STUDY OF BITUMEN SEPARATION FROM ASBUTON USING HOT WATER PROCESS IN COMBINATION WITH FLOTATION: A CRITICAL REVIEW

• Main Author: Julianto, Ridwan
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/66174
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Asbuton is natural bitumen contained in rock deposits. Indonesia has asbestos reserves of 650 million tons in Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi with bitumen content of 10-40%. Bitumen, which is the product of mineral impurity separation from asbuton, can be utilized as an alternative to oil-based asphalt for road construction. The bitumen separation process can be carried out using two methods, namely organic solvent media or hot water process (HWP). HWP separation has the advantage of being more economical and can be applied on an industrial scale. Therefore, this literature study critically reviews the effect of HWP separation process operating parameters, namely temperature, diesel addition dose, and surfactant addition dose on bitumen recovery. In addition, the flotation of bitumen from HWP was also studied to determine the possibility of its application. This literature study begins with the collection of data and information from books, journals and other publications related to asphalt, asbestos, bitumen, HWP and flotation. Then a discussion is carried out regarding the effect of operating temperature, the addition of diesel and the addition of surfactants on bitumen recovery and the proposed use of flotation of asbestos bitumen for HWP products to be applied. The conclusions and suggestions listed are expected to be a reference in further research or studies. The results show that in general, increasing the HWP operating temperature from 60oC to 90oC can increase bitumen recovery by 10-20% depending on the type of surfactant used. Bitumen recovery also increases with the increase of diesel in the solution from a diesel:asbuton ratio of 40:60 (w/w%) to a ratio of 60:40, i.e. from 61% to 85%. In the surfactant parameter, Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) which is the limit of surfactant crisis concentration in a solution, determines its effect on bitumen recovery. In general, the CMC value is 0.23% (surfactant:water mass ratio). If the surfactant concentration is below the CMC value, the bitumen recovery increases and vice versa. In general, increasing the mass ratio of surfactant solution to asbuton+solar solution mixture up to 25% can increase bitumen recovery, and then decrease thereafter due to the formation of emulsion with bitumen-solar layer. Based on previous research, a combination of bitumen separation from natural asphalt with impurities in the form of silica and purification of bitumen from HWP using flotation can be carried out. While the separation of bitumen from asbuton using a combination of HWP and flotation can possibly be applied by modifying the reagents used, namely by using diesel as a penetrating agent, surfactant as a wetting agent, and sodium hydroxide as a sealing agent.