Continuous vs. Batch Asphalt Mixing Plants: How to Choose?
There are two different categories of asphalt mixing plants, batch asphalt mixing plants and continuous asphalt mixing plants. Each type has its advantages. So how do you choose the right one for your project? Here are some tips.
A key factor in choosing the correct type of asphalt plant is project requirements. In detail, capacity and finished asphalt quality are important. D&G MACHINERY has helped many customers choose the asphalt plant correctly and has accumulated rich experience, let us first review the characteristics and advantages of each type.
Batch Type Asphalt Mixing Plant
This is the most widely used type of asphalt plant in the world, guaranteeing the highest level of production flexibility and finished product quality. Batches depend on the type of production: a complete batch is produced every 40-50 seconds after all individual components have been individually weighed and metered.
This type of factory is a must for producers who work for multiple clients at the same time, as specifications can be easily changed while maintaining high quality.
Currently, batch-type asphalt mixing plants are the most popular because:
1) Accurate weighing, precise screening, and accurate ingredients. Therefore, the finished asphalt mixture is of good quality.
2) High efficiency, the single batch cycle is about 45 seconds, large production capacity (up to 400t/h).
3) The formula of the asphalt mixture produced by the batch asphalt mixing plant is easy to adjust, and various asphalt mixtures can be produced.
4) Wide range of applications, including highways, airports, national roads, urban roads, rural roads, etc.
5) Easy to operate. Today, most batch asphalt mixing plants are controlled automatically.
Continuous Asphalt Mixing Plant
In a continuous factory, the production cycle is not interrupted because the production rhythm is not divided into batches. The mixing of the material takes place inside the elongated drying drum as it dries and mixes the material at the same time.
The system is greatly simplified as there are no mixing towers or elevators, reducing maintenance costs.
However, since there are no screens, precise control must be exercised at the beginning of the production cycle, before the aggregate is fed into the dryer and subsequently discharged from the dryer as bitumen. The following are the characteristics of the continuous mixing plant:
1) As the name suggests, once the continuous mixing plant is started, it will continuously produce an asphalt mixture. Aggregate drying, heating, and mixing are carried out in drums. Compared with batch equipment, continuous asphalt equipment has a simple structure because there is no mixing tower and lifting system, therefore, it requires less land and fewer maintenance costs.
2) However, due to the lack of precise screening, it is necessary to precisely control the aggregate feeding in the early stage of production.
3) Generally, the production capacity of continuous asphalt plants varies between 20t/h and 100t/h.
4) Compared with the batch type (equal capacity), the initial investment of continuous-type asphalt equipment is less.
Final Decision
The above tips are for reference only. The final decision rests with the client. But in general, a batch asphalt plant is the best choice for medium and large road construction projects that require high-quality asphalt mix.
For example, our DGC 2500 200T/H batch asphalt mixing plant, the customer of this purchase is a relatively large road construction company in Russia, which has mixing plant business all over Russia. Among them, the China-Russia Friendship Trade Bridge from Heihe to Prague Veschensk uses asphalt mixing equipment from D&G MACHINERY. Now, this equipment has been installed and commissioned, and it has started to put into production. Customer reviews are good.
DGC 2500, with a capacity of 200T/H, this batching plant is designed with a modular concept, and we have considered sea transportation costs and relocation opportunities in practical cases. Each module is integrated together. Each module of the equipment is designed in SOC or can be put into a 40' HQ.
The continuous asphalt mixing plant is only suitable for small and medium-sized road construction projects with tight investments. So if you need to carry out large and medium-sized road construction projects, please contact us for more information about batch asphalt mixing plants. As a professional asphalt mixing plants manufacturer, D&G MACHINERY provides a full range of high-end asphalt mixing plants and is in a leading position worldwide. With a strong, professional R&D and dedicated service team, D&G MACHINERY is highly recognized by customers as a leading professional manufacturer in the asphalt mixing plant industry and RAP application fields.