Portable warm asphalt preparation apparatus and process for the production of warm asphalt

A portable warm asphalt preparation apparatus comprising:

• a first receptacle defining a chamber, the chamber comprising:
• an inlet for introducing an asphalt feed material into the chamber,
• a floor at an inclined plane between a lower first end of the chamber and an elevated second end of the chamber, and
• an outlet disposed at the elevated second end for discharging a warm heterogenous mixture from the chamber;
• a conveying means provided between the lower first end and the elevated second end of the floor of the chamber, the conveying means for mixing the asphalt feed material and transporting a resultant warm heterogenous mixture along the inclined plane towards the outlet;
• and
• a heating means for supplying heat to the asphalt feed material during mixing by the conveying means to enable formation of the warm heterogenous mixture;
• wherein the asphalt feed material comprises a source of granular plastic and a source of mineral aggregate;
• and
• wherein the warm heterogenous mixture discharged at the outlet is a heterogeneous asphalt feed material mixture.

A process for the production of warm asphalt, the process comprising the steps of:

• introducing a source of granular plastic and a source of mineral aggregate into a first receptacle chamber of an asphalt preparation apparatus, the chamber having a conveying means disposed therein and the asphalt preparation apparatus comprising a heating means for heating the chamber;
• mixing the source of granular plastic and the source of mineral aggregate in the chamber at a mixing temperature of between 70° C. and 150° C. to at least partially liquify the granular plastic and thereby forming a heterogeneous asphalt feed material mixture;
• and
• adding a binder material to the heterogeneous asphalt feed material mixture to form the warm asphalt.