Benninghoven performance in “down under”.

Transportable Benninghoven asphalt mixing plant TBA 4000 with environmentally friendly technology in Yatala, Australia

Commissioning of a TBA 4000 with environmentally friendly technology in Yatala, Australia

Yatala | Queensland, Australia

The transportable asphalt mixing plant type TBA from Benninghoven is popular across the globe – including in Yatala (Queensland), where the COLAS Australia Group has commissioned a TBA 4000. With this investment, the road construction company pursues the objective of producing asphaltic mixtures with a constant high quality and quantity while achieving a recycling content of up to 40 % – and that as energy-efficiently as possible. In addition, COLAS integrated a foam bitumen module for producing reduced-temperature asphalt.

The Benninghoven technology ensures that all Australian national specifications are complied with and that all customer requirements are met. These often refer to warm mix asphalt, also known as reduced-temperature asphalt. All things considered, the TBA in the selected configuration proves its all-rounder qualities that are appreciated by owners and users worldwide.

Highlights of the TBA 4000 in Yatala, Australia

320 t/h

is the maximum mixing capacity of the TBA 4000

Strong plant performance and sophisticated recycling technology

The COLAS Australia Group is a leading supplier of sustainable solutions for building and maintaining roads. To meet this demand even better, the road construction company was looking for an asphalt mixing plant manufacturer who meets several requirements. “We selected the TBA because we had already had very positive experiences with three other mixing plants from Benninghoven. And of course another reason was that the plant allows for a high output and we can re-use our reclaimed asphalt,” reports Thierry Maledon, CEO of the COLAS Australia Group. “The TBA also meets all our other specifications.”

The cold feed system with multi-variable feed is responsible for the recycling content of up to 40 %. It doses the crushed reclaimed asphalt from resurfacing projects directly into the 4-t mixer of the TBA 4000 in a timed cycle. This avoids water hammer events which occur when large volumes of cold and hot material meet. This protects the mixer and other plant components.

Sustainable and energy efficient: the TBA 4000 operated by COLAS.

Multi-variable feed

Cold recycling of up to 40 % reclaimed asphalt: Highlights of the multi-variable feed

Cold recycling feed system with gentle, timed feed into the mixer
Prevents water hammer effects during steam expansion
Gentle on material and components
Patented system (European patent EP 2554746B1)
Extremely precise dosing thanks to precision weighing equipment
Highest possible feed rates in cold recycling
Option of dosing all non-adhering bulk materials such as Trinidad asphalt, rubber granulate

Cold recycling of up to 40 % reclaimed asphalt: Diagram of the multi-variable feed

Middle ring feed box

The second integrated recycling feed system feeds the reclaimed asphalt directly into the dryer drum.

10 feed units and four bitumen tanks for a variety of recipes

COLAS placed a special focus on a large range of possible asphalt recipes. “Our customers have high requirements for the asphaltic mixtures. Depending on the intended use of the asphalt, different quantities of recycling material can be added. Depending on the recipe, different bitumen types can also be required,” says Cameron Nisbett, Managing Director of COLAS Queensland. The TBA 4000 at COLAS in Yatala offers several plant options to meet these requirements. The plant has eight feed units for virgin mineral in different grain sizes. The recycling material is also available in two different grain sizes in two additional feed units. And for the bitumen, COLAS can access four different types for producing speciality recipes. The bitumen tanks required for this have a high energy efficiency, which Benninghoven achieves with electric heating in combination with a 300 mm thick insulation.

“With this equipment in conjunction with the recipe generator, we can meet any requests from our customers,” explains Thierry Dulac, Plant and Fleet Manager at the COLAS Australia Group. The recipe generator is one of many highlights of the user-friendly BLS 3000 control system from Benninghoven. The mixing foreman can choose from previously stored recipes and the entire plant then automatically configures all parameters for the required asphaltic mixture.

The Benninghoven recipe generator is a great supporting tool for adding recycling material. This software option of the Benninghoven BLS 3000 control system allows dynamic changes to be made to the recycling content. This means that the mixing foreman can use a slider to add reclaimed asphalt to, for example, a job that was started with 100 % virgin mineral, at any time. The virgin mineral content and all other ingredients of the respective recipe, i.e. bitumen, filler, etc., are automatically adapted and the grading curve of the mixture remains identical – without interrupting production, without changing the recipe and with a constant temperature and quality.

Ten feed units (at the bottom of the image) and four bitumen tanks in total: The TBA 4000 at COLAS supports a large range of asphalt recipes.

Ten feed units and four bitumen tanks in total: The TBA 4000 at COLAS supports a large range of asphalt recipes.

Foam bitumen module increases energy efficiency

In addition to the recycling technology, a foam bitumen module also supports energy-efficient operation. This allows the TBA 4000 to produce reduced-temperature asphalts. The crucial difference compared to conventional hot asphalt is the 20 – 40 °C lower processing and laying temperature. With foam bitumen as a binder, the production process for asphaltic mixtures improves the total energy balance and reduces emissions during asphalt production. With a daily output of 2,000 t, this saves 1,800 l of heating oil or an energy equivalent, as well as 6 t less CO2 emissions.

Temperature lowering during asphalt production requires a temporary reduction of the bitumen viscosity, which can be achieved by adding water: When hot bitumen is mixed with water in the Benninghoven foam bitumen module, the bitumen foams up to many times its original volume. Due to the large surface, the technology also improves the wettability of the minerals.

The foam bitumen is added directly into the mixer through the injection bar. Apart from the bitumen foaming, the production process remains unchanged. This means that the foam bitumen is not only good for the environment, but also cost efficient for the plant owner.

* Deutscher Asphaltverband e.V., asphalt Leitfaden, Temperaturabgesenkte Asphalte [Asphalt Guide, Reduced-Temperature Asphalts – published by the German Asphalt Association]

“The foam bitumen module brings us closer to the objective of making our operations as sustainable as possible. Because lower production temperatures also mean a lower energy input – and therefore lower CO2 emissions.”

Thierry Dulac, Plant and Fleet Manager
COLAS Australia Group

Benninghoven foam bitumen module: The technology is integrated into the weighing and mixing section and enables the production of low-temperature asphalt. Injected into the mixer, the foamed binder with its large surface texture coats the mineral or recycling material in the best possible way, creating a durable load-bearing capacity.

Proven technology from the Wirtgen Group – the foam bitumen pioneer

Foam bitumen is an internationally established binder that plays an increasingly important role in the construction and resurfacing of roads and has come to the attention of road construction authorities and construction companies around the globe.

Advantages of the process:

Environmentally friendly thanks to high energy savings
Saves resources thanks to low fuel consumption
Gentle on the materials through reduced ageing of the bitumen and lower wear on the plant
Economic efficiency thanks to low variable costs

Benninghoven burner increases flexibility

The EVO JET also contributes to the efficiency. This Benninghoven burner can run on up to four different fuels. The operator can switch between heating oil, natural gas, liquid gas, coal dust and biomass-to-liquid (BtL) fuels at the press of a button. This makes plant owners less dependent on the raw materials markets and allows them to always select the cheapest fuel at the time. A modern frequency controller ensures a highly efficient consumption.

With the selected plant configuration of the TBA 4000, the COLAS Australia Group is ready for the future. And the customers of the Australian company can look forward to first-rate asphaltic mixtures, produced with a TBA 4000 in an environmentally friendly process.