What You Need to Know
A de-asphalter is a unit in a crude oil refinery or bitumen upgrader that separates asphalt from the residuum fraction of crude oil or bitumen. The primary purpose of the separation is to remove contaminants from the feed that would cause rapid deactivation of catalysts in downstream processing units. In doing so, the de-asphalter is the first step in a series of processes that upgrade a low-value feedstock to high-value refined products.
Steps
- 1.
Road surfacing (Global): Produces asphalt binder for pavement construction
- 2.
Roofing materials (Industrial): Creates weather-resistant bitumen for shingles
- 3.
Waterproofing compounds (Construction industry): Provides base material for sealants and coatings