Method and apparatus for the production of bitumen blocks

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for the production of bitumen blocks, with a drop former for generating bitumen drops from molten bitumen, with a belt cooler having a rotating belt for cooling and solidifying the bitumen drops deposited on the rotating belt into tablets, and with a decanting device for decanting the tablets into bags, the tablets being at least partially combined, inside the bags filled with tablets, into a compact bitumen mass.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the priority of German Application No. 10 2013 226 373.2, filed on Dec. 18, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the production of bitumen blocks.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]For the purposes of this invention, the term “bitumen” designates coldtar pitch, bitumen with fillers and pure bitumen. Soft bitumen, which has a very low softening point in the ring-and-ball test (RaB) according to DIN EN 1427 and high penetration values under needle penetration according to DIN EN 1426, has hitherto been poured in the liquid state into barrels or thermally stable bags. There is the problem, in the case of both barrels and thermally stable bags, that these do not melt down and the bitumen therefore has to be removed from the barrel or bag before further processing. Where bags...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]According to the invention, an apparatus for the production of bitumen blocks is also provided, with a drop former for generating bitumen drops from molten bitumen, with a belt cooler having a rotating belt for cooling and solidifying the bitumen drops deposited on the rotating belt into tablets, and with a decanting device for decanting the tablets into bags, the tablets being at least partially combined inside the bags filled with tablets into a compact bitumen mass.

[0026]Thus, for example, a chute may be provided in the form of one or more inclined planes which lead in each case to a decanting station in each case for a bag. The distributor flap then distributes the tablets removed from the belt cooler to the individual decanting stations, so that sufficient time is available for filling, subsequently closing and transporting away a bag in each case. Advantageously, the decanting device has at least one balance. This may be provided such that the bag to be filled stands on the balance and the filling operation is continued until a desired weight of the filled bag is reached. As already stated, by the tablets being individually separated and solidified, highly accurate adherence to a desired filling quantity or a desired filling rate can be achieved.

Problems solved by technology

There is the problem, in the case of both barrels and thermally stable bags, that these do not melt down and the bitumen therefore has to be removed from the barrel or bag before further processing.

Both when liquid bitumen is poured into barrels or bags and when bitumen boards are produced, there is the problem that it is scarcely possible to adhere exactly to a stipulated filling quantity or a stipulated filling weight.

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