If you’re planning to invest in a continuous asphalt mix plant, there are a few things you need to know about this type of plant. The continuous plant is also known as a drum mix plant. There are certain situations where investing in a continuous mix plant makes much more sense as compared to a batch mix plant. It does not mean that batch mix plant has some kind of limitations. Instead, investing in a batch mix plant is best when you need to supply a variety of specs on any given day. On the other hand, if you are happy to supply only a particular type of mix continuously, a drum mix plant is the right choice of equipment.
One of the things you should know about a continuous(continua) asphalt mix plant is that it is a very basic plant. In this plant, the aggregates are first proportioned correctly as per the required specifications. Once the weighing has been done, the material is transported to the dryer or mixer where moisture removal takes place. In the last leg of the operation, the right quantity of asphalt is injected into this mix and the resultant mixture is mixed properly. Once the mix has been prepared, it is discharged to be taken to a storage silo from where the distribution happens. As far as the capacity is concerned, you can buy small-sized plants with a capacity of just a few tons per hour but if you are a big operation, you can also buy giant plants that are capable of delivering more than 600 tons per hour. In most cases, business owners choose plants with capacity ranging from 150 to 400 tons per hour.
Different Configurations
This continuous asphalt mix plant are sold in 2 different configurations(diferentes configuraciones) including counter flow and parallel flow. As the name suggests, the parallel flow configuration has the aggregate and the burner flame flowing in the same direction in the mixing drum. In the earlier days, all the plants used this configuration. In the recent years, there has been a substantial move towards the counter flow configuration as it helps in minimizing emissions. In this type of configuration, the flow happens in the opposite direction.
One of the biggest advantages of a continuous asphalt mix plant is that it is a very basic design. It does not take too many steps to produce the required hot mix. On the other hand, a batch mix plant operator has to take a number of steps in order to prepare the kind of specs they need. However, the biggest strength of continuous mix plant is also its biggest weakness. You can’t quickly change the spec mix in a continuous mix plant. This is why, you should only invest in a continuous mix plant when you need huge quantities of a particular type of us mix. If you need to change the specifications regularly, you will be better off investing in a batch mix plant.
When it comes to buying a continuous asphalt mix plant, it is important that you carefully consider the reputation of the manufacturer, quality of the plant, customer reviews, after sale service(servicio postventa) and overall cost over its expected service life in order to choose the right design and manufacturer. A continuous asphalt mix plant is the right choice when you need a particular specification of hot mix in large quantities continuously. It is available in wide range of capacities and you need to do some market research in order to choose the right capacity and the right manufacturer.