Patent ID: 7968020

Claim:
A method for pelletizing hot asphaltenes, comprising: dispersing an asphaltenic hydrocarbon comprising a temperature of from about 175° C. to about 430° C. to provide two or more asphaltenic particles; pre-cooling the asphaltenic particles, the pre-cooling comprising passing the asphaltenic particles through a mist of cooling medium prior to contacting the asphaltenic particles with the film of cooling medium; contacting the pre-cooled asphaltenic particles with a film of cooling medium, the film comprising a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 500 mm; solidifying at least a portion of the asphaltenic particles by transferring heat from the asphaltenic particles to the cooling medium to provide solid asphaltenic particles; and separating the solid asphaltenic particles from at least a portion of the cooling medium.