Bitumen drums, with one opened side, are loaded upside down by means of a hydraulic lifting mechanism one by one. The molten bitumen is collected at the bottom of the unit which is equipped with high capacity heating coils. These coils melt the bitumen in a short time and the liquid bitumen is then pumped into the storage tanks through the bitumen pump.
When new drums are loaded, empty ones drop out automatically from the other end. Drum is heated by hot oil coils which are located all around the drum rows and bottom of the decanter. The unit is insulated with thick rock wool and cladded with aluminum sheet.