Patent ID: 7927413

Claim:
A method for making asphalt concrete comprising: (A) providing a mixer that is adapted to mix aggregate materials and asphalt cement; (B) introducing aggregate materials into the mixer; (C) heating the aggregate materials to a temperature at least as high as the boiling point of water but no higher than about 285° F.; (D) providing a source of liquid asphalt cement; (E) providing a source of water; (F) providing a foamed asphalt cement nozzle assembly comprising: (1) a foamed cement mixing chamber; (2) means for heating the foamed cement mixing chamber; (3) a first inlet for liquid asphalt cement, said first inlet being in fluid communication with the liquid asphalt cement source and the foamed cement mixing chamber; (4) a second inlet for water, said second inlet being in fluid communication with the water source and the foamed cement mixing chamber; (5) an outlet for foamed asphalt cement, said outlet being in fluid communication with both the foamed cement mixing chamber and the mixer; (G) introducing the liquid asphalt cement to the foamed cement mixing chamber at an AC rate; (H) introducing the water to the foamed cement mixing chamber at an H 2 O rate which is no greater than about 2.0% by volume of the AC rate to produce foamed asphalt cement; (I) introducing foamed asphalt cement from the outlet of the nozzle assembly into the mixer; (J) mixing the foamed asphalt cement with aggregate materials at a temperature at least as high as the boiling point of water but no higher than about 285° F. to produce asphalt concrete.