How does the concrete batching plant work?

The concrete batching plant, known as: concrete mixing plant, is a machine that can combines various things like sand, cement, water, etc. to produce concrete.

These various ingredients are mixed in different ratios depending on the final model of the concrete which the company needs.

The batching plant is one of the most important equipments in the construction industry. The concrete plant has many important components which include the cement and aggregate batchers, aggregate bins, conveyors, mixers, heaters, cement silos, control panels and dust collectors. The efficiency of the batching plant is more important to get a high quality and durable concrete.

Categorisation based on the mode of functions for concrete batching plant

Batching equipment is designated as Manual, Semi-Automatic, and Automatic as defined below;

Manual

Batching equipment is charged by devices that are actuated manually, with the accuracy of the weighing operation being dependent upon the operator’s visual observation of the scale. The charging device is actuated by either hand or by power assists.

Semi-Automatic

Batching equipment is charged by devices, which are separately actuated manually for each material to allow weighing of the material. They are actuated automatically when reaching the designated mass (weight) of each material.

Automatic

Batching equipment is charged by devices which when actuated by a single starter switch, will automatically start the weighing operation of all materials consecutively and stop automatically when reaching the designated mass (weight) of each material.

Different types of concrete batching plant used

Batching equipment used in conjunction with paving operations have further requirements in addition to those specified for other types of concreting operations. Given below are few types of concrete batching plant used.

Commercial Concrete Batching plants

Commercial concrete batch plant is mainly composed of five main systems, which are the mixing host, material weighing system, conveying system, storage system and control system. he commercial concrete plant is a concrete mixing station based on commercial purposes. It should be efficient and economical, meeting environmental protection standards.

Dry mix Concrete Batching Plant

A Dry mix Concrete Plant, also known as Transit Mix Plant, weighs sand, gravel and cement in weigh batchers via digital or manual scales. All the ingredients then are discharged into a chute which discharges into a truck. Meanwhile, water is either being weighed or volumetrically metered and discharged through the same charging chute into the mixer truck. These ingredients are then mixed for a minimum of 70 to 100 revolutions during transportation to the jobsite.

Wet mix Concrete Batching Plant

A Wet mix Concrete Plant, combines some or all of the above ingredients (including water) at a central location into a Concrete Mixer – that is, the concrete is mixed at a single point, and then simply agitated on the way to the jobsite to prevent setting (using agitators or ready mix trucks) or hauled to the jobsite in an open-bodied dump truck. Dry mix differ from Wet mix plants in that Wet Mix contain a central mixer whereas dry, which can offer a more consistent mixture in a shorter time (generally 5 minutes or less). Dry mix plants typically see more break strength standard deviation and variation from load to load because of inconsistencies in mix times, truck blade and drum conditions, traffic conditions, etc.