Construction World October 2017

Danashia Padyachee, SprayPave technical manager, tests bitumen produced by the converter.

The multistage bitumen converter uses pressure, heat and air to manipulate bitumen on a molecular level.

Multigrade bitumen With certain chemical additives the converter can also produce multigrade bitumen with specifications and performance characteristics spanning several penetration grades. “This is particularly significant as it will help manufacturers to comply with the new Performance Grade (PG) bitumen specifications in South Africa,” he says. These specifications aim to improve the assessment of deformation resistance, fatigue properties, long term performance and cracking potential of bitumen as an asphalt binder. By enhancing bitumen penetration grades, the multistage bitumen converter can help asphalt producers to ensure they are using multigrade bitumen products complying with the PG specifications. 

At the official launch of the bitumen converter in August 2017 (from left): Eddie Jansen van Vuuren, general manager of SprayPave: Lynda Matthews, senior executive at Technix Industries; John Matthews, managing director of Technix Industries; and Saied Solomons, CEO of Sabita (Southern African Bitumen Association).

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD OCTOBER 2017