DISCHARGE OF VISCOUS OIL PRODUCTS FROM RAILROAD TANK CARS

When delivering fuel oil residue, flux or road bitumen by railway a challenging problem of discharge of viscous oil products is to be faced. In winter time discharge may take a number of days. Before discharge the product is heated up with the use of steam through the railroad tank car’s jacket or with the use of immersion devices. More information about the procedure of discharge and the devices may be found in the guide here. As a result of heat loss from the surface of the steam jacket and the wall of the railroad tank car up to 70-80% of heat is used inefficiently. The results of the field survey are available in our article “Survey of the process of discharge of bitumen from railroad tank cars” here. The unique solution on minimization of energy consumption during discharge of viscous oil products from railroad tank cars offered by OOO Energy-Efficient Bitumen Technologies is the use of the quick-removal thermal insulation. The patented solution ensures increase in efficiency of discharge of fuel oil residues, fluxes and bitumens up to 1.5 times and reduction of the discharge time by up to 30%. Technology. The quick-removal thermal insulation (Patent of the Russian Federation No. 194137) for railroad tank cars is installed on the steam jacket/tank car wall before starting of heating up of the tank car. Installation of one set of insulation takes no more than 20 minutes. No special devices or elevated roads are needed. After heating up of the tank car and discharge of the viscous oil product (fuel oil residue, flux, bitumen) thermal insulation is removed from the tank car. Thermal insulation due to special fasteners may be safely secured on any metal surface. It ensures reduction of heat flow into the environment and improvement of steam condensation inside the jacket. For guaranteed high efficiency correct adjustment of the steam generation plant is needed.