Patent ID: 7318890

Claim:
A process for fractionating a crude pitch feed having a softening point and comprising a non-distillable pitch fraction and vaporizable diluents or contaminants to produce a liquid pitch product having a softening point of 200 to 600° F. comprising: a. heating said crude pitch by direct contact heat exchange with an immiscible molten fluid for a time sufficient to produce heated crude pitch, b. vaporizing at least a portion of said vaporizable diluent or contaminants from said heated pitch to produce a vapor phase comprising at least a portion of said diluent or contaminants and a liquid pitch product phase comprising pitch having an increased and desired softening point and a reduced content of vaporizable diluents or contaminants, as compared to said crude pitch feed, and c. recovering said liquid pitch product phase as a product of the process.