Asphalt temperature

The temperature of the asphalt arriving on site is a critical parameter for effective paving and compaction operations. 

For the acceptance of delivered product, the asphalt temperature is measured while the material is still in the arrived lorry. The temperature of the asphalt may also be measured while the asphalt is in the hopper or in augers area, as well as after it has been laid before rolling. The latter is useful information for laying and compaction procedures. 

The temperature measuring devices are fitted with a probe and are conventional contact thermometers or digital contact thermometers with an accuracy of 2 C. 

When measurements are made while the asphalt is in the lorry, the probe of the measuring device is inserted into the material to a depth of at least 100 mm. At least four readings are taken at equally spaced intervals along each side of the lorry and at least 500 mm away from the edges of the load, and the average is determined. 

When the temperature of the asphalt is measured in the mat before rolling, the temperature-sensitive element is positioned as close as possible to the mid-depth of the layer. 

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The chemical composition of vapors and fumes from asphalt products is variable and depends on the crude petroleum source, type of asphalt, temperature, and extent of mixing. Therefore, the adverse effects from asphalt may also vary considerably depending on the source of exposure. 

Preparation of the S/A Binders. The main difficulties arose from the poor thermal insulation of the pure sulfur circuits. Once these problems had been overcome, S/A binder was produced at a rate of 6 tons/hr. The emulsion had the correct sulfur content and satisfactory dispersion. Process parameters were sulfur temperature, 140°C pen. 40/50 asphalt temperature, 155-160°C. 

During loading, the risk of asphalt segregation and the decrease of asphalt temperature should be minimised during loading. The first is ensured by loading as evenly as possible, that is, no asphalt piles with steep sides. The second is ensured by the quickest possible and uninterrupted loading. 

During transportation, the smallest possible asphalt temperature loss and asphalt protection from rain should be ensured. For this, as it was mentioned, the trailer should be covered with an appropriate moist insulator, especially during the days where ambient temperatures are low and there is the possibility of rain during the transportation. 

More information about the asphalt temperature measurement is given in CEN EN 12697-13 (2001). 

The major portion of sait is found in residues as these streams serve as the bases for fuels, or as feeds for asphalt and petroleum coke production, the presence of salt in these products causes fouling of burners, the alteration of asphalt emulsions, and the deterioration of coke quality. Furthermore, calcium and magnesium chlorides begin to hydrolyze at 120°C. This hydrolysis occurs rapidly as the temperature increases (Figure 8.1) according to the reaction i. ... 

Softening point for bitumen (ring and ball method) NF T 66-008 (future NF EN 1427) ASTM D 36 Temperature at which a ball passes through tin asphalt sample disk attached to a ring... 

The conditions of pyrolysis either as low or high temperature carbonization, and the type of coal, determine the composition of Hquids produced, known as tars. Humic coals give greater yields of phenol (qv) [108-95-2] (up to 50%), whereas hydrogen-rich coals give more hydrocarbons (qv). The whole tar and distillation fractions are used as fuels and as sources of phenols, or as an additive ia carbonized briquettes. Pitch can be used as a biader for briquettes, for electrode carbon after coking, or for blending with road asphalt (qv). 

A number of synthetic polymers having the abHity to control filtration rates at high temperature and in the presence of calcium and magnesium have also been developed (88). Such materials include vinyl sulfonate—vinyl amide copolymers (89,90), a copolymer of AMPS and A/,A/-dialkyl (meth) acrylamide (91) and a sulfonated hydroxylated polymer (92). AppHcation levels for these materials range from 5 to 18 kg/m (2—6 lb /bbl). Sulfonated asphalt is also used for high temperature filtration control. 

Sohd materials, such as gilsonite and asphalt, and partially soluble sulfonated asphalt may also be added to plug small fractures in exposed shale surfaces and thereby limit water entry into the formation (105,124). The asphalts are oxidized or treated to impart partial solubiUty. These materials may be softened by the downhole temperature, causing them to deform and squeeze into small openings exposed to the borehole. Laboratory tests designed to evaluate shale-stabilizing muds have confirmed the beneficial action of these materials (125) (see also Soil STABILIZATION). 

Dispersion at temperatures of 90—110°C is a common final step io European mills processiog wax-coated old cormgated containers. Dispersion temperatures less than 90°C are reported to reduce wax particle size to improve pulp drainage properties on paper machines while improving paper strength (45). Dispersion has been used to reduce hot-melt adhesive, plastic coating, and asphalt particle size. These low density particles can then be removed from the pulp by flotation (46). 

Asphalt Roofing Components. Asphalt (qv) is a unique building material which occurs both naturally and as a by-product of cmde-oil refining. Because the chemical composition of cmde oils differs from source to source, the physical properties of asphalts derived from various cmdes also differ. However, these properties can be tailored by further ptocessiag to fit the appHcation for which the asphalt will be used. Softening poiat, ductility, flash poiat, and viscosity—temperature relationship are only a few of the asphalt properties that ate important ia the fabricatioa of roofing products. 

Sulfur as an Additive for Asphalt. Sulfur-extended asphalt (SEA) binders are formulated by replacing some of the asphalt cement (AC) in conventional binders with sulfur. Binders that have sulfur asphalt weight ratios as high as 50 50 have been used, but most binders contain about 30 wt % sulfur. Greater latitude in design is possible for SEA paving materials, which are three-component systems, whereas conventional asphalt paving materials are two-component systems. Introduction of sulfur can provide some substantial benefits. At temperatures above 130°C, SEA binders have lower viscosities than conventional asphalt. The lower viscosity enables the plant to produce and compact the mix at lower temperatures than with conventional... 

Tanks are used to store hquids over a wide temperature range. Cryogerhc hquids, such as hquefied hydrocarbon gases, can be as low as —201 C(—330 F). Some hot hquids, such as asphalt (qv) tanks, can have a normal storage temperature as high as 260—316°C (500—600°F). However, most storage temperatures are either at or a htde above or below ambient temperatures. 

The market for tar-based road binders has declined considerably for a variety of reasons. Less cmde tar is available and the profits from the sales of electrode pitch and wood-preservation creosote or creosote as carbon-black feedstock are higher than those from road tar. In most industrial countries, road constmction in more recent years has been concentrated on high speed motorways. Concrete, petroleum bitumen, or lake asphalt are used in the constmction of these motorways. In the United Kingdom, for example, the use of tar products in road making and maintenance had fallen from 330,000 t in 1960 to 100,000 t in 1975 and is less than 100 t in 1994, mainly based on low temperature pitch which is not suitable for electrode or briquetting binders, but which is perfectly satisfactory as the basis for road binders. 

Temperature, solvent ratio, and pressure each have an effect upon the spHt point or yield of the oil and asphalt components (Table 3). Contrary to straight reduction which is a high temperature and low pressure process, propane deasphalting is a low temperature and high pressure process. 

A variety of other substances can provide the same reaction sulfur yields hydrogen sulfide chlorine yields hydrogen chloride. In some cases, some of the bonds created are quite weak resulting ia, after an iaduction period, a phenomenon termed "fallback." When fallback occurs, usually at a time when the hardened or oxidized asphalt is stored at or near the original processing or reaction temperature, softening of the asphalt is the result (28—31). 

Air-blown asphalts, more resistant to weather and changes ia temperature than the types mentioned previously are produced by batch and continuous methods. Air-blown asphalts, of diverse viscosities and flow properties with added fillers, polymers, solvents, and ia water emulsions, provide products for many appHcations ia the roofing industry. 

Temperature is the most important variable and preheating is generally necessary to 200—230°C. After air has been introduced, there is a gradual temperature rise because of the exothermic reaction, until some means is appHed to hold the temperature such as a water or steam spray on the asphalt surface to maintain a temperature of approximately 260°C. The end point can be predicted by periodic testing of the softening point. 

Many agents have been proposed and patented including copper sulfate (34), zinc chloride (35), ferric chloride (36), aluminum chloride (36), and phosphoms pentoxide (37) ferric chloride, zinc chloride, and phosphoms pentoxide have been most widely used. The addition of these agents may vary from 0.1 to 3%, depending upon the feedstock and the desired characteristics of the product (Table 5) and all asphalt feedstocks do not respond to catalysts in the same way. Differences in feedstock composition are important qualifiers in determining the properties of the asphalt product. The important softening point-penetration relationship, which describes the temperature susceptibiUty of an asphalt, also varies with the source of the feedstock. Straight-reduced, air-blown, and air-blown catalytic asphalts from the same cmde feedstock also vary considerably. 

Colloidal State. The principal outcome of many of the composition studies has been the delineation of the asphalt system as a colloidal system at ambient or normal service conditions. This particular concept was proposed in 1924 and described the system as an oil medium in which the asphaltene fraction was dispersed. The transition from a coUoid to a Newtonian Hquid is dependent on temperature, hardness, shear rate, chemical nature, etc. At normal service temperatures asphalt is viscoelastic, and viscous at higher temperatures. The disperse phase is a micelle composed of the molecular species that make up the asphaltenes and the higher molecular weight aromatic components of the petrolenes or the maltenes (ie, the nonasphaltene components). Complete peptization of the micelle seems probable if the system contains sufficient aromatic constituents, in relation to the concentration of asphaltenes, to allow the asphaltenes to remain in the dispersed phase. 

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