Integrated dispersion and quantification system for asphalt modification

An integrated dispersion and quantification system for asphalt modification, comprising:

• a mixing chamber configured to receive an asphalt binder and at least one modifier material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a fiber, an elastomeric particle, and a nanomaterial,
• a mixing mechanism disposed within the mixing chamber and comprising:
• a coaxial high-shear rotor;
• a plurality of ultrasonic transducers positioned circumferentially around the mixing chamber and configured to generate a multi-directional sonication field and an ultrasonic cavitation zone;
• and
• a resonant acoustic mixing (RAM) unit configured to generate a vibrational acceleration and an acoustic resonance;
• a multi-sensor array comprising at least one of:
• an optical sensor;
• a torque sensor;
• a viscosity sensor;
• a temperature probe;
• and
• an acoustic sensor;
• a controller operatively coupled to the mixing mechanism and the multi-sensor array, wherein the controller is configured to:
• determine a dispersion quality via a Dispersion Uniformity Index (DUI) based on sensing data from the multi-sensor array;
• activate or deactivate at least one component of the mixing mechanism in response to the DUI;
• and
• adjust one or more of:
• a shear-vortex strength generated by the high-shear rotor,
• an ultrasonic cavitation energy generated by the ultrasonic transducers,
• the vibrational acceleration, and
• the acoustic resonance;
• and
• a data-logging module configured to generate a digital record of the dispersion quality, the sensing data, and energy usage for a mixing cycle.