Precision Planning and Joint Realization
Through the replacement of the dryer drum and burner with the latest Benninghoven technology, an asphalt mixing plant in Eindhoven is once again up with the best when it comes to high productivity, a competitive edge, and the long-term viability of the facility.
A Long-Established Plant Gets a New Lease of Life
Situated on the outskirts of Eindhoven, the asphalt mixing plant has been in operation since 1990, supplying both public construction projects and the company’s own paving crews with a wide range of asphalt mixtures. Due to the advanced age of the plant and the already critical signs of wear on the burner and the dryer drum, the company decided to invest in a Retrofit of both components and directly contacted Benninghoven. KWS Infra is part of VolkerWessels Infrastructure, the Netherlands’ leading infrastructure specialist.
Focus on Higher Productivity and Functional Reliability
With the replacement of the dryer drum and burner, KWS Infra pursued two key objectives: Firstly, increasing the dryer drum volume to optimize production and drying performance and, secondly, assuring a long service life and functional reliability of the burner. The company also hoped that the retrofit project would improve final product quality and bring economic benefits, as well as generating energy saving potentials and reducing the plant’s environmental impact.
The combination of the Benninghoven dryer drum and burner forms a perfectly coordinated technical system that maximizes efficiency improvement. For the plant in Eindhoven, the specialists from Wittlich developed a custom-designed overall concept that was precisely tailored to the customer’s requirements and took all interfaces into account.
Larger Dryer Drum for Higher Thermal Process Efficiency
With a length of 10 m (instead of the previous 9 m) and a diameter of 2.4 m, the new Benninghoven dryer drum offers a considerably greater volume. A state-of-the-art frequency converter control system enables precise fine adjustment of the setting range during the drying phase. This ensures optimal control of heat transmission from the burner flame to the virgin material. An ideally adjusted setpoint in the drying process directly affects process optimization and fuel consumption. As the continuously variable drive is more energy-efficient, less fuel is required and carbon emissions are reduced. This fine adjustment brings benefits in the production of low-temperature/warm mix asphalt. The temperature of the drying process for the virgin material in the drum can be reduced by up to 30 °C – a significant step towards greater energy efficiency. A newly integrated louver damper also regulates the airflow inside the drum.
Functionally Reliable Burner
The new burner impresses with compact design. It can be operated with up to four fuels, including hydrogen – in this case, the plant operator opted for natural gas, the fuel most commonly used in the Netherlands. In addition, the new burner control system features remote access, enabling convenient online diagnostics via telemaintenance. Experts from the Benninghoven brand headquarters can access the burner directly at any time, quickly locate faults, and provide targeted support without the need for calling in a service technician – which plays an important role in ensuring high plant utilization rates and rapid response times.
Perfectly Coordinated Extras
Various extras were also implemented at the request of the lead contractor – some by Benninghoven and some on the part of the contractor. Precise coordination of the various responsibilities and handover points was crucial for ensuring that all the components fit together as required. These included the natural gas safety line up to the connection point with the existing gas network, the new raw gas duct – including a separate injection nozzle for emission-reducing additives – and the side stairway for access to the service door of the dryer drum, complete with a landing and handrails to facilitate maintenance work.
Numerous Interfaces – Tightly Focused Coordination
The precise definition of all interfaces was critical to the project’s success. Particularly in the case of a Retrofit, the various interfaces present within the components of an asphalt mixing plant need to be properly taken into account. Multiple trades are involved in this, from industrial building construction to equipment rentals or, for example, specialized contractors for the adaptation of belt conveyors or dismantling the emissions enclosure of the asphalt mixing plant. Here, everything proceeded in extremely close, smooth and seamless coordination with KWS Infra.
Coordinated Dismantling and Re-Installation of the Emissions Enclosure
In the Netherlands, plants must be housed in an emissions enclosure to minimize environmental impact from noise, dust, and other harmful emissions. For the installation of the dryer drum and burner, it was therefore necessary to dismantle and later reinstall large parts of the enclosure. KWS Infra decided to commission an external specialist contractor to carry out this phase of the project. This solution was practical and economical, as dismantling and reinstalling the enclosure requires a high level of professional expertise. To ensure a smooth transition at all interfaces, the site supervisor from Benninghoven provided valuable assistance during these process steps.
Direct Sales Ensures Easy Coordination
The initial project inquiry, negotiation, project planning, and implementation proceeded quickly and on schedule. Thanks to complex interfaces, this direct approach proved to be the simplest and most efficient solution for the customer. It took only a few weeks from the initial inquiry to the awarding of the project. This enabled decisions to be made quickly and by means of cooperative consultation.
Partener Principal
MATEK Build Smart