One of the largest concerns to the asphalt industry today is rising fuel costs. Coal is currently one of the least-expensive fuels available. Astec Inc. of Chattanooga, Tenn., developed a coal burner, the new PhoenixCoal, to help hot-mix asphalt facilities take advantage of the lower cost of coal.
The efficient, low-maintenance PhoenixCoal provides substantial fuel cost savings by burning pulverized coal with oil or gas as a support fuel. The PhoenixCoal requires no refractory, performs at the same production rates as gas or oil units and is highly responsive to load changes.