Machinery & Plant Sourcing · Asphalt Plants

Continuous drum mix asphalt plant

Continuous asphalt plants that dry and mix in one drum, for high, steady output of one or two mixes on road projects.

Capacity: Common mobile sizes 140 to 160 t/h
Mixing: Continuous, in drum
Proportioning: Cold feed with belt scale
Best for: Long runs of one mix

Indicative figures based on manufacturer data. Capacity and specification are confirmed in each offer.

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What is a drum mix asphalt plant?

A drum mix (continuous) asphalt plant dries, heats and mixes aggregate with bitumen in one rotating drum, without hot screens, hot bins or a separate batch mixer. Aggregate is proportioned at the cold feed and weighed on a belt scale, and the bitumen pump is linked to that weight so the binder content stays constant while the plant runs.

With fewer components, a drum plant costs less to buy, move and maintain than a batch plant of similar output. It performs best on long runs of the same mix, such as highway base and binder courses. Mobile drum mix plants around 140 to 160 t/h are a common size for road projects.

Parallel flow or counterflow?

In a parallel flow drum, aggregate and burner gases move in the same direction and bitumen is added part way along the drum. In a counterflow drum, aggregate moves against the gas flow and mixing takes place away from the flame, which gives better fuel efficiency and allows high recycled asphalt rates. US EPA data notes that counterflow drum plants can normally process RAP at up to 50% with little effect on emissions.

Production process

How a drum mix plant works

Step 01

Cold feed

Each aggregate bin is dosed by a variable-speed feeder to the mix recipe.

Step 02

Weighing

A belt scale measures the combined aggregate flow continuously.

Step 03

Drying and heating

The burner dries and heats aggregate as it travels through the drum.

Step 04

Binder addition

A metering pump adds bitumen in proportion to the weighed aggregate; filler and RAP enter the mixing zone.

Step 05

Discharge

Hot mix leaves the drum and is conveyed to a surge bin or storage silo for truck loading.

Key components

Main units

Cold feed bins

Bins with variable-speed feeders and a collecting belt with belt scale.

Dryer-mixer drum

Single drum for drying, heating and mixing, parallel flow or counterflow.

Burner

Burner sized to output and moisture, for liquid or gas fuel.

Bag filter

Captures dust from drum exhaust; fines return to the mix.

Bitumen tank and metering pump

Heated tank with pump interlocked to the aggregate flow.

Surge bin or silo

Holds hot mix so trucks can load without stopping the plant.

Technical data

Specifications

Typical values from manufacturer documentation. Final figures are confirmed in the manufacturer's offer for your project.

Plant type	Continuous drum mix, mobile or stationary
Typical mobile size	140 to 160 t/h
Drum design	Parallel flow or counterflow
RAP	Higher rates possible with counterflow drums
Burner fuel	Diesel, heavy fuel oil, natural gas or LPG
Dust collection	Bag filter

Other capacities are available on request. Values are confirmed in the manufacturer's offer.

Who it's for

Built for these buyers

Highway contractors

Produce large volumes of one base or binder mix close to the works.

Buyers with a tight budget

Get high output with fewer components and lower running cost.

FAQ

Questions buyers ask

What is a drum mix asphalt plant?

It is a continuous hot mix plant in which one rotating drum dries the aggregate and mixes it with bitumen. Aggregate is proportioned at the cold feed and the bitumen pump follows the weighed aggregate flow.

Is a drum mix plant cheaper than a batch plant?

Usually yes. It has no hot elevator, screen, hot bins or batch mixer, so purchase, transport and maintenance costs are lower for the same output.

What are the disadvantages of a drum mix plant?

Recipe changes are slower and hot aggregate is not re-screened, so final grading depends on stockpile consistency. It is less suited to producers who supply many mix types each day.

How much RAP can a drum plant use?

Counterflow drums handle the highest recycled content, with US EPA data citing up to 50%. The practical limit also depends on RAP quality, moisture and the mix specification.

Can a drum mix plant produce stone mastic asphalt?

It can, with fibre and filler dosing systems, but producers who make SMA and other special mixes regularly usually prefer a batch plant for tighter control.