Asphalt Oil Definition
Asphalt-Base Oil is crude oil that has asphaltum in large amounts making it highly viscous and heavy in nature. Such type of crude oil contains 2% less wax in the residue obtained after the distillation process. This crude oil is sticky and in a semi-solid or liquid state. Asphalt-base oil is separated from the crude oil through a distillation process whereby it is removed from the higher-boiling hydrocarbons. The byproducts of such crude oil are bitumen, petroleum asphalt or asphalt.
Other Name: Bitumen Oil
Iran is a big producer of Asphalt oil in Middle East and hjoil has a big share of this production.
Asphalt Oil Applications
- Road Pavements.
- Used as the glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete.
- Waterproofing products.
- Used in production of roofing felt
- Used in sealing flat roofs.
Bitumen Oil CHARACTERISTICS
- Sticky
- Black
- Highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form
Bitumen Oil has 4 gardes : Light, Medium, Heavy, Extra Heavy
| TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS | Light | Medium | Heavy | Extra Heavy |
| Kinematic Viscosity at 400°C., cSt | 18 – 21 | 21 – 26 | 26 – 30 | 30 – 40 |
| Flash Point, COC, °C. Min. | 220 | 220 | 220 | 220 |
| Aniline Point, °C. | 52 | 50 | 48 | 45 |
| Pour Point °C., Max. | +30 | +30 | +30 | +30 |
Safety & Health
People can be exposed to asphalt in the workplace by breathing in fumes or skin absorption. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has set a recommended exposure limit of 5 mg/m3 over a 15-minute period.
Asphalt is basically an inert material that must be heated or diluted to a point where it becomes workable for the production of materials for paving, roofing, and other applications. In examining the potential health hazards associated with asphalt, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) determined that it is the application parameters, predominantly temperature, that affect occupational exposure and the potential bioavailable carcinogenic hazard/risk of the asphalt emissions. In particular, temperatures greater than 199 °C (390 °F), were shown to produce a greater exposure risk than when asphalt was heated to lower temperatures, such as those typically used in asphalt pavement mix production and placement. IARC has classified asphalt as a Class 2B possible carcinogen.