Solvent deasphalting

Claim 1

A METHOD OF TREATING AN ASPHALTIC OIL WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID OIL WITH A DEASPHALTING SOLVENT UNDER DEASPHALTING CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE TO EFFECT SEPARATION OF ASPHALTIC CONSTITUTENTS FROM SAID OIL, RECOVERING FROM THE AFORESAID OPERATION A LIQUID OIL PHASE HAVING A REDUCED AMOUNT OF ASPHALTIC CONSTITUENTS AND CONTAINING A PORTION OF SAID DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AND A LIQUID ASPHALT PHASE CONTAINING ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID DEASPHALTING SOLVENT, TREATING SAID LIUQID OIL PHASE TO PRODUCE A RESULTING FIRST LIQUID PHASE AND A RESULTING FIRST VAPOR PHASE COMPRISING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AT A TEMPERATURE T1 AND AT A PRESSURE P1, TREATING SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE TO CONVERT THE SAME TO A RESULTING SECOND LIQUID PHASE AND A RESULTING SECOND VAPOR PHASE COMPRISING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AT A TEMPERATURE T2 AND A PRESSURE P2, T2 BEING LOWER THAN T1 AND P2 BEING LOWER THAN P1, PASSING SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE AND SECOND VAPOR PHASE IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE IS REDUCED SUCH THAT THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE DEASPHALTING SOLVENT THEREIN IS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED, CONDENSING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT FROM SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE, HEATING SAID LIQUID ASPHALT PHASE TO PRODUCE A THIRD VAPOR PHASE COMPRISING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AND A THIRD LIQUID PHASE COMPRISING ASPHALT, ADMIXING SAID THIRD VAPOR PHASE WITH SAID SECOND VAPOR PHASE AFTER SAID SECOND VAPOR PHASE HAS BEEN PASSED IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE, RECOVERING THE RESULTING COMBINED SECOND AND THIRD VAPOR PHASE AND COOLING THE RESULTING COMBINED SECOND AND THIRD VAPOR PHASE TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY LOW TO CONDENSE THE DEASPHALTIN SOLVENT THEREIN.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF TREATING AN ASPHALTIC OIL WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID OIL WITH A DEASPHALTING SOLVENT UNDER DEASPHALTING CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE TO EFFECT SEPARATION OF ASPHALTIC CONSTITUTENTS FROM SAID OIL, RECOVERING FROM THE AFORESAID OPERATION A LIQUID OIL PHASE HAVING A REDUCED AMOUNT OF ASPHALTIC CONSTITUENTS AND CONTAINING A PORTION OF SAID DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AND A LIQUID ASPHALT PHASE CONTAINING ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID DEASPHALTING SOLVENT, TREATING SAID LIUQID OIL PHASE TO PRODUCE A RESULTING FIRST LIQUID PHASE AND A RESULTING FIRST VAPOR PHASE COMPRISING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AT A TEMPERATURE T1 AND AT A PRESSURE P1, TREATING SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE TO CONVERT THE SAME TO A RESULTING SECOND LIQUID PHASE AND A RESULTING SECOND VAPOR PHASE COMPRISING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AT A TEMPERATURE T2 AND A PRESSURE P2, T2 BEING LOWER THAN T1 AND P2 BEING LOWER THAN P1, PASSING SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE AND SECOND VAPOR PHASE IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE IS REDUCED SUCH THAT THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE DEASPHALTING SOLVENT THEREIN IS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED, CONDENSING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT FROM SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE, HEATING SAID LIQUID ASPHALT PHASE TO PRODUCE A THIRD VAPOR PHASE COMPRISING DEASPHALTING SOLVENT AND A THIRD LIQUID PHASE COMPRISING ASPHALT, ADMIXING SAID THIRD VAPOR PHASE WITH SAID SECOND VAPOR PHASE AFTER SAID SECOND VAPOR PHASE HAS BEEN PASSED IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FIRST VAPOR PHASE, RECOVERING THE RESULTING COMBINED SECOND AND THIRD VAPOR PHASE AND COOLING THE RESULTING COMBINED SECOND AND THIRD VAPOR PHASE TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY LOW TO CONDENSE THE DEASPHALTIN SOLVENT THEREIN.