Methods and systems for producing cracking resistant asphalt binder using phase angle

Abstract

Asphalt binders and methods and systems to produce an asphalt binder that has an increased resistance to fatigue cracking and thermal cracking. In embodiments, a method includes, operating a distillation tower to produce an asphalt binder and transporting the asphalt binder to storage. The method may include determining a phase angle of the asphalt binder. The method may include, in response to the phase angle of the asphalt binder being less than a selected threshold, adding one or more amounts of tower bottoms or gas oil to the asphalt binder to adjust the phase angle of the asphalt binder to and produce a fatigue and thermal cracking resistant asphalt binder and then releasing the asphalt binder from the storage. The method may include testing a sample of the asphalt binder aged for a selected number of hours in a pressure aging vessel to confirm the asphalt binder meets specification requirements.