Asphalt tank and method for internal circulation and cleaning thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an asphalt tank and an internal circulation and cleaning method thereof. The asphalt tank comprises a heating pipe, a flow guide pump, a flow guide pipe and a pump inlet pipe. The inlet of the pump inlet pipe is arranged at the bottom of the asphalt tank, and the outlet of the pump inlet pipe is connected to the inlet of the flow guide pump. The inlet of the flow guide pipe is connected to the outlet of the flow guide pump, the flow guide pipe extends to the front side of the asphalt tank, and the bottom of the flow guide pipe is provided with a plurality of outlets which are uniformly distributed and provided with nozzles. Each nozzle is directed to the lower rear of the position where the nozzle is located. The flow guide pipe is located below the heating pipe and higher than the inlet of the pump inlet pipe. The asphalt tank can make the asphalt flow, the flowing asphalt can quickly transfer heat to improve the heating efficiency, save the heating energy consumption, and then speed up the unloading speed, and the flowing asphalt can also take away the excess heat to make the asphalt around the heater less overheat and deteriorate, thereby prolonging the service life of the asphalt.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of asphalt tank technology, and more particularly to an asphalt tank and its internal circulation and cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] During the transportation of asphalt in existing asphalt tank trucks, the temperature inside the tank drops, causing the asphalt to become viscous, resulting in poor fluidity and even preventing the asphalt from flowing out during unloading. Therefore, in the existing asphalt transportation process, the asphalt inside the tank needs to be heated and softened before unloading to enhance its fluidity.

[0003] However, the installation and arrangement of heating pipes inside asphalt tanks are limited. Heating pipes can typically only be installed in the lower middle part of the tank, making it impossible to arrange enough pipes to ensure uniform heating of the asphalt. Therefore, prolonged and continuous heating is required to ensure all the asphalt in the tank reaches a fluid state before unloading, resulting in low heating efficiency and affecting unloading speed. Furthermore, asphalt near the heating pipes is subjected to longer heating times compared to asphalt further away, leading to faster aging and reduced service life. Therefore, improving the heating efficiency of asphalt tanks is crucial. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an asphalt tank and its internal circulation and cleaning method, which enables the asphalt inside the asphalt tank to flow. The flowing asphalt can not only quickly transfer heat to improve heating efficiency and save heating energy, thereby speeding up the unloading speed, but also remove excess heat so that the asphalt around the heater is less likely to overheat and deteriorate and age, thus extending the service life of the asphalt.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the first aspect of the present invention discloses an asphalt tank, the asphalt tank including a heating pipe disposed in the middle or below the middle of the tank, and also including a flow pump, a flow pipe, and a pump inlet pipe;

[0006] The inlet of the pump inlet pipe is located at the bottom of the asphalt tank, and the outlet of the pump inlet pipe is connected to the inlet of the diversion pump;

[0007] The inlet of the guide pipe is connected to the outlet of the guide pump. The guide pipe extends towards the front of the asphalt tank, and the bottom of the guide pipe is provided with multiple evenly distributed outlets equipped with nozzles. Each nozzle faces the rear and lower part of its location.

[0008] The guide pipe is located below the heating pipe and above the inlet of the pump inlet pipe.

[0009] As an optional implementation, in the first aspect of the present invention, the guide pipe has a stepped variable diameter structure, and the diameter of the guide pipe decreases as it is farther away from the inlet of the pump inlet pipe.

[0010] As another optional implementation, in the first aspect of the invention, the ratio of the projected length of the guide pipe in the longitudinal direction of the asphalt tank to the length of the asphalt tank is 85%-95%.

[0011] As another alternative implementation, in the first aspect of the invention, the inner bottom surface of the asphalt tank located below the inlet of the pump inlet pipe is provided with a groove for receiving asphalt guided thereto by the guide pipe.

[0012] As another alternative implementation, in the first aspect of the invention, the inner bottom surface of the asphalt tank is provided with a gradient, and the bottom surface of the asphalt tank is higher from back to front in the length direction.

[0013] As another alternative implementation, in the first aspect of the invention, the nozzle makes an angle of 40-50 degrees with the horizontal direction.

[0014] As another alternative implementation, in the first aspect of the invention, the internal pipe of the nozzle is designed with a variable diameter, and the diameter decreases as it approaches the nozzle opening.

[0015] As another optional implementation, in the first aspect of the present invention, a material pipe for loading and unloading and a three-way valve for switching between internal circulation mode and loading and unloading mode are also included.

[0016] The guide tube includes a first guide tube and a second guide tube;

[0017] The inlet of the first guide pipe is connected to the outlet of the guide pump, and the outlet of the first guide pipe is connected to the first valve port of the three-way valve.

[0018] The inlet of the second guide pipe is connected to the second valve port of the three-way valve. The second guide pipe extends towards the front of the asphalt tank, and the outlets with nozzles are all located at the bottom of the second guide pipe.

[0019] The inlet and outlet of the material pipe are connected to the third valve port of the three-way valve, and its other inlet and outlet extend out of the asphalt tank body;

[0020] The three-way valve connects the first valve port and the second valve port to enter the internal circulation mode, or switches to connect the first valve port and the third valve port to enter the loading and unloading mode.

[0021] The second aspect of this invention discloses an internal circulation method for an asphalt tank, which is applied to the asphalt tank described in the first aspect of this invention, comprising:

[0022] After the asphalt tank is filled with asphalt and before the asphalt tank is unloaded, the diversion pump inside the asphalt tank is turned on, and the pumping direction of the diversion pump is to pump the asphalt in the pump inlet pipe to the diversion pipe.

[0023] A third aspect of this invention discloses a cleaning method for an asphalt tank, which is applied to the asphalt tank described in the first aspect of this invention, comprising:

[0024] After the asphalt tank is unloaded, the three-way valve is controlled to connect the first valve port and the third valve port;

[0025] Determine whether the material pipe is inserted into the cleaning agent at the inlet and outlet outside the asphalt tank. If it is determined to be yes, start the diversion pump and control its pumping direction to send the cleaning agent in the material pipe to the pump inlet pipe, so that the cleaning agent enters the bottom of the asphalt tank through the pump inlet pipe.

[0026] After the asphalt tank is filled with cleaning agent, the three-way valve is controlled to connect the first valve port and the second valve port, and the diversion pump is started; wherein, the pumping direction of the pump inlet pipe is to pump the cleaning agent in the pump inlet pipe to the diversion pipe, so that the cleaning agent is sprayed out from the bottom of the asphalt tank through the nozzle of the diversion pipe to clean the bottom of the asphalt tank.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0028] In this embodiment of the invention, asphalt at the bottom of the asphalt tank is pumped sequentially through the pump inlet pipe, the pump, the pump pipe, and the nozzles into the middle of the asphalt tank by a guide pump, creating a circulating flow system between the middle and bottom of the tank. For the upper region, since multiple nozzles serve as the outlet of the pump pipe, the flow rate (i.e., backfill volume) sprayed from any nozzle into the lower middle region is less than the flow rate (i.e., absorption volume) drawn in by the pump inlet pipe. Therefore, the asphalt in the upper part of the asphalt tank will flow downwards, and the closer the position is to the pump inlet pipe inlet, the faster the backfill flow rate. This guides the flow of asphalt in the upper region of the asphalt tank, adding to the circulation at the bottom and middle to form a circulating flow system for the entire asphalt tank. When heated by the heater, the flowing asphalt of this invention can quickly transfer heat, improving heating efficiency, saving heating energy, and thus accelerating the unloading speed. It also carries away excess heat, reducing the risk of overheating and aging of the asphalt around the heater, thereby extending the service life of the asphalt. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an asphalt tank disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an asphalt tank disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid flow path of a partial structure of an asphalt tank disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid flow path in an asphalt tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of an internal circulation method for an asphalt tank disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a cleaning method for an asphalt tank disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Example 1

[0038] See Figure 1-4 The present invention discloses an asphalt tank 1, which includes a heating pipe (not shown in the figure) disposed in the middle or below the middle of the tank, and also includes a flow pump 11, a flow pipe 12, and a pump inlet pipe 13;

[0039] The inlet of the pump inlet pipe 13 is located at the bottom of the asphalt tank 1, and the outlet of the pump inlet pipe 13 is connected to the inlet of the diversion pump 11.

[0040] The inlet of the guide pipe 12 is connected to the outlet of the guide pump 11. The guide pipe 12 extends towards the front of the asphalt tank 1, and the bottom of the guide pipe 12 is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed outlets equipped with nozzles 14; each nozzle 14 faces the rear and lower part of the location of the nozzle 14.

[0041] The guide pipe 12 is located below the heating pipe and above the inlet of the pump inlet pipe 13.

[0042] In this embodiment of the invention, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 Asphalt at the bottom of asphalt tank 1 is pumped sequentially through pump inlet pipe 13, pump inlet pump 11, pump inlet pipe 12, and nozzle 14 into the middle of asphalt tank 1 by the pumping action of the guide pump 11, thus creating a circulating flow system between the middle and bottom of asphalt tank 1. For the upper region, since multiple nozzles 14 serve as the outlet of pump inlet pipe 12, the flow rate (i.e., backfilling amount) sprayed from any nozzle 14 into the lower middle region is less than the flow rate (i.e., absorption amount) absorbed by pump inlet pipe 13. Therefore, the asphalt located in the upper part of asphalt tank 1 will flow downwards to backfill, and the closer the position is to the inlet of pump inlet pipe 13, the faster the backfilling flow speed. This guides the flow of asphalt in the upper region of asphalt tank 1, adding to the circulation at the bottom and middle to form a circulating flow system for the entire asphalt tank 1. When the heater is activated, the flowing asphalt of this invention can quickly transfer heat, improving heating efficiency, saving heating energy, and thus accelerating the unloading speed. It can also remove excess heat, reducing the risk of overheating and aging of the asphalt around the heater, thereby extending the service life of the asphalt.

[0043] In an optional embodiment, the guide pipe 12 has a stepped variable diameter structure, and the diameter of the guide pipe 12 decreases as it is farther away from the inlet of the pump inlet pipe 13; this results in greater pressure on the guide pipe 12 as it is farther away from the inlet of the pump inlet pipe 13, thereby increasing the pressure of the nozzle 14 at a distance, making it easier for the asphalt at a distance to flow towards the inlet of the pump inlet pipe 13.

[0044] In another alternative embodiment, the ratio of the projected length of the guide pipe 12 in the longitudinal direction of the asphalt tank 1 to the length of the asphalt tank 1 is 85%-95%; since the asphalt sprayed by the nozzle 14 has a guiding effect on the surrounding asphalt, the length of the guide pipe 12 does not need to be extended to 100%, which can save materials.

[0045] In another alternative embodiment, the inner bottom surface of the asphalt tank 1 located below the inlet of the pump inlet pipe 13 is provided with a groove 18 for accommodating the asphalt guided to that location by the guide pipe 12; so that the asphalt can flow to the area below the pump inlet pipe 13 for easy asphalt absorption.

[0046] In another optional embodiment, the inner bottom surface of the asphalt tank 1 is provided with a gradient, and the bottom surface of the asphalt tank 1 is higher from back to front in the length direction; so as to facilitate the flow of asphalt to the bottom of the pump inlet pipe 13 for easy asphalt absorption.

[0047] In another optional embodiment, the nozzle 14 is at an angle of 40-50 degrees to the horizontal direction. After multiple experiments, setting the angle between the nozzle 14 and the horizontal direction to 40-50 degrees ensures that the sprayed asphalt can quickly contact the bottom of the asphalt tank 1, driving the bottom asphalt to move towards the pump inlet pipe 13, and has a better driving force.

[0048] In another alternative embodiment, the internal pipe of the nozzle 14 is designed with a variable diameter, and the diameter decreases as it approaches the nozzle opening; this can increase the pressure of the nozzle 14, thereby increasing the asphalt flow rate.

[0049] In another optional embodiment, it also includes a feed pipe 16 for loading and unloading, and a three-way valve 15 for switching between internal circulation mode and loading / unloading mode;

[0050] The guide tube 12 includes a first guide tube 121 and a second guide tube 122;

[0051] The inlet of the first guide pipe 121 is connected to the outlet of the guide pump 11, and the outlet of the first guide pipe 121 is connected to the first valve port of the three-way valve 15.

[0052] The inlet of the second guide pipe 122 is connected to the second valve port of the three-way valve 15. The second guide pipe 122 extends towards the front of the asphalt tank 1, and the outlet of the nozzle 14 is located at the bottom of the second guide pipe 122.

[0053] The inlet and outlet of the material pipe 16 are connected to the third valve port of the three-way valve 15, and its other inlet and outlet extend out of the asphalt tank 1.

[0054] The three-way valve 15 connects the first valve port and the second valve port to enter the internal circulation mode. Figure 3 and Figure 4 (as shown in the flow path), or switch to connect the first valve port and the third valve port to enter the loading and unloading mode.

[0055] In yet another alternative embodiment, a two-way valve 17 for controlling the connection of the pump inlet pipe 13 is also included.

[0056] Example 2

[0057] See Figure 5 This invention discloses an internal circulation method for an asphalt tank, which is applied to the asphalt tank described in Embodiment 1, and includes:

[0058] 101. After the asphalt is loaded into the asphalt tank and before the asphalt tank is unloaded, the diversion pump in the asphalt tank is turned on.

[0059] In this embodiment, the pumping direction of the diversion pump is to pump the asphalt in the pump inlet pipe to the diversion pipe. The diversion pump can be started wirelessly or manually, and this invention is not limited thereto.

[0060] In this embodiment of the invention, after the asphalt is loaded into the asphalt tank and before unloading, a diversion pump is turned on. The diversion pump pumps the asphalt in the pumping pipe to the nozzle and sprays it out to form a circulation in the asphalt tank. When the heater is heated, the flowing asphalt of this invention can not only quickly transfer heat to improve heating efficiency and save heating energy, thereby speeding up the unloading speed, but also remove excess heat so that the asphalt around the heater is less likely to overheat and deteriorate, thus extending the service life of the asphalt.

[0061] Example 3

[0062] See Figure 6 This invention discloses a cleaning method for asphalt tanks, which is applied to the asphalt tank described in Embodiment 1, and includes:

[0063] 201. After the asphalt tank is unloaded, the three-way valve is controlled to connect the first valve port and the third valve port.

[0064] 202. Determine whether the material pipe is inserted into the cleaning agent at the inlet and outlet outside the asphalt tank. If it is determined to be yes, start the guide pump and control its pumping direction to send the cleaning agent in the material pipe to the pump inlet pipe so that the cleaning agent enters the bottom of the asphalt tank through the pump inlet pipe.

[0065] 203. After the asphalt tank is filled with cleaning agent, control the three-way valve to connect the first valve port and the second valve port, and start the diversion pump.

[0066] In this embodiment, the pumping direction of the pump inlet pipe is to pump the cleaning agent in the pump inlet pipe to the guide pipe, so that the cleaning agent is sprayed out from the bottom of the asphalt tank through the nozzle of the guide pipe to clean the bottom of the asphalt tank.

[0067] The content disclosed in the embodiments of this invention is only a preferred embodiment of the invention and is used only to illustrate the technical solutions of the invention, not to limit it. Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention.

Claims

1. An asphalt tank, the asphalt tank comprising a heating pipe disposed in the middle or below the middle of the tank, characterized in that, It also includes a diversion pump, a diversion pipe, and a pump inlet pipe; The inlet of the pump inlet pipe is located at the bottom of the asphalt tank, and the outlet of the pump inlet pipe is connected to the inlet of the diversion pump; The inlet of the guide pipe is connected to the outlet of the guide pump. The guide pipe extends towards the front of the asphalt tank and has a stepped variable diameter structure, with the diameter decreasing as it moves further away from the inlet of the pump inlet. The bottom of the guide pipe has multiple evenly distributed outlets equipped with nozzles. Each nozzle faces downwards and to the rear of its location. The angle between each nozzle and the horizontal direction is 40-50 degrees. The internal pipe of each nozzle has a variable diameter design, decreasing in diameter closer to the nozzle opening. The spray flow rate of the nozzle is less than the suction flow rate of the pump inlet, causing the asphalt in the upper part of the asphalt tank to backfill downwards, forming a full-area circulation flow within the asphalt tank. The inner bottom surface of the asphalt tank, located below the inlet of the pump inlet, has a groove for accommodating the asphalt guided there by the guide pipe. The inner bottom surface of the asphalt tank has a gradient, with the bottom surface of the asphalt tank increasing in height from back to front along its length. The guide pipe is located below the heating pipe and above the inlet of the pump inlet pipe.

2. The asphalt tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio of the projected length of the guide pipe along the length of the asphalt tank to the length of the asphalt tank is 85%-95%.

3. The asphalt tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a material pipe for loading and unloading, and a three-way valve for switching between internal circulation mode and loading / unloading mode; The guide tube includes a first guide tube and a second guide tube; The inlet of the first guide pipe is connected to the outlet of the guide pump, and the outlet of the first guide pipe is connected to the first valve port of the three-way valve. The inlet of the second guide pipe is connected to the second valve port of the three-way valve. The second guide pipe extends towards the front of the asphalt tank, and the outlets with nozzles are all located at the bottom of the second guide pipe. The inlet and outlet of the material pipe are connected to the third valve port of the three-way valve, and its other inlet and outlet extend out of the asphalt tank body; The three-way valve connects the first valve port and the second valve port to enter the internal circulation mode, or switches to connect the first valve port and the third valve port to enter the loading and unloading mode.

4. An internal circulation method for an asphalt tank, the method being applied to the asphalt tank of claim 1, characterized in that, include: After the asphalt tank is filled with asphalt and before the asphalt tank is unloaded, the diversion pump in the asphalt tank is turned on, and the pumping direction of the diversion pump is to pump the asphalt in the pump inlet pipe to the diversion pipe, so that the nozzle sprays asphalt at a spray flow rate less than the pump inlet pipe, which drives the asphalt in the upper part of the asphalt tank to backfill downward, forming a full-area circulation.

5. A method for cleaning an asphalt tank, the method being applied to the asphalt tank of claim 3, characterized in that, include: After the asphalt tank is unloaded, the three-way valve is controlled to connect the first valve port and the third valve port; Determine whether the material pipe is inserted into the cleaning agent at the inlet and outlet outside the asphalt tank. If it is determined to be yes, start the diversion pump and control its pumping direction to send the cleaning agent in the material pipe to the pump inlet pipe, so that the cleaning agent enters the bottom of the asphalt tank through the pump inlet pipe. After the asphalt tank is filled with cleaning agent, the three-way valve is controlled to connect the first valve port and the second valve port, and the diversion pump is started; wherein, the pumping direction of the pump inlet pipe is to pump the cleaning agent in the pump inlet pipe to the diversion pipe, so that the cleaning agent is sprayed out from the bottom of the asphalt tank through the nozzle of the diversion pipe to clean the bottom of the asphalt tank.

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