Drying of Asphalt Plant Aggregates Using Concentrated Solar Energy
Abstract
An experimental study is being carried out to check the feasibility of replacing rotatory kilns in hot mix asphalt plants with concentrating solar technology. A compound parabolic concentrator is used to focus solar irradiation onto a receiver where aggregates (silica sand in this study) are placed. The constant heat flux generated is employed to heat and dry the particles. Different instruments such as thermocouples, radiometer and balance are employed to monitor temperature, irradiance and humidity variations. Different sand layer thicknesses are studied and compared to a simplified thermal model. Preliminary results demonstrate the procedure feasibility.