Ecopave Australia GEO320 Technology Improves Shell Bitumen
Environmental issues feature increasingly in today's social and commercial world as less harmful and better ways are sought to manufacture and use a wide variety of products. This is why GEO320 is such an important invention, not only is it the first commercial development of a binder for the manufacture of asphalt that is made from non-petroleum based renewable resources eg sugar and molasses but it also possesses increased mechanical and rheological properties to that of normal road grade residue.
Melbourne (PRWEB) December 21, 2005 -–
Environmental issues feature increasingly in today's social and commercial world as less harmful and better ways are sought to manufacture and use a wide variety of products. This is why GEO320 is such an important invention, not only is it the first commercial development of a binder for the manufacture of asphalt that is made from non-petroleum based renewable resources eg sugar and molasses but it also possesses increased mechanical and rheological properties to that of normal road grade residue.
Ecopave Australia developed the GEO320 MRH (Mastic Roller Hybrid) bitumen technology already back in the nineties to address some of the residue bitumen’s non fit for purpose problems such as fuming, low durability, fuel resistance and slipperiness on the road. GEO320 was originally designed to be a hydrocarbon based bitumen replacement that was safer to use with higher durability, solvent resistance and with increased structural road performance.
The increasing global environmental awareness and demand for safer non-toxic products was a key factor in Ecopave choosing to completely replace the traditional hydrocarbon bitumen model in 1997 with non-petroleum based ingredients made from renewable resources such as Sugar and Molasses.
Ecopave Australia performed a highly successful GEO320 “clean hydrocarbon” bitumen field trial in 2000 with Boral’s keen participation, the prototype field trial was designed to be a precursor for the up-coming sugar and molasses product and would establish pavement durability, strength and mix design specifications.
The Royal Dutch Shell lodged an international patent application twelve months after the Boral field trial in 2002 titled “Pigmentable Binder Composition” PCT/EP03/00585 and the claimed raw material ingredients in the application are remarkably identical to GEO320 bitumen, the list of claims admits to not having performed any field trial testing of the binder and says that “the above are data provided under laboratory conditions” only.
GEO320 MRH Asphalt Bitumen has gone through vigorous testing since 1987 and presented here are the latest findings made by ARRB on 16 August 2002. GEO320 MRH was tested by ARRB Transport Research to compare its performance properties with normal road grade residue bitumen, in this case the (Shell Class 320). Standard tests used to characterize bitumen to Australian Standard AS2008 were applied to both products. 1) "GEO320 was less soluble in standard laboratory solvents, the reduced solubility is noted to be advantageous to the end-user" 2) "The GEO320 durability is significantly better than typical class 320 bitumen.
Normal residue bitumen requires hot storage to remain in a viscous suspension until the time of asphalt mixing process. GEO320 MRH bitumen on the other hand is stored in a dry granulated form which is added to the hot aggregate mix at the time of asphalt manufacturing, this not only eliminates wastage (oxidized) bitumen and fuming but saves on fuel costs. The environment and the health of asphalt workers in the road construction industry was a high priority consideration in the twenty years that it took to research and develop GEO320 asphalt bitumen in Australia.
The emergence of ethanol and bio-diesel as alternative fuel sources has only answered half of the road to non-oil dependence and for the society to be totally free from the oil monopoly and be self-sufficient and non co-dependent on fossil fuels, it therefore has to be able to produce an economical environmentally friendly method of constructing roads to support infrastructure, bitumen made from renewable resources such as GEO320 is the newly found missing link.
Ecopave Australia was established in 2002 to commercialize the GEO320 MRH asphalt bitumen technology, their mission
Is to research and develop asphalt and bitumen alternatives that are made from non-petroleum based renewable resources and by doing so supporting the industries that endeavor to help our planet by engaging in sustainable production and environmentally sound practices. The Developing countries with vast natural resources of sugar beet and cane will be the biggest beneficiaries of the GEO320 bitumen technology since they will be able to boost their economies as well as construct their roads from a bitumen made from local renewable resources. Ecopave Australia is also seeking financial participation from non-profit organizations willing to assist in the manufacture and export of GEO320 bitumen with the view to fighting hunger and poverty around the world.
Article by Damian Johnson
Contact
Ecopave Australia
Phone: +61 3 9395 1285
Mobile: 0431 218 632
Web: http://www. ecopave. com. au (http://www. ecopave. com. au)
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