Keeping asphalt hot all the way with asphalt duvets

When Munck Asfalt drives asphalt from the plant to the roads to be asphalted, the temperature of the hot asphalt is controlled. This is due to custom-made asphalt duvets by Combitherm, who are specialists in unique and challenging jobs relating to passive temperature control.

170 degrees hot asphalt

At the asphalt plant in Kongensbro, you will find all the various stone and gravel aggregates used in asphalt lying in perfect order. You can even find a mountain of old asphalt ready to be recycled into new asphalt. There are many different types of asphalt, so depending on the task the plant will follow a specific recipe to mix the perfect combination for the job, mixing and heating it in a large drum. The bitumen is then added, which is a black, oil-based material, and this is heated along with the hot gravel in the mixer. The finished asphalt is at this point approx. 170 degrees warm, depending on the type of asphalt, and it will be transported to a silo by a trolley that is pulled right to the top of a high tower. Once it is finished, the truck can pick up the asphalt beneath the silo before leaving for the Danish roads.

The temperature of the asphalt must last all day

We all know the sight of large, smoking trucks carrying hot asphalt ready to be laid out on a road. The asphalt must be smoking hot when it is installed, otherwise it will be too stiff and sticky to work with. That is why the temperature must be kept as high as possible all the way from the plant silo to the truck and till it is on the road being compacted and smoothed by a roller.
Because of this, Munck Asfalt – which has plants in Aalborg, Kongensbro, two places on Funen, and in Svogerslev near Roskilde – has chosen to collaborate with Combitherm, that specializes in making duvets for many different industries and purposes.

Insulating asphalt duvets are the solution

When potholes and minor damage in the roads need to be repaired, the truck with the hot asphalt must often drive around to 10-15 different addresses in the region.
“The asphalt therefore has to be kept warm for a long time, and every time you access the asphalt you are lowering the temperature. So, it takes a good insulating duvet to keep the asphalt warm all day,” says Martin Boutrup.
After stopping below the silo and getting the asphalt loaded onto the truck, a canvas is laid over the smoking hot asphalt. The main reason is that no bitumen should touch the insulating duvets by Combitherm.

“The specially sewn asphalt duvets are then placed on top of the canvas and the asphalt in the truck. When the asphalt leaves the silo, it is approx. 170 degrees, but the asphalt duvets are so effective that even if a whole day of road repairs are carried out on different addresses, the asphalt keeps hot enough till the end of the day where it is still possible to work with,” Martin Boutrup continues. 

A positive experience

“We currently own two of these asphalt duvets by Combitherm, and experience shows that they work really good. It’s important that the temperature doesn’t fall below 120 degrees. So, we will probably get more,” says Martin Boutrup, head of department at Munck Asfalt in Kongensbro, located at Gudenåen in Central Jutland.

Read more about the advantages of asphalt duvets

About Munck Asphalt 

Munck Asphalt & Civil Engineering is an experienced, trustworthy partner within asphalt production, paving and road construction. Headquartered in Nyborg, our five asphalt mixing plants and one bitumen emulsion plant produce and supply standard and specialised materials throughout Denmark.

Photo at the top​: When the asphalt needs to be kept warm all day, tailor-made asphalt duvets from Combitherm are the solution.

Photo at the bottom: Martin Boutrup, head of department at Munck Asfalt, shows where the asphalt is driven into the silo for collection by the trucks.