How to make asphalt.

Report from the German plant.

Hard to believe that this huge structure periodically migrates from place to place. The entire plant, which produces 200-240 tons of asphalt concrete per hour can be transported and reassembled a half or two months. Now it is near the highway Minsk - Gomel, the reconstruction of which is actively conducted. Ancillary businesses only 14 people (not including the driver), the benefit of German technology and equipment replacing a large number of workers. Tipper barely have time to pick up a freshly prepared material for our slopes. Correspondents to examine in detail the production process of asphalt concrete. We offer a photo report from one of the most modern road industry of Belarus.

68 photos





First step. Our coverage begins 17 kilometers from the asphalt plant. "Going to an increased", - explains the head of the enterprise Pavel Yakimov. Heightened - this section of railway track, where people come to formulations of granite rubble Mikashevichy. It is situated at 1, 5-2 meters above ground level (which is easier to unload) - hence the name.



Delivery of crushed stone are essential. Work on this section in the season underway around the clock. Loaders, dump trucks constantly maneuvering between the mountains of rubble. He, too, is different - the major factions, medium, small. That rubble, folding into a kind of mosaic of the roadway, take the main load of cars.



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And here - the so-called screening, reminiscent of cement. As sand, this material also serves as a filler. After all, even the rubble of fines is not able to completely fill all the space of the web. Screenings and sand fill the void, preventing grid microcracks.



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- Logistics is crucial. Drive 300 kilometers per Mikashevichy 30-ton dump unprofitable, - explains on his way to the factory Pavel Yakimov. - Cheaper and faster transport the rubble by rail. Therefore, when choosing a site for the plant is always the terrain reconnaissance.



Second phase. TRUCKS gravel delivered to the plant. In parallel with the career driven sand, and from different parts of Belarus - bitumen and mineral supplements.



- The composition of asphalt concrete comprises: firstly, different fractions of crushed stone, secondly, sand, thirdly, bitumen as the most important material, and fourthly, mineral supplements - say dorozhniki. - All references resulting material is listed as asphalt. Although, if you look, just concrete in it then and there.



The third stage. With a career at the plant driven sand and gravel mixture in which across the cobbles and boulders. It is sent to the "roar" - the sonorous installation of sifting stones, which fully meets the title given to her work. The technology is simple: sand poured into the receiving hopper of the conveyor belt enters the "rumble" and passes through two sieves, eventually becoming clear and yellowish. As in the playground!



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The fourth stage. Crushed be stacked with a bulldozer. Mountains of pure, filtered and sifting sand nearby. Everything is ready to be loaded into special bins, which begins with the most important process - the direct production of asphalt concrete.



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At the site of the plant (it takes about two and a half acres) without ceasing to drive cars, the dust flies. By the way, if there's any possibility to freshen up after a hard day? It turned out factory workers live here - in the corner of the building built campus. Of course, not a three star hotel, but for the life of temporary dwellings well organized: a shower (specially drilled hole), a kind of kitchen, bedroom cabins.



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Fifth stage. Attention! At the plant arrived bitumen, asphalt concrete which serves as a binder between the crushed stone, sand, gravel. Like glue! That it disintegrates upon aging, the coating cracks. In the spring of them gets the water that turns to ice. When the temperature transition through zero is a constant process of loosening the web. So the quality of bitumen is essential. After all, if the glue is bad, then bad weather shoes soles will draw water.



- Before you pour bitumen tanks are selected and investigated samples - we will check compliance with stamps (they have several bitumen) - explains Pavel Yakimov. - All this is called input control. For example, by the penetrometer set viscosity. Also, the softening temperature is measured. The special rings filled with a sample, it is kept in the air for half an hour, then cooled to 5 degrees Celsius. Then the bitumen is placed in an electronic mixer and set some rotation speed and the heating temperature. After that, the asphalt is put a metal ball and looking for what time he touches the lower level courts.



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Most drivers are interested in, as well as the oil in the asphalt? As it turned out, of a percent. For example, asphalt concrete used are 4, 5-6% of bitumen, which is known, is a residual product of oil refining. "And plus or minus one-tenth of matters. If the bitumen will be more than necessary, asphalt concrete will turn bold, in the heat it will melt. And add a little status - is dry and frost large crack. Scientists are constantly working to perfect the formula for our climate, "- explained by experts.

The sixth stage. Forklifts are sent to the receiving hopper of sand and gravel. This is where not without human intervention. Workers should be to not fall into the board, a piece of iron and other bulky waste. Otherwise, it can damage the conveyor belt. The process resembles a cooking edakogo industrial cocktail.



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The seventh stage. The three tanks poured bitumen, which is recognized by the relevant standards. This process also takes place in parallel with the preparation of crushed stone, sand, gravel. The temperature in the tank is maintained at about 160 degrees Celsius.



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- Bitumen producing both of our refineries. But at the busiest time of the demand is very high. To qualify, all have to borrow from the night, - says the head of the plant. - Drivers come spend the night and in the morning loaded to the production process of asphalt concrete has been continuous.



The eighth stage. As the company is automated, no one, of course, does not start the installation manually. This process occurs in the control room, which contains the control cabinets - the brains of the plant. Here the operator (on the instructions of the wizard) sets the desired algorithms. The monitor is clearly visible the entire process.



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"German Plant Benninghoven - it is a brand! He is the best "- surprised even our ignorance of employees of the company, we decided to clarify the information about the logo. Before working on the equipment, which replaces dozens of people, many are trained.



The ninth stage. Each silo depending on the installed operator algorithms with a certain speed launches a portion of gravel, sand or screenings. All these moves on the conveyor belt directly into the dryer drum. What is happening at this stage can still be seen.



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Tenth stage. The drying drum burner heats the resulting mixture to + 170-180 degrees Celsius. First, to get rid of moisture. And secondly, to prepare the material for mixing with the bitumen and mineral supplements - envelopment should occur uniformly without temperature fluctuations.



It should be noted that the asphalt plant - rather energy-intensive production that requires laying high-voltage power lines. This is a protracted process, so the plant has a diesel generator with two engines. One provides coverage stroygorodke. The second is capable of supporting the entire plant in working condition. And this at a rate of about 60 liters of diesel per hour.



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The eleventh stage. At the site there was a roar. Elevator hot materials with special buckets delivers hot mixture over the top, to pass it through the 5-series screens.



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Since the material is distributed uniformly. In each "batch" should be present all the necessary fraction of materials - from small to large.

At the same time added to bitumen and mineral powder. Everything takes place in a system of pipes and hidden from view.



The twelfth stage. The resulting asphalt stir shaft with two blades. It was weighed and sent in a skip truck. I heard the characteristic smell of hot asphalt. Even in the heat of the plant comes a wave of heat.



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The thirteenth stage. After weighing the skip truck delivers top asphalt in the hopper. It takes just a few seconds. The trolley runs constantly back and forth. The hopper can hold up to 180 tons, a kind of reserve. "This is a big plus, because even before the first cars will come to the factory, we can already start working - the employee works. - No downtime, which means that the company is working more effectively. By the way, our record - 2269 tons of asphalt concrete per 10-hour shift. "



The fourteenth stage. Again we return to the laboratory, where the composition of the resulting check asphaltic concrete. This is done quite simply, put in a special oven capacity with the sample. Bitumen burns. Then take three sieve and sift the rubble. Receive a portion weighed. Nothing complicated. Average mathematical operation.



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The fifteenth stage. Finally, it is discharged from the hopper to dump asphalt. The amount may be adjusted as the operator and the driver himself. MAZ can take away about 20 tons, and Volvo, for example, took 30 tons.



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The sixteenth stage. Now loaded machine is weighed (on arrival at the plant, it has already passed the procedure). Work helps cover the asphalt termopokryvalom. Such are the demands of technical supervision. Laying is conducted at a temperature of 110 degrees Celsius. All! A line of trucks moving on the road to unload asphalt piping hot and come back for another party.



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