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The Basics of

Emulsion

Manufacturing

Vince Vopat, Director of Sales, Bergkamp

Objectives

Discuss:

Equipment and materials of the emulsion manufacturing

process

Describe the manufacturing process

Determining factors of successful asphalt emulsion process

Emulsion defined

• Definition—an immiscible liquid dispersed within another

Two steps

1. Asphalt is sheered into many small particles by a

colloid mill

2. The soap chemistry (emulsifier) stabilizes the particles

The smaller and more single-sized the particles are,

the better the emulsion

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“Lifting it on a table”

• Simple batch process

– Colloid mill “lifts”

– Emulsifier chemistry “holds”

Emulsifier

All mills and emulsifiers are

not equal• Highly modified, hard grades of asphalt require more energy

Equipment

• Colloid Mill and motor

– Motor is the source of the energy

– Rotor-Stator translate that energy into

the material

– Different geometries with different

motors

asphalt

Bitumen Emulsions, SFERB

asphalt

Mill Rotor/Stator

RotorStator

Rotor

Stator

“Gap” is the clearance between

the rotor and stator

Equipment

• Tanks

• Asphalt storage

• Emulsion storage

• Soap (optional)

Equipment needed

• Asphalt Pump

• Soap Pump

• Pipes

Batch process diagram

Soap Solution

Asphalt

Emulsion

Colloid Mill

Materials

• Asphalt

• Water

• Emulsifier

• Acid/base (cationic/anionic)

Preliminary steps

1. Manufacture soap

1. Fill tank with warm or hot water

2. Add acid/base (pH check)

3. Add emulsifier (pH check)

4. Check temperature of soap

2. Check asphalt temperature

– Asphalt temperature requirement will be based on viscosity

3. Calculate emulsion temperature

– Asphalt temperature (%factor) + Soap temperature (%factor) = Emulsion

temperature

Soap

Solution

Asphalt

EmulsionColloid Mill

Batch processing steps

1. Start flow of soap

2. Turn on the mill

3. Start flow of asphalt

4. Control the asphalt content

Controlling the process

• Asphalt/soap flow

– Maintain steady flow

– Maintain proportions

– Control mill temperature

– Keep temperature below 212°F

Emulsion QA and handling

• Emulsion is stored according to type of

product (specs)

– Some emulsions stored at ambient, some 140°F, others

– Stored in insulated, heated tank, with mild, occasional

agitation

– Emulsion must cool before shipped or used

• Run tests for certification

– Viscosity, distillations, etc.

• Particle size analysis

– Not for certification but very important

information

– Samples during the run from the mill

and tank samples

– Indicative of almost all emulsion properties

General trends in

manufacturing ease

softer AC grades harder AC grades

unmodified modified

more emulsifier less emulsifier

More Difficult Easier

Product trends in

manufacturing ease

CSS CMS CRS-1 CRS-2P

SS MS CRS-2 SBS polymer

Microsurfacing

RS

Easier More Difficult

High performance systems

• Heat exchangers

• Multiple soap tanks

• Flow meters

• Actuated valves

• PLC/Computer control

Higher level process diagram

Even higher performing

• Inline (Continuous) processing

• No soap is manufactured separately

• All materials metered and mixed inline

Batch vs Inline

• Batch (manual)

– Less capital investment

– Less expensive, simpler components

• Inline

– On demand emulsion… constant state of readiness to produce

– Automated…More accuracy and consistency, easy to tailor products

– Less waste—more efficient with time and materials

Laboratory/Pilot scale processing

• Formulation work

– Very important and very different from full-scale production

– Test performance of the emulsion

– Predict any manufacturing problems

– Recirculation mills shed little light on full-scale production

Summary

• Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturing is a two step process of the

colloid mill shearing and the emulsifier chemistry stabilizing

• Many different configurations of colloid mills

• Certain emulsion products are more difficult to manufacture

due to asphalt properties and/or product formula

• Laboratory manufacturing equipment should be chosen

carefully when piloting full-scale production

Questions