• News
• New asphalt recycling system provides a challenge for BG Europa.

6th December 2010 - BG Europa (UK) Ltd has recently supplied and installed an asphalt recycling system on a Parker batch plant for a major aggregate producer in Gloucestershire.

The layout of the plant and the required positioning of the recycle bin provided a challenging engineering design project for the in-house BG Europa team. The main key to the successful design was the installation of a support platform for the weighing conveyor which would not compromise on safe access for maintenance.

The new system is designed to allow the addition of 20% recycled asphalt product (RAP) to the 3000kg batch at a 45 second batching rate.

The plant comprises a 12 ton capacity recycle bin which has been specifically designed to handle marginal aggregates. This bin features a vertical discharge end bin wall with the opposing wall at 15° from vertical. The two sloping side walls are set at 60° and form a self-relieving discharge opening onto the 650mm wide x 4.75 metre centres belt feeder.

All the conveyors and the feeder are driven by high efficiency Nord bevel helical EFF1 gear units providing energy efficient high torque operation.

The 29.5 metre centres lattice framed inclined conveyor feeds the weighing conveyor by starting and stopping in a fully loaded condition. The weighing conveyor is suspended on load cells for accurate material weighing and is driven at low speed until the target weight is achieved during the weighing phase.

When the batch calls for RAP a pneumatically operated valve system opens the steam extraction ducting and the charging chute. The weighing conveyor is then started at high speed to rapidly discharge material to the mixer. When mixer charging is complete the feed chute and steam duct are closed to prevent dust escaping.

An added benefit simply for convenience, when required, the weighing conveyor can be driven in reverse to allow a ‘clean out' of the recycle bin and conveyor system.