Cold Feed Bin: Its Importance and Use in Asphalt Making Plants

In an asphalt making plant, whether be it an asphalt batch type or drum mix, production starts at the cold feed bin. Usually, cold feed bins have 3 - 4 bins and feature steeply-angled side walls for reliable feeding of aggregate.

It is essential for the aggregates to be proportional and have total control to ensure uniform flow of aggregates going to the next step of the production, the cold feed conveyor. Total and proportional control with variable speed belt feeders permits adjustments of individual feeder output to desired proportions. To have uniform output from the asphalt concrete, accurate measurement of the input is necessary. Since the input is important, one can manipulate the charging in the bin, whether to increase or decrease the tonnage of the aggregates through the speed of the feeder belts without changing the proportions. Good quality control must be exercised to have consistent aggregates in each stockpile as well as gradation. Proper separation of stockpile is needed to avoid contamination. Production problem can happen in the cold feed bin so when charging it, care should be exercised to minimize the segregation and degradation of the aggregates.

Unfortunately, the life span of the cold feed bins are the least in the plant, since abrasive aggregates and high lift operators slamming buckets into their sides causes damage every time an operation is happening. Therefore, if you’re planning to have an asphalt concrete plant, choose a cold feed bin that is durable, larger capacity, better accuracy and minimal on-site requirement assembly.