One of the priorities of the national economy is the expansion of the road and motorway network in Poland. In 2017, 355 km of new roads were opened to traffic, and by 2025 the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways plans to build 3,267.7 km of roads. Mineral-asphalt mixtures are an essential raw material for their construction, and they are produced in bituminous mix plants. Find out why the use of LPG in bituminous mix plants is crucial for the efficient production of mineral-asphalt mixtures.
Asphalt is the primary road construction material in Europe and is produced in stationary bituminous mix plants. The production of construction materials is highly energy-intensive, involving the use of large quantities of fossil fuels. The stage of mineral-asphalt mix production that requires the most energy is the heating and drying of aggregate: natural gas, fuel oil or LPG is then burned in a direct-fired rotary dryer. AmeriGas specialists outline the benefits of powering bituminous mix plants with liquefied petroleum gas.
LPG – an environmentally friendly energy source
The negative environmental impact of bituminous mix production plants is primarily due to air pollution emissions and, to a lesser extent, to waste generation. The primary source of emissions of most harmful gases (nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide) during the bituminous mix production process is the combustion of fuels in the burner or burners of the dryer. During combustion, liquefied petroleum gas emits 20% less CO₂ than when burning fuel oil and 50% less than when burning coal. Furthermore, the combustion of LPG does not produce dust or fluorides, and is therefore non-toxic. LPG can be used in conjunction with the latest low-emission technologies, enabling a plant using this gas to be more environmentally friendly.
Liquefied petroleum gas – a highly efficient fuel
One of the key factors in the efficient production of mineral-asphalt mixtures is the ability to reduce energy consumption from fossil fuels. The type of fuel and its energy consumption are key issues, as large quantities of traditional fossil fuels are still used in drum dryers to dry and heat aggregate before mixing with bitumen. An economical solution is to equip the aggregate dryer with a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) burner, which is up to five times more efficient than traditional fuels. LPG has a high calorific value and, as a gaseous fuel, provides stable temperature control, which significantly improves the production efficiency of mineral-asphalt mixtures in bituminous mix plants.
LPG affects the quality of mineral-asphalt mixtures
The properties of road bitumen depend on the type of crude oil and the production technology used. A mineral-asphalt mixture consists of:
- bituminous binder,
- fine and coarse aggregate,
- filler,
- additives.
The most important component of mineral-asphalt mixtures is bitumen (asphalt), as it possesses binding properties and acts as a binder in the mixtures. However, in order to add it in the correct proportions, it must be heated to a temperature that allows the asphalt to be freely injected into the mixture – approximately 180°C. As temperature and loading time change, so does the consistency of the asphalt. As LPG provides stable temperature control, this is a decisive factor in the effectiveness of the entire process and the high quality of the product.
Economic and environmental considerations mean that an increasing number of companies are opting to power equipment used in the production of all manner of materials with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Furthermore, if you choose to work with AmeriGas, a trusted liquefied petroleum gas supplier, your LPG tank will be connected to a telemetry system, ensuring constant monitoring of the gas level in the tank. This means you don’t have to worry about your system running out of fuel – the production of mineral-asphalt mixtures will not be disrupted in any way.
Key benefits of using equipment leased from AmeriGas:
- High-quality gas and cost-effectiveness compared to electricity
- Free servicing and a 24-hour emergency hotline with a rapid response service
- Extended service life of radiators and burners
- Consistent and timely deliveries
- Hedge Fixed Price – AmeriGas allows you to sign a fixed-term contract with a price guarantee, enabling precise estimation of production costs
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