Abstract: A pour throat nozzle for a plasma arc centrifugal treatment system includes a substantially cylindrical throat section, with a generally arch-shaped, downwardly-facing surface at smaller radius extending above the plane of the bottom of the throat section, and with this connecting to a generally cylindrical section extending below the aforesaid plane at an inside radius much larger than the radius of the throat section. Furthermore, a method of reforming an orifice of a pour throat in a PACT system centrifuge includes adding ceramic material to the melt, heating and mixing the ceramic material with the melt, then slowing rotation of the centrifuge so that the mix pours into the inlet orifice of the nozzle.

Abstract: Emulsifier compositions comprising a mixture of a Natural Vegetable Polyphenolic Extract (NVPE) selected from Quebracho (preferred), Chestnut A, Chestnut N and Sumac-K10, surfactant, water, and a pH adjusting reagent for dry and aqueous anionic emulsifiers for producing universal bitumen-in-water emulsions. These NVPE emulsifiers are particularly useful in producing stable, anionic asphalt-in-water emulsions that are universal, i.e., they can be used as is or with a wide variety of fillers, additives, pigments and the like, including fine particulate materials, without premature breaking. In the preferred emulsifier, crude, spray-dried Quebracho is mixed with an alpha olefin sulfonate containing 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and the pH is preferably adjusted to pH 10 producing an anionic emulsifying agent. The pH may be adjusted from pH 4.5 to pH 11.5. Asphaltic emulsions made with the NVPE Quebracho emulsifier exhibit enhanced stability, increased viscosity, high ionic headroom and decreased drying times.

Abstract: The addition of from about 0.1 to about 1 parts by weight of a natural polyphenolic-containing vegetable extract (NPVE) per 100 parts of bitumens (particularly asphalt), coal tar, or other high boiling tars containing mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the characteristics of the treated product to enhance its performance as hot-melt adhesives, coatings, sealants, roof-coatings, and road-coatings as compared to the base bitumen. The NPVEs are naturally occurring, are extracted from plants and include quebracho, chestnut, wattle and sumac. By forming the ammonia salt of NPVE (ammonium/NPVE) and adding it to a base or NPVE-modified bitumen, the characteristics of increased adhesion and resistance to stripping is observed. Surprisingly, the addition of commercially available anti-stripping agents to an ammonium/NPVE-modified bitumen results in a modified-bitumen having a stripping resistance greater than either of the additives alone.

Abstract: Emulsifier compositions comprising a mixture of quebracho, a surfactant, water, and a pH adjusting reagent for dry and aqueous anionic emulsifiers for producing universal bitumen-in-water emulsions. These emulsifiers are particularly useful in producing stable, anionic asphalt-in-water emulsions that are universal, i.e., they can be used as is or with a wide variety of fillers, additives, pigments and the like, including fine particulate materials, without premature breaking. In the preferred emulsifier, crude, spray-dried quebracho is mixed with an alpha olefin sulfonate containing 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and the pH is preferably adjusted to pH 10 producing an anionic emulsifying agent. The pH may be adjusted from pH 4.5 to pH 11.5. Asphaltic emulsions made with the quebracho emulsifier exhibit enhanced stability, increased viscosity, high ionic headroom and decreased drying times.

Abstract: The addition of from about 0.1 to about 25 parts by weight of quebracho per 100 parts of bitumens (particularly asphalt), coal tar, or other high boiling tars containing mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the characteristics of the treated product to enhance its performance as hot-melt adhesives, coatings, sealants, roof-coatings, and road-coatings as compared to the base bitumen. The improved characteristics obtained by the addition of quebracho include: increased softening point, lower penetration number, and higher viscosity. The quebracho may be mixed directly with the tars or put into a water solution, using sodium hydroxide if necessary, and then added to hot tars with the water being driven off.