Asphalt production – Improved process
Production of asphalt –
Common process
Thermal process in refinery
Road bitumen + polymer = Polymerized bitumen
2. Thermal process in the asphalt base
POLYMERIZED BITUMEN + aggregate = ASPHALT
Asphalt production –
Improved process
1. Thermal process in asphalt base
Bitumen for roads + POLYMER PB25 + aggregate = ASPHALT
The complete process of asphalt production is done in one place, with the use of ordinary road bitumen (instead of polymerized bitumen), with significant benefits:
- Simplified procurement and storage of bitumen;
- Production does not depend on the production of bitumen in the refinery;
- No cost for maintaining bitumen in liquid form;
- There is no risk of deterioration of the purchased bitumen due to the delayed asphalting caused by bad weather.
The revolution was made possible by Polymer PB25
Polymer PB25 is an environmentally friendly plasticizer based on polyolefins such as PELD (low density polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene). During the chemical process with bitumen and aggregate, it creates its own mesh structure inside the asphalt and thus makes it stronger. Contains natural wax, which protects the asphalt from the weather and extends its shelf life.
Can be used for all asphalt mixtures: basic, binder and abbey. The shape of the flakes allows easy dispersion and mixing at normal production temperatures. It takes 20 seconds to melt the polymer to a minimum temperature of 160 ° C (optimally 170 ° C)
It is added with an automatic dispenser, directly in the asphalt mixer during the production of the asphalt mixture, in the amount of 0.25% in the upper bituminous layers and 0.30% in the load-bearing layers.
Tests and quality of asphalt with polymer PB25
Polymer PB25 has passed numerous tests:
University of Bologna (Italy);
University of Cosenza (Italy);
GeRoad Laboratory (Italy);
OPINION
Based on the results of laboratory tests of asphalt mixtures AB11, comparing the asphalt mixture with standard bitumen for roads BIT 60 (B 50/70) and the mixture with the addition of polymer flakes PB25, it can be concluded that the addition of 0.3% polymer the asphalt mixture achieves the following improvements:
- increasing the stability and the ratio of stability and flow according to Marshall for approximately the same volumetric characteristics of the asphalt mixture,
- increase of the dynamic modulus of stiffness of the asphalt mixture by 18%,
- increase the resistance of the asphalt mixture to permanent deformation (resistance of roads) by 45%,
- increase the tensile strength of the asphalt mixture by 10%,
- higher indirect tensile strength and lower reduction of indirect tensile strength from 16.7% to 12.0%, asphalt mixtures after the action of water.
In practice, with the use of this polymer, among others, are built:
- Verona Airport (Italy);
- Treviso Airport (Italy);
- Champino Military Airport (Italy);
- Arad-Deva Highway (Romania);
- Rovigo-Verona Highway (Italy);
- Padua Bypass (Italy);
- Heavy Vehicle Logistics Center Amazon (Italy).
The cost of the revolution
New advancing technologies are usually more expensive, but not in the case of PB25 polymer. During the usual production of AB11S asphalt (5.7% bitumen), 57 kg of polymer bitumen per 1 ton of aggregate are used. When using PB25 polymer for making asphalt AB11S (5.7% bitumen), 57 kg of ordinary bitumen are consumed per 1 ton of aggregate, with 3 kg of polymer consumed.
Еxcluding the savings obtained as a result of keeping the polymerized bitumen in a liquid state, direct savings are achieved during the production of asphalt. For an accurate calculation of savings, as well as for any other questions, you can contact us by e-mail or by phone.
