Introduction Of Asphalt Plant
Asphalt can be defined as a black, sticky material used for paving that is manufactured by mixing bitumen with crushed aggregates. Asphalt is used primarily in the construction of roads in civil engineering works. Besides being used to make roads, asphalt is used to produce asphalt concrete which is used in making roofing products. On the other hand, asphalt plants are machines that are used to mix the ingredients of asphalt to manufacture asphalt and other types of coated roadstones. The ingredients that are used to make asphalt are bitumen, crushed rocks, sand, and gravel. Bitumen is used as the coating material that holds the aggregates together.
Types of Asphalt Plants and How They Work
The properties of the final asphalt depend on the grade of bitumen that is used in the asphalt manufacturing process. Asphalt plants are broadly categorized into two depending on the manner at which the aggregates are mixed and discharged from the plants:
- Batch Asphalt Plants
- Drum Asphalt Plants
Batch Asphalt Plants
In the batch plants, asphalt is manufactured in batches.
How it Works
The batch asphalt plant procedure begins when the crushed rocks and aggregates are placed in bins in the aggregate feeders. The aggregates are then moved using conveyor belts to the drying drum where they are thoroughly dried using heaters. The aggregates then enter the vibration screen. The vibration screen provides the platform where the different sized aggregates are sorted. The sorted aggregates are then dropped in several hot bins. The asphalt plant then allows aggregates of the required sizes to enter the mixing chamber where they are combined with hot bitumen to form asphalt. The hot asphalt is discharged from the hot silos to the bottom end of the drum from where it is loaded to trucks for transit.
Drum Asphalt Plants
In the drum asphalt plants, asphalt is manufactured continuously in a vast mixing drum.
How it Works
In this plant, the ingredients that are used to make asphalt are put inside a big rotating drum. The drum then discharges a constant supply of the hot asphalt mix to trucks. The aggregates are transported using conveyor belts from the feeder bins into the rotating drum. In the drum are heaters which heat the mixture to eliminate moisture. The aggregate is then combined with filler materials and coated with bitumen. The bitumen-aggregate mixture is then heated to the desired temperature. After enough heating, it is discharged to trucks through conveyor belts. Dust is removed from the plant using dust collectors which protect the environment from pollution.
Applications of Asphalt Plants
Asphalt plants are utilized in different applications as listed below:
- Road construction works
- Airport runways
- Cycle paths and footpaths
- Parking areas
- Newspaper ink production applications
- Cable coating and paints
- Reservoirs and pool linings
Choosing the Proper Asphalt Plant For Your Project
Selecting the best asphalt plant(Mejor Máquina para planta asfalto) can be a critical turning point for your project. The following points should be considered before choosing a plant for your project:
Nature of the Project
- In projects that involve moving from one location to another, the movable/ portable asphalt plants should be adopted. However, if there are no movements anticipated, the batch asphalt plant should be adopted.
Size of the Project
- Big projects require large quantities of asphalt per unit time making the drum asphalt plant the best choice.
- On the other hand, in small projects, the batch asphalt plant is the most effective one because it allows you to customize every batch os asphalt depending on your preferences.
Cost of the asphalt plant
- A plant that does not strain your budget at any given time should be selected. Expensive plants are counter-economical because they will increase the production cost causing the profit margin to drop.
Where to Buy Affordable Asphalt Plants
Cheap and quality asphalt plants can be purchased from the following companies:
- Sigma Asphalt Plants
- Ammann Batch Plants
- Lafarge Asphalt Plants
- SINOSUN Group Asphalt Plants
- LINNHOFF Asphalt Plants
Considerations Before Purchasing an Asphalt Plant
- The cost of the plant.
- The efficiency of the plant.
- The nature of the mechanical performance of the plant.
- The size and design of the plant.
- The integrated pollution control measures
- The number and size of the cold feed bins.
In conclusion, it is vital that one understands the types of asphalt plants well. On top of that, the above points on factors to consider before purchasing a plant are crucial in helping one to make the best economic decision when planning to invest in an asphalt plant.
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