All About Asphalt Mixing Plant
29 January 2011- The asphalt mixing plant is generally placed in the category of batch heater and drum mix. Both of which are used for the instant mixing of asphalt, the difference being the mixing process. Asphalt mixing plants have been a major invention for road construction industry.
What is Asphalt
Asphalt is a Black, thick and humid semi-solid liquid which is found in crude petroleum as well as in few other natural deposits. Construction of roads require asphalt concrete as an essential material. It is used as a glue or a binder to bind other elements. Asphalt comprises of a combination of different sizes of oil, rocks and various other additives like lime. In case the proportion of the comprising elements are changed, it would result in a different design mix.
Asphalt Mixing Plant : Functioning
An asphalt mixing plant is basically an equipment used for rigorous and perfect mixing of road construction materials. A number of composite materials, sand, fillers and binders are put together in a right proportions, so as to bring out a solid material as last. The
asphalt plant drum is filled with raw materials using hoppers at a calculated and set speed, the materials are heated thereafter. Then the totals are coated by a binder spray. The variation in mixture is bring forth by adjusting the feed rate of the totals, binder, and stone dust. Special attention is paid at controlling and maintaining the viscosity and temperature of the binder. to ensure asphalt production as per the desired specifications.
Asphalt Mixing Plant : Types
There are generally two types of asphalt mixing plant, namely, batch heater and drum mix. The basic difference between the two lies in the way the mixing is done. The difference between batch heater and drum mix is discussed as under:
Batch Heater: In a batch heater, the raw materials are fed within the heater drum and heated at a specific temperature. After that, the hot materials are poured into the mixing drum wherein it is introduced with the binder and filler. The mixture is then mixed perfectly and transferred into vehicles or collecting hoppers. The heater here, continues heating the continuing lot while the prior one is being blended. Batch heater plants are generally used for producing low volumes of material.
Drum Mix: Drum mixer is the simplest technique for producing asphalt mix. In a
drum mixer, mixing is done in a dryer shaped drum. The aggregates are dried and heated in the same drum, and eventually asphalt cement is mixed with the aggregates. The entire process is depended on cold feeding control of aggregates.
