials from liquid to solid form, and alters transport conditions from high-temperature pipeline transport to ambient-temperature containerized transport. This parameter transformation eliminates the need for diluents and reduces environmental hazards associated with pipeline ruptures while maintaining transport efficiency through standardized shipping containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful high viscosity and density properties of bituminous materials into beneficial characteristics for solid-form transport. The same properties that make liquid transport difficult are transformed into advantages for solid block handling, stacking, and storage in containers, thereby eliminating environmental harm while maintaining productivity.
2Ease of operation
If bituminous materials are diluted with conventional diluents, then viscosity is reduced for easier transport, but carbon emissions and environmental pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameter from liquid-state transport requiring diluents to solid-state transport at ambient temperature. This eliminates the need for carbon-intensive diluents while the solid form naturally provides ease of handling and transport without additional chemicals, thereby reducing both viscosity-related operational difficulties and carbon emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the diluent component from the transport system entirely. By transporting bituminous materials in solid form without any diluents, the harmful carbon emissions and environmental pollution associated with conventional diluents are completely removed while alternative methods are provided to manage the material's physical properties.
3Ease of operation
If bituminous materials are heated to liquid state for transport, then flowability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of heating bituminous materials to improve flowability, the patent inverts the approach by cooling them to solid form for transport. The solid blocks are handled and transported without heating, eliminating energy consumption, and are only heated at the destination if liquidation is required for specific processing needs.
4Productivity
If pipelines are used for bituminous material transport, then transport capacity is increased, but risk of ruptures and spills increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous pipeline transport system into discrete containerized units. Bituminous materials are divided into solid blocks loaded into individual shipping containers, which can be transported by various modes (truck, rail, ship). This segmentation eliminates the single-point-failure risk of pipelines while maintaining or increasing overall transport capacity through parallel container movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces solid block form and shipping containers as intermediary elements between the bituminous material source and destination. These intermediaries replace the direct pipeline connection, providing modular, reversible, and safer transport while maintaining transport capacity through standardized container handling and multi-modal logistics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method minimizes environmental impact, reduces reliance on pipelines, and significantly decreases carbon dioxide emissions by transporting bituminous materials in a safer, more efficient manner.
Implementation Method 1
the bituminous material is first prepared for casting by heating it to a predetermined casting temperature wherein the bituminous material reaches a suitable viscosity for molding
Implementation Method 2
the bricks are formed by cooling to solidify the bituminous material
Data Source
AI summary
A substantially solid brick of non-volatile bituminous material has a shape that is defined by an irregular outer surface to minimize surface contact with nearby bricks when shipped in bulk. The overall shape is preferably that of a modified tetrahedron having three non-planar face surfaces, a top surface, and a surface or point. Both the top and bottom surfaces are preferably modified domed shapes comprised of several sections. The face sections are preferably modified concave surfaces comprised of several triangular sections that can be planar, concave, or convex. Curved edges connect the face sections to each other and can include several planar edge sections. The bituminous material can include additives, and the brick can further include a skeleton distributed throughout. The skeleton can be a customizable matrix, framework of fiber groups, or other structure and can include customizable buoyant features such as air pockets or capsules.