Phoenix Industries announced the successful completion of the first trial project with their PelletPAVETM pelletized rubber modified binder. Approximately 150 mix tons of the rubber modified hot mix asphalt was produced and placed in Pahrump, Nevada.

PelletPAVE is a high rubber content, concentrate additive that when mixed with a base paving oil such as a PG64 -22 produces a modified binder typically with properties equal to or better than a SBS polymer modified PG76 -22.

Dr. Serji Amirkhanian, Director of Research & Development at Phoenix Industries stated, “All of our preliminary test results, DSR, APA, and ITS from the trial project look very promising. We have seen positive results with our lab testing over the last few months but it’s always great to have those findings backed up in the field.”

During mix production, PelletPAVE is introduced directly into a drum or batch plant so it is not necessary to storage and handle difficulties normally associated with typical SBS polymers. There is no need for agitated storage tanks and you do not have issues of the material separating during transportation or storage. This allows road agencies to be able to use a modified binder in extremely remote areas where it was not practical before.

PelletPAVE is an environmentally friendly product with one of the ingredients being crumb rubber made from recycled waste tires. Also, with this material being in a unique free flowing pellet form that is shipped and stored at ambient temperature, there is a significant reduction in energy and CO2 emissions that are normally expended to keep typical binders hot until they are used.

“The economic benefits of using PelletPAVE as opposed to a SBS polymer binder is significant,” said Kelly Sockwell, Technical Director for Phoenix Industries, “a hot mix producer can see a per mix ton savings from $1.00 - $2.00 for dense and gap graded mixes, to almost $5.00 a ton on high binder content open graded mixes where we also eliminate the need for fibers. Additionally, our product is not susceptible to the volatile swings of the SBS polymer market. We have several other PelletPAVE projects coming up in the next few months, both here in the U.S. and internationally, that we feel will let us demonstrate these cost savings in various markets.”

Phoenix Industries is an environmental solutions company that manufactures equipment and provides new technologies for the modified asphalt paving industry.

Original article by Phoenix Industries.