Concrete batching plants are used to combine coarse aggregates, sand, cement, water, crushed stone and other admixture to produce homogenous concrete. The batching process improves the quality of concrete. A batching plant consists of a variety of parts and machines: mixer unit, conveyors, aggregate and cement batchers, cement silos etc. Once the quality concrete is prepared it is transported to the site on a truck with a revolving drum which is known as a transit mixer. Concrete batching plants are divided into different types according to different classification criteria. Manufacturers of concrete batching plants are increasingly focusing on R & D activities to enhance their market presence and cater to high-quality concrete demand.
Different concrete batching plant models
The main purpose of using a concrete batching plant is to produce homogenous and uniform concrete. The plant must produce concrete consistently in batches one after the other in the same proportions. There are different types of batching plants models available used across projects in India
Mobile concrete batching plant
Mobile concrete plants consisting of portable shaft mixers are designed to be moveable and thus are installed on towable chassis with wheels for maximum mobility and quick setup. Mobile batching plants are perfect for temporary construction sites or construction projects where the equipment would only be needed for specific and brief portions of the projects. Mobile concrete equipment can be easily installed and dismantled and as such require very minimal preparation or set up before use. Mobile concrete batching plants come pre-wired with maximum equipment installed to ensure fast installation on site. Typically a standard mobile plant can be installed in 1-2 days. There has also been the development of Containerized concrete batching plants recently. The containerized concrete batch plant is a new type of batching plant. It consists of a mixing system, control system, material storage system, weighing system, and conveying system.
Stationary concrete batching plant
In the Stationary Concrete Batching Plants cement is mainly applied as a binding material for mixing sand, water, and aggregates and major additives as well to produce concrete in a fast manner for the civil construction projects. The gathering conveyor belt runs below the bins where weighing of aggregates takes place and the aggregate are then discharged onto the charging conveyor. Pneumatically operated gates are provided for discharge of the aggregate onto the gathering conveyor. The material is all weighed accurately and transferred to the twin shaft mixer through slinger conveyor. The Stationary Plants are available in various capacities ranging from 30 m3 to 240 m3 per hour of compacted concrete output. In the current Stationary concrete plants, the aggregates are stored in horizontal bins. The gathering conveyor belt runs below the bins where the weighing of aggregates takes place and the aggregates are then discharged onto the charging conveyor. Pneumatically operated gates are provided for discharge of the aggregate onto the gathering conveyor. The new batching plants also come with the Skip Hoist and Belt arrangement option for mixer loading.
Transit/ Dry mix concrete batching plant
Modern-day dry mix concrete plant consists of cement silos, a feeding system, a control system, a weighing system and a mixing system. The feeding system is a bridge to connect the aggregates and the mixing system. The accuracy of the weighing system determines the quantity of the mixed materials, so it has a great effect on the quality of mixed concrete. The dry mix concrete batching plant only weighs all the materials as per the concrete formula and then discharges them into the concrete mixer truck. The process of mixing all materials is done in a concrete mixer truck. Throughout the process, the concrete mixer truck is responsible for both transportation and mixing.
Wet mix Concrete Batching Plant
Modern wet nix batching concrete plants combine all the ingredients required to make concrete before it’s moved to the mixing trucks. The batching plants utilize plant-mounted mixers the place you place all the concrete ingredients. Latest-model adopts a twin shaft paddle mixer, which has a strong mixing quality. This can ensure there is no or less residual in the twin shaft concrete mixer, save materials and save cost. With a Central Mix plant, all loads see the same mixing action and there is an initial quality control point when discharging from the central mixer. Wet mix plants are accessible in versatile and stationary models. It produces precisely mixed cold mix, emulsion treated mixes etc.
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Conclusion
Demand for faster completion of projects and high strength concrete requirements are driving contractors to look for technologically advanced and high efficiency concrete batching plants. Latest features and control systems on concrete batching plants help in producing high quality, homogeneous concrete and deliver it to greater heights and distances. Concrete equipment manufacturers are putting extra efforts in their R&D to cater to market demands. Government initiatives towards infrastructure development are further boosting the demand for concrete equipment in India.
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