A traditional
concrete batching plant mainly consists of:
![[Image: Concrete-Silo.jpg]](http://haomei.biz/images/Concrete-Silo.jpg)
Cement silo. Equipped with a filter to ensure the best possible quality
Aggregate silo. Sand and gravel are transported by truck, train, or boat from the quarries. On arrival, they pass through a hopper before being transported via conveyor belt to this storage silo.
Dosing tank
Adjuvant tanks. Each contains a different adjuvant: setting accelerator, retarder, and plasticizer.
Weighing system
Water supply equipment. Consist of a tank and a pump for the transfer of liquids.
Concrete mixer
Each
concrete batching plant component has safety systems preventing any leakage or pollution, whether terrestrial or atmospheric. The cement silo has a dust filter to prevent release into the atmosphere. As for the adjuvant tanks, they are raised and installed themselves in sealed compartments and certified frost-free.
![[Image: Screw-Conveyor.jpg]](http://haomei.biz/images/Screw-Conveyor.jpg)
The aggregates (sand, gravel, etc.) are first transported to the dosing tank using a silo or a skip (feed bucket mounted on a lifting and tilting system). Then they are weighed by a weighing belt and transported by the conveyor belt to the
mixer (or the
concrete mixer).
![[Image: Control-system2.jpg]](http://haomei.biz/images/Control-system2.jpg)
The mixture’s various elements are then introduced into the
mixer: cement, water, and any additives.
The quantities of material and the mixing times depend on the type of
concrete produced and its constituents’ characteristics. Once the operation is complete, the mixture is loaded into a
mixer truck or transported by
concrete mat to the site.
In general, the control unit is operated from a control cabinet, mainly allowing:
the control of material weighing systems
measuring the humidity of the aggregates using hygrometry detectors
the water supply dosage according to the desired level of fluidity
Note: Some models incorporate a vertical aggregate silo, with the advantage of reducing the plant’s size and the sound volume produced by the flow of materials.
Also, more and more
mixers are equipped with sealed covers which prevent dust from escaping during mixing. This has the double advantage of improving the quality of the
concrete produced and better protecting the environment.