Heatec Barrel Melter

Astec offers two types of melters to change solidified asphalt cement into liquid asphalt cement. One is known as a barrel melter. The other is known as a hot box.

The barrel melter is used at isolated asphalt plants and terminals to melt incoming loads of asphalt shipped in barrels. Isolated plants are usually those at remote locations not served by rail cars or barges.

The barrel melter has a built-in hydraulic crane and internal trolley to handle the barrels and place them atop or into the unit. Heat is applied to the barrels causing the asphalt to drop as a slug into the insulated tank of the unit where the asphalt is heated to mix temperature.

The barrel melter includes a thermal fluid heater that provides hot oil for the coils that heat the tank. The unit also includes a pump system to transfer the liquid cement to other equipment for storage. It has a capacity of 30 drums per hour.

Other variations are offered, such as stationary units that uses an existing thermal fluid heater if one is available.

The hot box is used at asphalt terminals and emulsion plants to re-melt buckets of asphalt that have been collected from drippings and samples used for testing. It is heated by the plant’s hot oil system.