System and method for high throughput preparation of rubber-modified asphalt cement

1. A method for preparing a rubber-modified asphalt cement composition, comprising:

i) contacting asphalt with rubber granules to form a mixture;

ii) heating the mixture;

iii) mixing at least a portion of the heated mixture with rubber granules in a pre-wet vessel comprising a mixer to form a wetted asphalt/rubber mixture; and

iv) passing the heated wetted asphalt/rubber mixture through at least one high shear mixer;

wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprises an integration value of at least 90.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step comprises heating the mixture to a temperature of at least about 500° F.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passing step comprises passing the heated mixture through the at least one high shear mixer for greater than 30 minutes.

4. A method for preparing a rubber-modified asphalt cement composition, comprising:

i) contacting asphalt with rubber granules to form a mixture;

ii) heating the mixture to a temperature of at least about 500° F.;

iii) mixing at least a portion of the heated mixture with rubber granules in a pre-wet vessel comprising a mixer to form a wetted asphalt/rubber mixture; and

iv) passing the heated mixture through at least one high shear mixer for greater than 30 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprises an integration value of at least 95.

6. A method for high throughput preparation of a rubber-modified asphalt cement composition, comprising:

i) contacting asphalt with at least 40,000 pounds of rubber granules to form a mixture;

ii) heating the mixture;

iii) mixing at least a portion of the heated mixture with rubber granules in a pre-wet vessel comprising a mixer to form a wetted asphalt/rubber mixture; and

iv) passing the heated mixture through at least one high shear mixer;

wherein:

a) the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprises an integration value of at least 95, and

b) the method is performed in less than 24 hours.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprising about 65-95 wt. % of asphalt and about 5-35 wt. % of rubber granules.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the heating step comprises heating the mixture to a temperature of at least about 500° F.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the passing step comprises passing the heated mixture through the at least one high shear mixer for greater than 30 minutes.

10. A rubber-modified asphalt cement composition prepared by:

i) contacting asphalt with rubber granules to form a mixture;

ii) heating the mixture;

iii) mixing at least a portion of the heated mixture with rubber granules in a pre-wet vessel comprising a mixer to form a wetted asphalt/rubber mixture; and

iv) passing the heated mixture through at least one high shear mixer; wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprises an integration value of at least 95.

11. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the mixture is heated to a temperature greater than 500° F.

12. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the heated mixture is passed through the at least one high shear mixer for greater than 30 minutes.

13. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprises about 65-95 wt. % of asphalt and about 5-35 wt. % of rubber granules.

14. A system for preparing a rubber-modified asphalt cement composition, comprising:

i) an asphalt charging device for charging asphalt into the system;

ii) a rubber charging device for charging rubber granules into the system;

iii) at least one heater for heating the charged asphalt, the charged rubber granules, or a mixture thereof;

iv) at least one pre-wet vessel comprising a mixer to form a wetted asphalt/rubber mixture from the charged asphalt and charged rubber granules;

v) at least one high shear mixer for mixing the wetted asphalt/rubber mixture into a rubber-modified asphalt cement composition; and

vi) a controller for controlling the asphalt charging device, the rubber charging device, and/or the at least one high shear mixer, in a manner such that the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition has an integration factor of at least 95.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system is capable of high throughput production in less than 24 hours of a rubber-modified asphalt cement composition comprising at least 40,000 pounds of rubber granules, wherein the composition has an integration value of at least 95.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is a semi-automatic controller or an automatic controller.

17. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition has greater than about 5 wt. % of the tire rubber.

18. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the tire rubber has an average size of less than 20 microns.

19. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement composition has less than 8 wt. % rubber that is in a solid state.

20. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the high-shear mixed asphalt/rubber mixture through is circulated at least once more through the at least one high shear mixer with the temperature of the heated mixture maintained at the at least about 500° F.