Bitumen arrives hot, must stay hot enough to pump and weigh accurately, and should not sit too hot for too long. The heating system decides how well a plant manages that balance — and how much fuel it uses doing it.

Heating methods compared

Method How it works Strengths Watch out for
Thermal oil Heater warms oil that circulates through tank coils and pipe jackets Even heating; heats several tanks and long lines; good temperature control Extra equipment; thermal oil needs maintenance
Direct-fired tank Burner fires into a tube inside the tank Simple; fast heat-up Local overheating near the fire tube; careful control needed
Electric Heating elements in tank and trace heating on lines Clean; good for small or temporary systems High power demand

Sizing storage

Daily mix Binder content Bitumen per day Several days’ storage
400 t 5% about 20 t 60–100 t
700 t 5% about 35 t 100–175 t
1,000 t 5% about 50 t 150–250 t

Irregular deliveries, long supply routes or several binder grades call for more storage. Drummed bitumen needs a decanter — see bulk or drummed bitumen.

Insulation and pipes

  • Insulate tanks, valves and pipes; heat loss through bare pipes is a common hidden cost
  • Heat-trace every line that bitumen stands in, so it never hardens between runs
  • Slope lines to drain back where possible
  • Keep pumps and meters heated before start-up

Temperature control

Too cold Too hot
Pumps struggle; weighing inaccurate; poor coating Binder ages faster; fumes; fire risk; wasted fuel

Follow the binder supplier’s temperature data. Modified binders may need agitation or specific storage temperatures — see polymer-modified bitumen requirements.

Safety

  • Bund tanks to contain spills
  • Never allow water into hot bitumen — it can foam violently
  • Keep thermal-oil systems in good order: leaks, oil condition, expansion tank
  • Train staff in bitumen burns first aid — see the safety checklist

Back to how an asphalt plant works.