RLB2000 Asphalt Hot Recycling Plant (Medium-Large Drum Type RAP Asphalt Processing Equipment)

The RLB2000 asphalt hot recycling plant is LIJIU’s plant-mix recycling unit for reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). It is rated at 140–160 t/h of recycled mixture throughput and supports a stable maximum 50% RAP addition ratio under standard operating conditions. This unit is purpose-built to pair with existing 2000 and 3000 series forced intermittent batch plants: it processes milled RAP into a metered, dried, regenerated feed that enters the main mixer together with new aggregate, new bitumen and filler — turning a conventional plant into a high-RAP recycling line without replacing the main host.

It follows a dedicated closed-loop process: pre-crushed and screened RAP is stored in a cold feeding bin, metered by a variable-frequency-drive belt feeder, dried in a dedicated recycling drum under temperature-controlled heating, lifted by a sealed elevator, weighed by a high-precision static metering system, and finally mixed in the main mixer with pre-heated new aggregate. Every link of this plant is supervised by the intelligent control system so the recycled mixture meets the same acceptance standard as virgin mix.

Core figures of this unit from the standard configuration: total installed power of 254 kW; a mixer capacity of 2000 kg (shared with the main batch plant); weighing accuracy of ±0.5%; fuel consumption controlled below 6.5 kg per tonne of mixture; RAP drying capacity of 80 t/h at 3% moisture; and a burner that accepts natural gas, light diesel or heavy fuel oil according to site supply. On this plant, the process temperature is held inside the safe recycling window so the aged binder is regenerated rather than overheated.

This unit is engineered around one risk: asphalt aging during reheating. The recycling drying drum uses multi-point distributed temperature sensors that monitor material temperature in real time, and the heating profile avoids the local overheating that burns off the aged binder or produces blue smoke. Because the reclaimed feed on this plant is metered statically at ±0.5% accuracy, the recycled mix keeps a consistent RAP ratio batch after batch — the basis of a stable, repeatable recipe.

Typical projects for this unit are highway and municipal rehabilitation jobs with milled-off asphalt to process: expressway overlay and mid-depth repair, urban main-road renovation, and maintenance campaigns that generate thousands of tonnes of RAP each season. The environmental case is direct — reusing the milled material cuts virgin aggregate and bitumen consumption, lowers the carbon footprint of the wearing course, and keeps the site’s emissions inside tender limits.

Retrofitting is the practical strength of this plant: it ties into an existing 2000 or 3000 series forced intermittent mixing plant without replacing the original mixer or other core units. The dedicated recycling modules of this unit — cold feed, recycling drum, sealed elevator, metering and control — are added to the tower, and all original functions of the existing plant are retained. Piping, thermal oil and electrical interlocks are confirmed before the skid is frozen so the shutdown stays short.

RAP consistency is the first variable in recycling with this plant. The RLB2000 assumes a disciplined stockpile: reclaimed material broken and screened to a consistent top size, segregated by source, and tested for moisture before the run. When milled asphalt comes from different roads, the aged binder properties differ, so re-extraction and re-testing keep the dosage basis honest. The plant team confirms the RAP data and the target recycled binder grade with the factory before the configuration sheet is frozen.

From the LIJIU works, the RLB2000 is supplied factory-direct with ISO 9001 documents, English drawings, seaworthy packing for FOB Qingdao shipment, installation guidance, operator training and a first-year wear-parts list. Send the RAP tonnage, target RAP ratio and existing plant model with your inquiry; a configuration sheet with scope, lead time and the FOB price is returned within 24 hours.

RLB2000 asphalt hot recycling plant Working Principle

The whole production process runs as a highly coordinated closed-loop system with precise control at every link. It has six steps, and the sequence is designed around one priority: regenerate the aged binder without overheating it.

1. RAP crushing and screening. Milled RAP is pre-crushed and screened to a consistent top size so the material feeds and meters uniformly. Oversize lumps are removed before the cold bin; a stable particle size is the precondition for a stable recycled mix.
2. RAP cold feeding. The screened RAP is stored in the cold feeding bin, and the variable-frequency-drive controlled belt feeder adjusts the feeding speed to hold a stable, consistent material flow into the recycling drum.
3. Recycling drying and reheating. Inside the dedicated recycling drying drum, multi-point distributed temperature sensors monitor the material temperature in real time to avoid local overheating that would cause asphalt aging. The material is heated to the preset target temperature with the burner set for natural gas, light diesel or heavy fuel oil.
4. Sealed lifting. After reaching the target temperature, the recycled materials are lifted by a dedicated sealed elevator to the high-precision metering system. The sealed transport keeps heat in and dust out of the transfer.
5. Static weighing. The metering system completes static weighing at an accuracy of up to ±0.5%. The accurately proportioned recycled material is held until the main mixer is ready to receive it, keeping the RAP ratio inside the recipe tolerance.
6. Mixing in the main batch plant. The weighed recycled material is sent to the main mixer, where it is fully mixed with pre-heated new aggregate, new asphalt and mineral filler. The twin-shaft forced mixer blends the regenerated binder with the fresh binder to produce the finished recycled asphalt mixture.

The entire intelligent control system adjusts parameters automatically in real time according to production data, synchronizing feeding, drying, weighing and mixing cycles. The result is a continuous, stable quality of the final finished asphalt mixture — with the aged binder restored rather than thinned, and the plant kept inside the safe temperature window.

In plant-mix recycling, batch timing matters as much as temperature: the recycling line must deliver its weighed RAP feed exactly when the main mixer is ready to receive it, so the recycled material is not held so long that it cools or over-heats. The control system coordinates the two lines — the new aggregate cycle and the RAP cycle — into one batch sequence, which is what keeps a 50% RAP recipe stable at full production rate.

Testing the recycled binder is part of the RLB2000 operating routine, not an option. Before a recycling run, the aged binder is extracted from the RAP and its penetration and softening point are measured; the RAP ratio and, if needed, a rejuvenator dosage are set against those numbers. During production the discharge temperature is held inside the safe recycling window, and spot checks on the recovered binder confirm that the mix is regenerated rather than over-softened. This is the difference between a recycling line that simply reuses RAP and one that meets the same acceptance tests as a virgin mix.

Environmentally, the RLB2000 pays back on both sides of the ledger: it reuses milled asphalt that would otherwise go to landfill or a permanent stockpile, and it cuts the demand for virgin aggregate and new bitumen per tonne of mixture. For tenders with carbon or emission clauses, the recycling line also lowers the energy input per tonne compared with producing the same tonnage entirely from virgin materials.

Product images

Related equipment and guides

• RLB1000 Asphalt Hot Recycling Plant (80t/h Drum Type Asphalt RAP Mixing Equipment)
• Emulsified Asphalt Equipment Maintenance Guide
• AF-BOX 3C6N Micron-Level Asphalt Foaming System: Key Foaming Performance & Application Notes

Standards and references

Specifications on this page follow European Asphalt Pavement Association — Industry standards. Ask us for the full test report when you request a quote.