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

A system for producing an asphalt mix, comprising:

• a first feed system including a source of asphalt shingle material;
• a second feed system including a source of fluid asphalt material;
• a third feed system including a source of recycled asphalt material;
• a fourth feed system including a source of particulate material;
• a preliminary mixing unit configured to receive an asphalt shingle material input from said first feed system and a fluid asphalt material input from said second feed system and output a molten asphalt, the preliminary mixing unit comprising:
• a tank;
• a heater configured to heat and melt the asphalt shingle material and heat the fluid asphalt material in the tank;
• a mixer configured to agitate the asphalt shingle material and the fluid asphalt material in the tank and produce the molten asphalt;
• and
• a recirculation loop configured to recirculate the molten asphalt in the tank;
• a primary mixing unit configured to receive recycled asphalt material from said third feed system and particulate material from said fourth feed system and mix the molten asphalt output from said preliminary mixing unit with the recycled asphalt material and the particulate material to produce an asphalt mix output;
• and
• an intermediate tank positioned downstream of the preliminary mixing unit and upstream of the primary mixing unit and configured to recirculate the molten asphalt output from said preliminary mixing unit in the intermediate tank 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.