System, method, apparatus, means, and computer program product for recycling asphalt shingles

A method for producing an asphalt mix, comprising:

• providing asphalt shingle material from a first feed system including a source of the asphalt shingle material;
• providing fluid asphalt material from a second feed system including a source of the fluid asphalt material;
• providing recycled asphalt material from a third feed system including a source of the recycled asphalt material;
• providing particulate material from a fourth feed system including a source of the particulate material;
• receiving, in a tank of a preliminary mixing unit, an asphalt shingle material input from said first feed system and a fluid asphalt material input from said second feed system;
• heating and melting, by a heater of the preliminary mixing unit, the asphalt shingle material and the fluid asphalt material in the tank;
• agitating, by a mixer of the preliminary mixing unit, the asphalt shingle material and the fluid asphalt material in the tank to produce a molten asphalt;
• recirculating the molten asphalt through a recirculation loop in the tank;
• outputting the molten asphalt to an intermediate tank positioned downstream of the preliminary mixing unit and upstream of a primary mixing unit;
• recirculating, in the intermediate tank, the molten asphalt until either a sufficient quantity of the molten asphalt is received from the preliminary mixing unit or until the primary mixing unit is ready for receipt of the molten asphalt;
• receiving, in the primary mixing unit, the recycled asphalt material input from said third feed system and the particulate material input from said fourth feed system;
• and
• mixing the molten asphalt output from said preliminary mixing unit with the recycled asphalt material and the particulate material to produce an output of said asphalt mix.