The Members of the Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers (NIEE) under the distinguished chairmanship of Engr. Chika Fredericks MNSE visit the FERMA Asphalt Plant on the 22nd March, 2017 for knowledge sharing with the experience professional in the plant and also possible business relation with the plant management. This visit was made possible after the approval of the FERMA Managing Director (MD) Engr. Peter Ode Ibu directing the Asphalt Plant Manager, Engr. Andrew Onoja to guide and educate the NIEE Members on the technicalities of the asphalt plant. During the plant tour the plant manager Engr. Onoja explained the plant operations down to the finished product. He define an asphalt as a Mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing etc. Asphalt concrete pavement mixes are typically composed of approximately 5% asphalt/bitumen cement and 95% aggregates (stone, sand and gravel). Due to its highly viscous nature, asphalt/bitumen cement most be heated so that it can be mixed with the aggregates during the mixing operations. NB : Asphalt pavement refers to any paved road surface with asphalt. Below are some photo talks.
Areas of Asphalt application include the following sectors:
- Transportation (eg. roads, railway or airport runways etc)
- Recreation (Playgrounds, bicycle paths, running tracks, tennis courts)
- Agriculture (barn floors, greenhouse floors)
- Industrial (Ports, landfill, caps)
- Building Construction (Floorings.)
Two common temperature based Asphalt are:
Hot mixed Hot Rolled Asphalt (Hot Asphalt)
Hot Mixed Cold Rolled Asphalt (Cold Asphalt)
Two types of Asphalt Plants:
Asphalt Batch Plant
Drum Mix Asphalt Plant
The FERMA Asphalt Plant is an Asphalt Batch Plant as it produce hot mix asphalt in series of batches. The Operations in the batching plants includes:
- Cold aggregates storage and feeding
- Drying and heating of aggregates
- Screening and storage of hot aggregates
- Storage and heating of bitumen and filler material
- Measuring and mixing of bitumen, aggregate and filler material
- Loading of finished asphalt mix material
- Control of all the operations of the plant by control panel
These operations listed above are categorize into four (4) stages in Kuje Asphalt Batch Plant as explain by the plant manager.
The Chairman of NIEE after specific recommendation from its members appreciate Engr. Onoja Andrew for the good work in dissecting the plant operation and as well as commend the management of FERMA for the maintenance culture going on in the plant to keep it in good shape. She further stated that with increase in Asphalt production in the country, there will be Environment sustainability and development.
However she appreciate the members present for making out time to enrich themselves with the educative event and also job well done to the technical coordinator research and development, Engr. Henry Okoye MNSE who work tirelessly for the success of the visit.
