How Does a Bitumen Spray Tanker Work?

Spray Tankers are an integral part of applying bitumen to road surfaces– especially for large scale applications such as motorways and other long stretches of highway. Not only do spray tankers ensure that the job of applying bitumen over such a large surface is possible, but their highly-engineered design allows a uniform application of bituminous material – ensuring an even surface.  

In the newest Knowledge Hub article from BituChem, we’ll be going through the ways that a spray tanker is used to apply bitumen to a road surface in order to ensure a uniform spread. 

First Stage: Boiler  

To start, the bitumen will be loaded into the spray tanker. Once the bitumen has been loaded in, in most cases it will be liquified using an onboard boiler. Having the bitumen in this state allows it to be spread easily using the spray tanker’s spray. 

For some products, such as BituChem’s own Coldseal, there is no requirement for the bituminous material to be liquified before application. This is because this product has been designed to be laid cold and will cure without a thermal reaction. 

Second Stage: Emulsion

Once the bitumen itself has been liquified, it’s time to mix it with another material – this combination will form the basis of the surface. This mix of chemicals is called an emulsion. Normally, this process is done concurrently with the Bitumen being sprayed onto the surface – as the force of the spray mixes the two chemicals together extremely efficiently. 

Third Stage: Spray

During the third and final stage, the emulsion material is sprayed on the road. Immediately, afterwards, the aggregate material is added to the now-drying emulsion material. Adding it at this stage ensures that the new surface receives a uniform appearance and that the aggregate material can bind properly and thoroughly. 

Final Stage

Once this initial stage has been completed, the surface will be given time to dry. Normally, this process takes five to eight hours, depending on the ambient temperature. Once the surface has been laid a secondary layer may be added, depending on the results of the initial layer

Have Questions? Contact BituChem Today

For over 10 years, BituChem has provided our customers with high quality road surfacing products suitable for pothole repair, surface rejuvenation for roads and driveways, as well as a host of other applications. 

Our surface treatments are ideal for any situation, regardless of the type of surface – from busy highways to quiet country roads.