The effect of bitumen concentration and mean drop diameter and distribution on the rheological behavior
of bitumen in water emulsions was investigated. Results obtained showed that the emulsion viscosity is
severely affected by the type of drop size distribution. In fact, emulsions with a bimodal drop diameter
distribution exhibit viscosity values which were at least 1 order of magnitude lower than the viscosity of
similar emulsions, having the same bitumen concentration and an equivalent mean drop diameter, but
with a unimodal distribution. It was also found that concentrated bimodal emulsions behave like Newtonian
fluids, while the unimodal counterparts are non-Newtonian and show some pseudoplasticity. Because of
their very simple rheological behavior, bitumen in water bimodal emulsions are of great importance in
the processes of transporting, handling, and commercializing extremely viscous hydrocarbons.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.