Specific Objectives

Batch heater coating plants were historically designed for particular applications for a small sector of the British market. However, progressive development of production features involving additional mechanical components and updated process control systems have meant these plants now offer a high degree of control for the production of coated roadstone.

The advantages of batch heaters are that they are:

• Able to produce the product in variable quantities from 0.5 to 5.0 tonnes, on a batch-by-batch basis.
• Able to offer a range of 150 product mixes.
• The plants create a smaller environmental footprint and require a smaller storage area.
• Suitable for urban locations.

Like large asphalt plants, batch heater coating plants use large motors to operate conveyors, fans and burners to heat the aggregate to the required temperature. These have high power levels and fuel consumption, exacerbated by the lack of opportunity to modulate the burners or fans when lower temperatures are required.

Specific Objectives are:

• Demonstrate a mobile plant of 4 modules each transportable on a 40 tonne lorry, able to be installed and operational within 24-hours.
• Reduce the size of the site required from 120M3 to 20M3, and reduce by up to 60% the land required for materials storage.
• Demonstrate a low level plant with improved visual impact through a structure height of 12 Meters compared to 25 Meters currently.
• Demonstrate an innovative filtration system reducing emissions to less than 10mg/m3 against an industry standard of 100-50 mg/m3.
• Reduce consumption of fuel (gas/oil) by up to 30% compared to existing plants through burner control system development.
• Reduce consumption of power (electricity) by up to 75% compared to existing plants through new design green motors, inverters and computerised control systems.
• Increase levels of mixed recycled materials used to produce roadstone coating from a current level of 10%, to 50%.
• Reduce noise levels of the system to 40Db(A), enabling situating in urban areas.
• Demonstrate a programmable IT control system to maximise plant efficiency and production quality, integrating all plant processes.

List Of Key Deliverables And Outputs

The key outputs expected from the project are:

• Up to 75% reduction in power (electricity) consumption.
• Up to 30% reduction in fuel (gas/oil) consumption.
• Reduced emissions to less than 10mg/m3.
• Achieve Environmental Agency support for acceptance of the system and process in urban areas.
• Achieve European Environmental Agency and European Union accreditation for the system and process.
• Increase level of recycled materials used in the process to 50%.
• Increase acceptable commercial end products available from the current 150 to 400.
• Achieve significant production cost savings.
• Produce dissemination material throughout Europe, together with a marketing strategy to encourage sales throughout the Community and candidate countries, before developing a worldwide campaign.