Tag Archives: bitumen emulsion

Benefits of GlobeCore Units for Asphalt Emulsion production

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Asphalt emulsion production benefits.

A number of technologies allow asphalt emulsion to be mixed at much lower temperatures. These involve mixing with petroleum solvents to form “cutbacks” with reduced melting point, or mixtures with water to turn the asphalt/bitumen into an emulsion.

Using asphalt in road construction requires the support of the minimum possible viscosity of the material. Technically, this is achievable by one of the following methods:

  • heating to process temperature;
  • liquefaction by using thinners;
  • emulsification of asphalt in water (making asphalt emulsion).

– The first method has significant drawbacks, especially in terms of energy costs of heating the mineral materials, the limited time of setting up the road top and the harmful impact on the environment.

– The second method involves the use of expensive thinners, which also contaminate the environment and pose a fire hazard.

Using asphalt emulsions is different from the two methods above, since it does not require heating and can be combined with cold and moist mineral materials. In practice, the reduction of energy costs using emulsion technologies can reach 40% compared to the traditional hot process. Bitumen economy is 20 to 40%.

asphalt emulsion

Asphalt emulsion applications:

  • formation of road bed;
  • formation of road revetment layers;
  • construction of rode pavement;
  • maintenance and repairs of pavement.

Principle of Operation: Manufacturing of Asphalt Emulsion with GlobeCore UVB-1

Laboratory unit UWB-1

UVB-1

The UVB-1 is designed for production of asphalt emulsions, operates in semi-automatic mode and consists of several autonomous components mounted on a single frame and connected by piping. Emulsion is made by consequtive mixing of components at certain pressure and temperature.

UVB-1 advantages

GlobeCore unit for manufacturing of bitumen emulsion offers the following advantages:exclamatory

  • Production of high quality asphalt emulsion regardless of initial bitumen quality by adding plasticizers, adhesion additives and thinners;
  • Production of all emsulion types, CRS, CMS and CSS-1,2, as well as anionic emulsion of corresponding types, including subtype h;
  • Blend concentrate is diluted by water directly in the unit;
  • Safety of operation (emergency interlocks in place);
  • Emulsion complies with ASTM D 2397-98 and D977-98;
  • Small footprint;
  • Simple servicing and operation.

 

Client benefits from purchasing this unit for manufacturing of asphalt emulsion:reliable

  • independence of asphalt emulsion suppliers and construction material market fluctuations;
  • repair and construction capability from early spring to late fall;
  • bitumen economy;
  • power savings;
  • client personnel training;
  • starting and commissioning of the unit on site (if necessary).

Emulsion Types

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Emulsion Types

In order to ensure that bitumen emulsion performs its functions to the full extent, it is necessary to form solid bitumen film after it has disintegrated.  As a general matter the disintegration rate depends on the reactionary properties of the emulsion and the rock material as well as current temperature and humidity. Emulsion storage time depends on dispersion, as well as other factors, which, in turn, depend on the concentration of emulsifier and acid. Hence the three emulsion types: quick, medium and slow setting emulsions.

Emulsion TypesThe quick-breaking emulsions breakup almost immediately after contact with bituminous material with a small specific surface.  Macadam can be taken as an example of such material.  The medium-breaking emulsions breakup when they are mixed with rock material with a small specific surface.  (E. g., preparation of black coated macadam, and obtaining of porous organomineral mixes).

The slow-breaking bitumen emulsions disintegrate after mixing with mineral materials having a large specific surface. (mixtures with a dense grain structure).  Bitumen emulsions of this type can be used to produce cold-type asphaltic concrete, emulsion-mineral mixtures as well as recycled bituminous concrete.

A specific bitumen emulsion types, which is being used, is determined by the type and concentration ratio of emulsifier, acid and bitumen.  It should be noted that the study of the bitumen emulsions disintegration process is still ongoing.  This is due to the fact that this process is influenced by many factors.

Bitumen emulsion disintegration can be accompanied by the following processes:

  1. Emulsifier adsorption on the rock material surface;
  2. Migration of bitumen particles towards the rock material surface;
  3. pH degree modification; and
  4. Water evaporation

Bitumen Emulsion Process

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bitumen emulsion process

Bitumen Emulsion Process

In practice, a special device known as colloid mill is used to obtain bitumen emulsions.  The bitumen emulsion process is as follows:  The hot bitumen and water phase mixture passes between the rotor and the fixed stator of the colloid mill.  The rotor, as well as the stator, may have specially cut teeth or grooves in order to create an additional turbulent flux.

The batch aggregates perform at least two functions: preparation of the water phase and direct preparation of the emulsion.  The water phase is prepared in a special tank.  During the stage of bitumen emulsion production, the water phase and the bitumen are fed into the colloid mill in accordance with the approved ratio in accordance with the receipe.  The accuracy of component dosing has a decisive influence on the quality of the resulting material.  It is more preferable to use closed metering systems due to the fact that some supplements can be dangerous to human health

The continuous operation provides water heating and dosing of all components in continuous mode. For this purpose each component has a separate dosing pump.  A lack of batch tanks is one of the fundamental distinctive features of such equipment.  This is achieved through the retrofit of a water phase feeding system.  The system provides the necessary time interval for the reactions to occur between the involved chemical additives.  These additives should be neutralized and dissolved by the moment of the bonding of the water phase and bitumen.

The continuous bitumen emulsion process should be carried out in automatic mode. All materials, except acid, are monitored by flow meters.  Acid supply is adjusted by controlling the water phase pH level. Special polymer modifiers (latex and SBS-polymers) can be used to add the desired properties to the bitumen emulsion.  This bitumen emulsion process requires the retrofit of the bitumen emulsion aggregates and the implementation of applicable technical solutions.