Bitumen composition

Abstract

A novel bitumen composition comprising a paraffin wax, wherein the wax has a congealing point of between 85 and 120° C. and a PEN at 43° C., expressed in 0.1 mm, as determined by IP 376 of more than 5.

1 . A bitumen composition comprising a paraffin wax, wherein the wax has a congealing point of between 85 and 120° C. and a PEN at 43° C., expressed in 0.1 mm, as determined by IP 376 of more than 5.  
   
   
       2 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the paraffin wax has a PEN at 43° C. as determined by IP 376 of more than 7.  
   
   
       3 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the paraffin wax has a PEN at 43° C. as determined by IP 376 of below 350.  
   
   
       4 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the paraffin wax has a PEN at 43° C. as determined by IP 376 of below 70.  
   
   
       5 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the bitumen component has a penetration in the range of 1 to 450 mm/10, a softening point from 30 to 130° C., a penetration index between +9 and −3 and a viscosity at 60° C. between 10 to 20,000 Pas.  
   
   
       6 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of the paraffin wax is between 0.5 and 10 wt %.  
   
   
       7 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the paraffin wax is obtained by a process comprising the steps of (a) hydrocracking/hydroisomerisating a Fischer-Tropsch product, (b) performing one or more distillate separations on the effluent of step (a) to obtain a middle distillate fuel fraction and a soft paraffin wax additive having an initial boiling point of between 500 and 600° C.  
   
   
       8 . A bitumen composition according to  claim 7  wherein the wax as obtained in said process is blended with a normal paraffin wax fraction having a congealing point of between 90 and 120° C. as isolated by distillation from the Fischer-Tropsch product.  
   
   
       9 . An asphalt composition comprising aggregates and between 1 and 20 wt % of the bitumen composition according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the paraffin wax has a PEN at 43° C. as determined by IP 376 of more than 7.  
   
   
       11 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the paraffin wax has a PEN at 43° C. as determined by IP 376 of below 350.  
   
   
       12 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 11 , wherein the paraffin wax has a PEN at 43° C. as determined by IP 376 of below 70.  
   
   
       13 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the bitumen component has a penetration in the range of 1 to 450 mm/10, a softening point from 30 to 130° C., a penetration index between +9 and −3 and a viscosity at 60° C. between 10 to 20,000 Pas.  
   
   
       14 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the content of the paraffin wax is between 0.5 and 10 wt %.  
   
   
       15 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the paraffin wax is obtained by a process comprising the steps of (a) hydrocracking/hydroisomerisating a Fischer-Tropsch product, (b) performing one or more distillate separations on the effluent of step (a) to obtain a middle distillate fuel fraction and a soft paraffin wax additive having an initial boiling point of between 500 and 600° C.  
   
   
       16 . An asphalt composition according to  claim 15  wherein the wax as obtained in said process is blended with a normal paraffin wax fraction having a congealing point of between 90 and 120° C. as isolated by distillation from the Fischer-Tropsch product.  
   
   
       17 . A road surface comprising the asphalt composition of  claim 9 .  
   
   
       18 . A paraffin wax having a congealing point of between 85 and 120° C. and a PEN at 43° C., expressed in 0.1 mm, as determined by IP 376 of more than 5 in suitable form for use as a bitumen additive.  
   
   
       19 . A process to lower the Fraass point of a bitumen composition comprising adding to a bitumen composition a paraffin wax having a congealing point of between 85 and 120° C. and a PEN at 43° C., expressed in 0.1 mm, as determined by IP 376 of more than 5.