State-of-the-art upgrade in Eindhoven

• KWS Infra upgraded its Eindhoven asphalt mixing plant by replacing the dryer drum and burner with advanced Benninghoven technology to boost productivity and sustainability.

• The new dryer drum is larger with precise frequency converter controls, enabling up to 30°C lower drying temperatures, reducing fuel use and emissions.

• The burner supports multiple fuels, including natural gas, and features remote diagnostics for efficient maintenance and high plant availability.

• The retrofit required meticulous coordination among various contractors, including dismantling and reinstalling the emissions enclosure, ensuring seamless integration and timely project completion.

Precision planning and joint implementation

Through the replacement of the dryer drum and burner with the latest Benninghoven technology, an asphalt mixing plant in Eindhoven is once again up with the best when it comes to high productivity, competitiveness and the long-term viability of the production site.

A long-established plant gets a new lease of life

Situated on the outskirts of Eindhoven, the asphalt mixing plant has been in operation since 1990, supplying both public construction projects and the company’s own paving crews with a wide range of asphalt mixtures. Due to the advanced age of the plant and the already critical signs of wear on the burner and the dryer drum, the company decided to invest in a Retrofit of both components and directly contacted Benninghoven. KWS Infra is part of VolkerWessels Infrastructure, the Netherlands’ leading infrastructure specialist.

Focus on higher productivity and functional reliability

By replacing the dryer drum and the burner, KWS Infra pursued two key objectives: firstly, increasing the dryer drum volume to optimise production and drying performance and, secondly, assuring a long service life and functional reliability of the burner. The company also hoped that the retrofit project would improve product quality and bring economic benefits, as well as generating energy saving potentials and reducing the plant’s environmental impact.

The Benninghoven dryer drum and burner form a perfectly coordinated technical system that enables the maximisation of efficiency. For the plant in Eindhoven, the specialists from Wittlich developed a custom-designed overall concept that was precisely tailored to the customer's requirements and took all interfaces into account.

Larger dryer drum for higher thermal process efficiency

With a length of 10 m (formerly 9 m) and a diameter of 2.4 m, the new Benninghoven dryer drum offers a considerably greater volume. A state-of-the-art frequency converter control system enables precise fine adjustment of the setting range during the drying phase. This ensures optimal control of heat transmission from the burner flame to the virgin material. The setpoint in the drying process must be carefully selected, as it directly influences process optimisation and fuel consumption. As the continuously variable drive is more energy-efficient, less fuel is required and carbon emissions are reduced. This fine adjustment brings benefits in the production of low-temperature/warm mix asphalt. The temperature of the drying process for the virgin material in the drum can be reduced by up to 30 °C – a significant step towards greater energy efficiency. In addition, a newly integrated louvre damper regulates the airflow inside the drum.

Functionally reliable burner

The new burner impresses with compact design. It can be operated with up to four fuels, including hydrogen – in this case, the plant operator opted for natural gas, the fuel most commonly used in the Netherlands. In addition, the new burner control system is remotely accessible, which enables convenient online diagnostics via telemaintenance. Specialists from the Benninghoven brand headquarters can access the burner directly at any time, quickly locate faults, and provide problem-relevant assistance without the need for calling in a service technician – which plays an important role in ensuring high plant utilisation rates and rapid response times.

Precisely coordinated extras

A number of extras were also implemented at the request of the lead contractor – some by Benninghoven and some on the part of the contractor. Precise coordination of the various responsibilities and handover points was crucial for ensuring that all the components fitted together as required. These included the natural gas safety supply line up to the connection point with the existing gas network, the new raw gas duct – including a separate injection nozzle for emission-reducing additives – and the side stairway for access to the service door of the dryer drum, complete with a landing and handrails to facilitate maintenance work.

Numerous interfaces – perfect coordination

The precise definition of all interfaces was critical to the success of the project. Particularly in the case of a Retrofit, the various interfaces within the components of an asphalt mixing plant need to be properly taken into account. Multiple trades are involved in this, from industrial building construction to equipment rentals or, for example, specialised contractors for the adaptation of belt conveyors or dismantling the emissions enclosure of the asphalt mixing plant. Here, everything proceeded in extremely close, smooth and seamless coordination with KWS Infra.

Coordinated dismantling and re-installation of the emissions enclosure

In the Netherlands, plants must be housed in an emissions enclosure to minimise environmental impact from noise, dust, and other harmful emissions. For the installation of the dryer drum and burner, it was therefore necessary to dismantle and later reinstall large parts of the enclosure. KWS Infra decided to employ an external specialist contractor for this phase of the project. This solution was practical and economical, as dismantling and reinstalling the enclosure requires a high level of professional expertise. To ensure a smooth transition at all interfaces, the site supervisor from Benninghoven provided valuable assistance during these process steps.

Direct sales ensures easy coordination

The initial project inquiry, negotiation, project planning and implementation proceeded quickly and within the allotted time-frame. At this level of interface complexity, this direct approach proved to be the simplest and most efficient solution for the customer. It took only a few weeks from the initial inquiry to the awarding of the project. This enabled decisions to be made quickly and by means of cooperative consultation.