The production of high quality standardized asphalt concrete is vital in road construction. Two main types of asphalt mixing plants are used worldwide. What are the two types of asphalt plants? continuous drum mix plant and intermittent asphalt mixing plant. Whether continuous or batch, these types of asphalt plant have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we’ll compare the two types of asphalt plants and how they can meet your specific needs to help you make your choice.
What is Continuous and Batch Asphalt Plant?
What is Asphalt Drum Mix Plant?
Let’s see the drum mix type asphalt plant definition. What is drum mix plant? A continuous asphalt plant, also known as asphalt drum plant, is a type of asphalt plant used to produce asphalt concrete. It employs a continuous process and usually consists of a series of consecutive work units for a continuous production process.
How Does an Asphalt Drum Mix Plant Work?
How does a drum mix asphalt plant work? The asphalt drum mix plant process is simple, as is the equipment. How is asphalt produced using drum mix facilities? In terms of grading, metering and heating and drying of the cold aggregate the process is basically similar to the intermittent type, but the continuous type does not have the hot aggregate lifting, screening and secondary metering processes. Cold aggregate is measured dynamically into the drying drum, then mixed in the connected mixing drum with asphalt. Continuous charging and discharging.
What Is an Asphalt Batch Plant?
A intermittent forced asphalt mixing plant is a type of plant used to produce asphalt concrete, which uses an intermittent method of operation and a forced mixing method.
How Dose the Asphalt Batching Plant Work?
What is the process of asphalt batch plant? First, cold aggregate is added to a drying silo, dried, and heated. Hot aggregate is then lifted and sieved using a vibrating screen. It is stored and metered through a hot silo and added to the mixing pot together with the measured filler (mineral powder) and binding material (asphalt). The asphalt mixture is evenly mixed. He metered batching, mixing, and discharging one pot after another, hence the name intermittent asphalt plant. This simply shows how an asphalt plant works.
Now that we understand the asphalt plant definition and working principle, let’s take a deeper look at the difference between intermittent asphalt mixing plant and continuous asphalt mixing plant.
What Is the Difference Between Asphalt Drum Mix Plant and Asphalt Batch Mix Plant?
What Is the Key Difference Between the Batch Plant Production Process and the Drum Mix Production Process?
Continuous asphalt mixing plant: Continuous production of asphalt concrete, uninterrupted addition of raw materials and continuous mixing.
Intermittent asphalt mixing plant: Each production cycle has a clear start and end, only one batch of asphalt concrete is produced at a time, and production stops when it is finished, waiting for the next batch of raw materials.
Production efficiency
Asphalt drum mix plant: Usually have high production efficiency due to continuous operation and are suitable for large-scale production.
Asphalt batch plant: The intermittent nature of each production cycle results in relatively low production efficiency, and is suitable for small-scale production or situations where production speed is not required.
Raw material input
Drum mix asphalt plant: Raw materials can be added continuously without stopping and waiting.
Batch mix asphalt plant:Require sufficient raw material to be added at once at the beginning of each production cycle and then again when the batch is complete.
Flexibility and adjustability
Batch asphalt plant: It is usually more difficult to adjust the production parameters and are suitable for long-term production under stable production conditions.
Drum asphalt mixing plant: Production parameters can be flexibly adjusted at the end of each production cycle to suit different production requirements and raw material conditions.
Equipment Costs and Maintenance
Asphalt drum mixing plant: Usually the equipment size is large, and the investment and maintenance costs are relatively high.
Asphalt batch plants: Usually smaller equipment size, investment and maintenance costs are relatively low.
In summary, the continuous asphalt plant is suitable for large-scale continuous production, while the intermittent asphalt mixing plant is more suitable for small-scale production or production speed requirements are not high. Consider project requirements, production scale, raw material conditions, budget, and other factors when choosing a good asphalt mixing plant.
What Is the Difference Between an Asphalt Batch Plant and a Drum Mix Plant from the Parts?
According to the different asphalt mixing plant components into a comparison between the parts.
1. Cold material system
Asphalt batch mix plant: accurate weighing by electronic scale, more accurate batching, but need to feed several times.
Asphalt dryer drum: one-time feeding, but the amount of material can not be adjusted, resulting in rough ratios and large errors.
When choosing equipment, consider your need for dosage accuracy and the convenience of feeding.
2. Dust removal system
Asphalt batch mix plants: adopting high-power induced draft fan for secondary dust removal, with good environmental protection effect.
Continuous asphalt mixing plant: most of them use water to remove dust, which has poor environmental protection effect and is a big waste of water resources.
Environmental awareness is an important issue in the current society, and choosing the right dust removal system can help reduce environmental pollution.
3. Weighing system
Batch type asphalt plant: Equipped with accurate electronic weighing system, clear control, accurate measurement of asphalt.
Hot drum mix plant: Asphalt addition relies on timing due to the absence of proper equipment, making it difficult to control the oil-rock ratio.
When considering the production accuracy, accurate weighing system is the key factor to ensure the quality of asphalt concrete.
4. Heating and mixing system
Batch plant for asphalt: The aggregate is heated, making temperature control easy and ensuring uniform mixing.
Asphalt plant drum dryer: heating and mixing in one step, but the temperature control is not precise, which may lead to asphalt aging.
Temperature control during production significantly impacts asphalt concrete quality, hence selecting the appropriate heating system is vital.
5. Finished material transfer method
Intermittent mandatory asphalt mixing plant: using pneumatic flap door to control the transfer, fast and good heat preservation.
Drum asphalt batching plant: transfer to the external finished product warehouse, poor insulation, long transfer time.
When choosing the material transfer method, it is necessary to consider the transfer speed and heat preservation performance to ensure the quality of finished material.
6. Asphalt heating system
Discontinuous asphalt plant: thermal oil heating, high heat utilisation rate, suitable for mass production.
Semi continuous asphalt plant: heating furnace and asphalt integrated, low heat utilisation, suitable for small-scale production.
Choosing the right asphalt heating system can improve production efficiency and save energy cost.
7. Asphalt Burner
Asphalt batch mixing plant: the burner is easy to operate and emits less smoke.
Double drum asphalt plant: high fuel consumption, more emission of smoke and high maintenance cost.
The combustion efficiency and environmental performance are key factors when selecting equipment.
Since we understand the difference between each other two kinds of equipment in the structure of the components, then let us understand the advantages and disadvantages of these two kinds of asphalt plants!
What Are the Advantages And Disadvantages of Asphalt Batching Plant?
Intermittent asphalt batch plant has certain advantages and disadvantages in the construction of highway projects, and you should consider these characteristics comprehensively during actual use. The following are the advantages and disadvantages of asphalt batching plant for sale.
What Are the Advantages of Asphalt Batching Plant?
High flexibility
Intermittent forced asphalt mixing plant is suitable for different types of customers and special recipe requirements, with high flexibility. It is ideal for producers who work with several different customers at the same time as it is easy to change product specifications to suit different needs and maintain a high level of quality.
Consistent production quality
Since the asphalt batch plant meters the ingredients, mixes and discharges them one pot after another, it ensures stability and consistency in production. In addition, asphalt batch plants have double mixing arms and blades for higher quality mixing, especially for special products.
Precise control of raw materials
Asphalt mixing and batching plant provides more precise control in terms of aggregate metering, asphalt metering and powder metering. Measured by load cells in the weighing hopper, it ensures accurate input of raw materials, which improves the stability and quality of production.
What Are the Disadvantages of Asphalt Plants?
- Relatively low production efficiency: Since asphalt batch mix plant for sale needs to measure, mix and discharge materials one pot at a time, production efficiency is relatively low. In contrast, the asphalt drum mix plant for sale is capable of continuous production and is more efficient.
- Large equipment footprint: Asphalt batch plants are relatively complex in structure and require a larger site. This increases installation and transport costs, and limits the layout and deployment of the asphalt batch mix plant for sale.
- Higher maintenance costs: Due to the complexity of the internal working system of the asphalt batch plant for sale and the many structural components, maintenance costs are relatively high. The specialized skills and equipment needed for maintenance increase costs and complexity.
- Lower energy utilization: Compared to drum continuous asphalt mixing plant, the asphalt batch plant near me has a lower energy utilization rate. Intermittent equipment needs frequent start-stop cycles, wasting energy and hindering energy conservation and environmental protection.
In summary, intermittent asphalt mixing plant has the advantages of high flexibility and stable production quality, but also has the disadvantages of relatively low productivity, large equipment footprint, high maintenance costs and low energy utilisation. When choosing the asphalt batch plant, it is necessary to make comprehensive consideration according to the specific production demand and actual situation. Here are some more advantages and disadvantages of continuous type drum mix plant.
Key Advantage and Disadvantages of Drum Mix Plant
Continuous mix asphalt plants also have a range of advantages and disadvantages in the construction of highway projects, and the following are their main features.
What Are the Advantages of Drum Mix Plant
High production efficiency
Continuous asphalt plants can continuously measure, mix and deliver raw materials, so they have high production efficiency. Continuous machines are able to produce more finished products per unit of time than intermittent asphalt batch plants.
Smaller footprint
The drum mix plant for sale is usually more compact and have a smaller footprint. Continuous asphalt plants are more flexible in layout, ideal for limited space production situations. Therefore, such a continuous drum mix asphalt plant contributes to the saving of lands.
High energy efficiency
Continuous asphalt plants have a high energy efficiency because they run continuously and do not require frequent start-ups and stops. This helps to reduce energy consumption and improve the economy and environmental friendliness of production.
Relatively low maintenance costs
Continuous type drum mix plants usually have a simple structure and working principle, which makes maintenance costs relatively low. Routine maintenance and servicing of the equipment is relatively simple, reducing production costs and downtime.
What Are the Disadvantages of Drum Mix Plant?
- Lower production flexibility: Asphalt stationary drum mix plants often has less flexibility to respond to different customers and special requirements during the production process, resulting in lower production flexibility. If specifications change, longer downtime and adjustments could be necessary.
- High demand on raw material quality: Continuous double barrel asphalt plant production requires high-quality raw materials due to the ongoing nature of the process. Quality issues with raw materials can impact the production line stability and finished product quality.
- Higher initial investment: Compared to batch plants, the initial investment for continuous plants is usually higher. Continuous equipment, with its intricate structure and operational principles, demands additional technical and equipment support.
- High environmental requirements: Drum mix asphalt plant for sale often has advanced environmental facilities to meet protection requirements. This increases the cost and maintenance difficulty of the equipment, and also requires additional management and supervision.
In conclusion, continuous asphalt drum mix plant has the advantages of high production efficiency and small space occupation. However, it also has the disadvantages of lower production flexibility and high requirements for raw material quality. When choosing equipment, consider specific production needs and the actual situation comprehensively. So for the two kinds of equipment, how to make a better choice?
How To Choose The Right Asphalt Plant? (Asphalt Batch Plant VS Drum Mix Plant)
Project Needs and Scale
Firstly, you need to consider the scale and requirements of the project, including the expected production volume, the type and proportion of concrete formula, etc. Projects of different sizes may require different types and sizes of equipment.
Production Efficiency Requirements
According to the production cycle and efficiency requirements of the project, select asphalt mixing plant that can meet the production needs. Continuous asphalt drum plant is usually suitable for large-scale continuous production, while intermittent asphalt mixing plant is suitable for small-scale, flexible production needs.
Raw Material Quality Requirements
Consider the project’s requirements for raw material quality, and select asphalt mixer plants that can guarantee product quality. The higher the quality of the raw materials, the higher the equipment configuration and technical support required.
Budget and Cost Considerations
Select plant mix asphalt based on budget constraints and long-term cost considerations. In addition to the purchase cost of the asphalt mix plant, you also need to consider the operating costs, maintenance costs, energy consumption and other factors.
Working Environment and Site Conditions
Consider the environmental conditions and site constraints of the project location and select the appropriate type and layout of asphalt plant. For example, a small site may need to choose a compact structure, small footprint asphalt mixing equipment.
Technical Support and After-Sales Service
choose reliable asphalt plant suppliers and manufacturers to provide technical support and perfect after-sales service. Technical support and maintenance services of the equipment are crucial to the long-term operation and stability of the project.
Environmental Requirements
Consider the environmental regulations and policy requirements of the project location, and select the asphalt mixing machine that meets environmental standards. Asphalt production may generate waste gases, wastewater, and pollutants, requiring environmental protection facilities.
Careful consideration of various factors and project requirements helps in choosing the best asphalt mixing plant.
Specifications of Asphalt Batch Plant And Drum Mix Plant
Asphalt batch plants and asphalt drum mix plants are both vital components in the process of producing asphalt. Here’s a breakdown of their specifications.
| Model | ALQ40 | ALQ60 | ALQ80 | ALQ100 | ALQ120 | ALQ160 | ALQ200 | ALQ240 | ALQ320 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 40 t/h | 60 t/h | 80 t/h | 100 t/h | 120 t/h | 160 t/h | 200 t/h | 240 t/h | 320 t/h |
| Cold Aggregate Hoppers | 4×4.5m³ | 4×6.5m³ | 4×7.5m³ | 4×7.5m³ | 5×7.5m³ | 5×12m³ | 5×12m³ | 5×12m³ | 6×15m³ |
| Dryer Size | φ1.2m×5.2m | φ1.5m×6m | φ1.5m×6.7m | φ1.65m×7m | φ1.8m×8m | φ2.2m×9m | φ2.6m×9m | φ2.6m×9.5m | φ2.8m×10.2m |
| Fuel consumption | 70-300kg / h | 100-400kg / h | 120-600kg / h | 150-1000kg / h | 150-1000kg / h | 150-1400kg / h | 180-1800kg / h | 180-1800kg / h | 260-2500kg / h |
| Vibrating Screen (Layer) | 4 layers | 4 layers | 4 layers | 4 layers | 5 layers | 5 layers | 5 layers | 5 layers | 6 layers |
| Mixer Capacity | 500kg | 800kg | 1000kg | 1250kg | 1500kg | 2000kg | 2500kg | 3000kg | 4000kg |
| Cycle Time | 45s | 45s | 45s | 45s | 45s | 45s | 45s | 45s | 45s |
| Filter Area | 230m² | 300m² | 420m² | 480m² | 550m² | 650m² | 700m² | 1050m² | 1350m² |
| Asphalt Temperature | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ | 140-180 ℃ |
| Total Power | 170kw | 200kw | 300kw | 350kw | 380kw | 490kw | 550kw | 670kw | 865kw |
| Courts Models | ALT20 | ALT40 | ALT60 | ALT80 | ALT100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 20 t/h | 45 t/h | 60 t/h | 80 t/h | 100 t/h |
| The ability to | 40kw | 75kw | 120kw | 165kw | 200kw |
| Cold Aggregate Hoppers | 3.5m³×1 | 4m³×4 | 4m³×4 | 6.5m³×4 | 6.5m³×4 |
| Finished Product Hopper | 3t | 3t | 7t | 7t | 9t |
| Asphalt Temperature | 120-180 ℃ | ||||
| Fuel consumption | 13-15kg/t | ||||
| Asphalt Tank | 10 t | 20 t | 30 t | 30 t | 35 t |
| Control room | 2.2m | 2.2m | 3m | 3m | 3.5m |
| Option | Bag dust filter | ||||
| Model | ALYQ60 | ALYQ80 | ALYQ100 | ALYQ120 | ALYQ160 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | t / h | 60 | 80 | 100 | 120 | 160 |
| Mixer capacity | kg | 800 | 1200 | 1300 | 1700 | 2200 |
| Mixing cycle | s | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Total power | Gasoline(kW) | 54 | 63.5 | 104.5 | 125 | 157.5 |
| Coal(kW) | 75 | 86.5 | 127.5 | 169 | 205 | |
| filter area | m2 | 370 | 420 | 480 | 510 | 620 |
| Model | ALYJ10 | ALYJ15 | ALYJ20 | ALYJ30 | ALYJ40 | ALYJ60 | ALYJ80 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 10 t/h | 15 t/h | 20 t/h | 30 t/h | 40 t/h | 60 t/h | 80 t/h | |
| The ability to | Petrol | 48kw | 59kw | 68kw | 106kw | 132kw | 146kw | 186kw |
| Burning coal | 67kw | 78kw | 91kw | 129kw | 170kw | 192kw | 262kw | |
| Cold Aggregate Hoppers | 3m³×3 | 3m³×3 | 3m³×3 | 5m³×3 | 5m³×3 | 5m³×3 | 5m³×4 | |
| Finished Product Hopper | 2t | 5t | 5t | 9t | 9t | 9t | 20 t | |
| Asphalt Temperature | 120-180 ℃ | |||||||
| Fuel consumption | Petrol | 5-7.5kg/t | ||||||
| Burning coal | 13-15kg/t | |||||||
| Option | Water dust filter, Bag dust filter, Control room, Asphalt heat tank, Mineral flour tank | |||||||
Both types of asphalt plants have their advantages and are used in various construction projects depending on factors such as project size, location, and specific requirements. Consult professional asphalt batch plant suppliers and technicians for advice and support when selecting different types of asphalt plants.
AIMIX , a Professional Asphalt Plant Manufacturer
AIMIX is a professional asphalt batching plant manufacturer, offering various types and specifications of asphalt concrete mixing plants. We can provide customised solutions according to customers’ specific needs, as well as technical support and after-sales service. Choosing AIMIX’s asphalt batching plant has the following advantages.
- Diversified product line: AIMIX provides various asphalt batch mix plant equipment models to meet project needs, including continuous and batch plants.
- High-quality equipment: AIMIX asphalt plants use high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing for stable, reliable performance and long-term operation.
- Customised solutions: We offer tailored solutions for customers’ needs, including equipment, layout, and technical support to meet project requirements.
- Professional technical support: We has expert technical and after-sales teams offering support, training, and maintenance for equipment operations and upkeep.
- Globalised service network: AIMIX has a global sales and service network for timely customer support.
If you are looking for asphalt batch plant or drum mix plant, you can consider choosing AIMIX. The asphalt plant supplier will provide you with high quality products and professional services to help you complete your project successfully.
In Conclusion
Asphalt mixing plants play a vital role in road construction. Choosing the right type of asphalt plant depends on the customer’s needs and project requirements. Both intermittent and continuous asphalt plants have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, when selecting equipment, consider productivity, energy consumption, and environmental performance for smooth project implementation and quality assurance.
If you have any questions or needs about asphalt batching plant or drum mix asphalt plant, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to provide you with professional solutions and services! Get the asphalt plant cost now!
