Wirtgen is improving the road fixing process with the launch of a high-performance cold recycler, which will be unveiled to the world at the Bauma trade show in Munich, Germany, in April, where visitors will be the first members of the general public to see the W 380 CRi in the flesh.
Due to the rapid increase in heavy-duty transportation, the road networks across the globe are showing visible signs of wear and tear in many places. To ensure the road infrastructure remains functional over the long term, roads increasingly require structural rehabilitation. Wirtgen’s cold recycler has been developed specifically to meet these requirements.
With available working widths of 3,200mm, 3,500mm and 3,800mm, the recycler can mill the road between 100mm and 300mm deep and has a mixing capacity of up to 800t/h meaning it can feed substantial quantities of recycled material to a paver via its swivel-mounted and height-adjustable discharge conveyor at the rear of the machine.
The capabilities of the machine mean that long stretches of road can be completed in a single work shift.Another advantage of the cold recycling process is the significant potential for energy savings during material processing. The raw materials do not have to be dried or heated, allowing for 10-12 liters of fuel to be saved per ton compared to conventional rehabilitation methods.
By almost completely reusing the surface course, the need to transport building materials can be reduced by up to 90%. At the same time, companies can cut resource consumption by 90% and completely eliminate the need to dispose of materials. This results in significantly reduced fuel consumption and lower COâ‚‚ emissions.
The cold recycler’s design makes it possible to reduce the use of binders by up to 50% – the area with the greatest potential savings, since binders are still the biggest cost factor in road rehabilitation.
The machine’s EU Stage V- and US Tier 4f-compliant engine produces 775kW of power.
