Patent ID: 8393359

Claim:
A process of efficient bitumen transport by a dual purpose railway tank car comprising the steps of: a. Heating bitumen and flowing the bitumen into an insulated tank of the tank car until the car reaches its maximum weight load; b. Transporting the heated bitumen to a destination by rail; c. Heating the bitumen in the insulated tank by application of steam supplied at the destination through a heat exchanger in or on the insulated tank containing the bitumen; d. Flowing the heated bitumen out of the insulated tank until the tank is emptied; e. Sufficiently cooling the insulated tank by provision of water or a fluid at suitable temperature to the heat exchanger in the insulated tank to avoid flash evaporation of its next load; f. Loading the tank car to its maximum volumetric capacity with diluent; g. Transporting the diluent by rail to another destination; and h. Unloading the diluent from the tank car.