| 摘要 |
A method of producing a desired bitumen grade from a single grade of source bitumen for application at a site is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: supplying or receiving a bitumen grading facility, the facility adapted to produce any of a number of bitumen grades for an end-user from a single grade of source bitumen by hardening the source bitumen or softening the source bitumen using one or more suitable cutting oils and/or reagents; and supplying or receiving a single grade of source bitumen to/at the bitumen grading facility for hardening or softening to produce a desired bitumen grade. An apparatus for metering and blending one or more cutting oils and/or reagents with a single base grade of bitumen such that a full range of bitumen grades can be produced from a single base grade of bitumen is also disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a static mixer (7); a manifold (6) feeding the static mixer, which has a number of side ports for the addition of cutting oil and/or or reagent additives; and each side port having a variable speed pump (10, 14, 18) and flow meter (11, 15, 19); the pump being controlled in accordance with a desired bitumen grade mix to facilitate mixing of one or more of the additives with the single base grade of bitumen to harden or soften the base grade of bitumen to produce the desired bitumen grade.
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