A cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of asphalt viscosimeter cleaning, disclose a kind of for asphalt viscosimeter's cleaning device, including cleaning storehouse, hot air pulse storehouse, trichloroethylene pulse storehouse, distilled water pulse storehouse and control system: cleaning storehouse, inside is equipped with the suspension structure of fixed viscosimeter, still be equipped with high-temperature-resistant rubber tube output end, for connecting viscosimeter;Hot air pulse storehouse is configured as the pulse airflow of output 100 ℃±5 ℃, for melting and pushing out asphalt in viscosimeter;Trichloroethylene pulse storehouse is configured as the trichloroethylene pulse solvent of output 55~60 ℃, for dissolving asphalt residue;Distilled water pulse storehouse is configured as the pulse water flow of output 80 ℃±5 ℃;Control system cooperates and switches three storehouse work procedure, realizes "pushes asphalt, dissolving, rinsing, blow dry" full-automatic operation, substantially shorten cleaning time, improve cleaning efficiency, and can avoid trichloroethylene harm staff health.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cleaning technology for asphalt viscometers, and more specifically, to a cleaning device for asphalt viscometers. Background Technology

[0002] Asphalt is an important material in road construction, used in highways, urban roads, and airport runways. Asphalt pavements offer good smoothness and driving comfort, effectively reducing bumps and noise during vehicle travel. In asphalt performance testing, the kinematic viscosity test (capillary method) and the dynamic viscosity test (vacuum depressurized capillary method) are crucial indicators for evaluating asphalt performance. This is because the Campion countercurrent capillary viscometer (such as...) is essential for determining asphalt properties. Figure 1 The unique construction of the two viscometers (shown in the image) and the vacuum depressurization capillary viscometer (not shown in the image), coupled with the viscosity of asphalt, has made cleaning these two types of viscometers a difficult problem for testers after the test.

[0003] Both the Campfin countercurrent capillary viscometer and the vacuum depressurization capillary viscometer are precision testing equipment that require verification or calibration and cannot be considered consumables. Post-test cleaning requires oven heating, bulb syringe suction, repeated dissolution with trichloroethylene solution, and finally rinsing and drying with distilled water. Each parallel test requires three viscometers; relying solely on manual cleaning is time-consuming, inefficient, and consumes large quantities of trichloroethylene. Direct contact with trichloroethylene can harm the skin, eyes, liver, respiratory tract, and reproductive system, seriously affecting the health of testing personnel.

[0004] Therefore, a closed, automated cleaning device is needed to clean the viscometer after the asphalt viscosity performance test. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the defects of at least one of the existing cleaning devices for asphalt viscometers, and to provide a cleaning device for asphalt viscometers that solves the technical problems of excessive time wasted in manual cleaning, low cleaning efficiency, and the impact of trichloroethylene on human health.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model is a cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer, comprising a cleaning chamber, a hot air pulse chamber, a trichloroethylene pulse chamber, a distilled water pulse chamber, and a control system: the cleaning chamber has an internal suspension structure for fixing the viscometer and an output end of a high-temperature resistant rubber tube for connecting the viscometer; the hot air pulse chamber is configured to output a pulsed airflow of 100℃±5℃ for melting and expelling the asphalt inside the viscometer; the trichloroethylene pulse chamber is configured to output a trichloroethylene pulse solvent of 55~60℃ for dissolving asphalt residue; the distilled water pulse chamber is configured to output a pulsed water flow of 80℃±5℃ for rinsing the viscometer; the output ends of the hot air pulse chamber, the trichloroethylene pulse chamber, and the distilled water pulse chamber are all connected to the input end of the high-temperature resistant rubber tube; the control system independently controls the start and stop of the hot air pulse chamber, the trichloroethylene pulse chamber, and the distilled water pulse chamber.

[0007] This cleaning device outputs a 100℃±5℃ pulsed airflow through a hot air pulse chamber, which can quickly soften and expel stubborn asphalt in the viscometer in the initial stage, reducing the time spent on manual removal. The trichloroethylene pulse chamber accurately dissolves residues with a 55-60℃ pulsed solvent. Because the temperature is far below the boiling point (87.2℃) and the pulse scouring enhances fluidity, the amount of solvent evaporation is reduced, and the cleaning chamber is completely isolated from human contact hazards. The distilled water pulse chamber outputs an 80℃±5℃ pulsed water flow for rinsing, which avoids the sudden cooling damage caused by cold water impacting the hot viscometer, and utilizes the residue-free properties of distilled water to efficiently remove solvents. The control system coordinates and switches the three chambers to work independently, realizing fully automatic operation of "pushing asphalt, dissolving, rinsing, and drying", which greatly shortens the cleaning time, improves the cleaning efficiency, and avoids the health hazards of trichloroethylene to workers.

[0008] Furthermore, the suspension structure includes a suspension frame and a positioning clamp installed inside the cleaning chamber. The suspension frame is used to suspend the viscometer, and the positioning clamp is used to hold and fix the viscometer.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a waste collection bin, which is located at the bottom of the cleaning chamber and is used to collect waste generated during cleaning.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a heating wire 5, which is installed on the top of the cleaning chamber for heating the interior of the cleaning chamber.

[0011] Furthermore, the hot air pulse chamber includes: a heating unit for heating air to 100℃±5℃; a pulse generating mechanism for cutting hot air into pulsed airflows with a frequency of 0.5~5Hz; a temperature sensor for real-time monitoring of airflow temperature and feedback to the control system; an airflow inlet for connecting to an external air compressor; and a pulse outlet for connecting to the input end of a high-temperature resistant hose.

[0012] Furthermore, the trichloroethylene pulse chamber includes: a corrosion-resistant sealed chamber for storing trichloroethylene solvent and isolating it from environmental contact; an immersion heating rod located at the bottom of the corrosion-resistant sealed chamber for heating trichloroethylene to 55-60°C; a second temperature sensor for real-time monitoring of the solvent temperature and feedback to the control system; a first corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump for extracting the constant-temperature solvent; and a pulse valve for cutting the continuous solvent flow into pulsed output.

[0013] Furthermore, the distilled water pulse chamber includes: a sealed water storage chamber for storing distilled water; a heating mechanism for heating the distilled water to 80℃±5℃; a corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump II for extracting the heated distilled water; an electromagnetic pulse valve for cutting the water flow into pulsed water flows of 0.5~5Hz; and an output interface for connecting to the input end of a high-temperature resistant hose.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This cleaning device outputs a pulsed airflow of 100℃±5℃ through the hot air pulse chamber, which can quickly soften and push out the stubborn asphalt in the viscometer in the initial stage, reducing the time spent on manual removal; the trichloroethylene pulse chamber accurately dissolves the residue with a pulsed solvent of 55~60℃. Because the temperature is far below the boiling point (87.2℃) and the pulse scouring enhances the fluidity, the amount of solvent evaporation is reduced, and the cleaning chamber completely isolates the human body from the hazards of contact; the distilled water pulse chamber outputs a pulsed water flow of 80℃±5℃ for rinsing, which not only avoids the sudden cooling damage caused by cold water impacting the hot viscometer, but also utilizes the residue-free characteristics of distilled water to efficiently remove the solvent; the control system coordinates and switches the three chambers to work independently, realizing fully automatic operation of "pushing asphalt, dissolving, rinsing, and drying", which greatly shortens the cleaning time, improves the cleaning efficiency, and avoids the health hazards of trichloroethylene to workers. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a Campion countercurrent capillary viscometer.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning chamber of this utility model.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Cleaning chamber; 2. Hanging frame; 3. Positioning clamp; 4. High-temperature resistant hose; 5. Heating wire; 6. Waste collection box. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. To better illustrate the following embodiments, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0020] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the cleaning device of this utility model mainly consists of a cleaning chamber, a hot air pulse chamber, a trichloroethylene pulse chamber, a distilled water pulse chamber, and a control system.

[0021] The cleaning chamber is the core working area, comprising a cleaning chamber 1. A heating wire 5 is installed at the top of the cleaning chamber 1 to heat the ambient temperature. A suspension bracket 2 and a positioning clamp 3 are fixed to the side wall of the cleaning chamber 1 to securely hold the asphalt viscometer to be cleaned, preventing it from shaking during subsequent pulse rinsing. A waste collection box 6 is placed at the bottom of the cleaning chamber 1 to collect various waste liquids and impurities generated during the cleaning process. A key connecting component is the high-temperature resistant hose 4, which guides the output pulse flow from each pulse chamber to the input end of the viscometer fixed to the suspension bracket 2 and positioning clamp 3 during cleaning, while the outlet end of the viscometer is inserted into the waste collection box 6.

[0022] The hot air pulse chamber is responsible for generating high-temperature pulsed airflow. It includes a heating unit (which can be an electric heating tube, resistance wire, or PTC heater) to heat the intake air to a set temperature. The chamber also contains a pulse generating mechanism (such as a solenoid valve assembly or rotary valve), a temperature sensor, an inlet connecting to an external air source (such as an air compressor), and a pulse outlet connecting to a high-temperature resistant hose 4. During the initial cleaning phase, the control system keeps the chamber running, heating and maintaining the air at a temperature of approximately 100℃±5℃ and a constant air pressure of 40kPa±5kPa (achieved through an air pressure regulation module, for example, using a proportional solenoid valve (receiving a 4-20mA control signal) + a pressure sensor (providing real-time air pressure feedback to the control system) + a PID controller (dynamically adjusting the valve opening)). This continuous high-temperature, constant-pressure hot air melts and pushes out the residual asphalt adhering to the inside of the viscometer capillary, causing it to fall into the waste collection box 6. After the asphalt body is removed, the control system will activate the pulse generator based on the feedback from temperature sensor 1, which will convert the hot air into a pulsed airflow with an adjustable frequency (e.g., 0.5 to 5 Hz) and send it into the cleaning chamber through the high-temperature resistant hose 4, so as to cooperate with the subsequent steps to perform a more thorough rinsing or drying.

[0023] The trichloroethylene pulse chamber is used to dissolve stubborn asphalt residue. It consists of a corrosion-resistant, sealed chamber containing trichloroethylene (C2HCl3) solvent. An immersion heating rod and a second temperature sensor are installed inside. The control system precisely adjusts the heating rod's power based on the signal from the second temperature sensor, strictly controlling the trichloroethylene temperature between 55℃ and 60℃. This temperature range is far below the boiling point of trichloroethylene (87.2℃), enhancing the solvent's fluidity and effectively dissolving asphalt-like contaminants while significantly reducing evaporation loss, achieving a safe, efficient, and solvent-saving solution. The constant-temperature trichloroethylene liquid is drawn out by a corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump, cut by a pulse valve, and then introduced into the cleaning chamber in a pulsed manner through a high-temperature resistant hose 4 to perform pulsed cleaning of the viscometer's interior.

[0024] The distilled water pulse chamber is used to rinse away residual solvents and dissolved substances. It contains a sealed water storage chamber for storing distilled water. The chamber is connected to a corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump and a solenoid pulse valve. The control system is set to the required pulse frequency (0.5–5 Hz), and by controlling the rapid opening and closing of the solenoid pulse valve, the distilled water drawn by the corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump is cut into intermittent pulsed water flows with impact force. To ensure both cleaning effectiveness and protection of the viscometer (avoiding sudden cooling or steam generation), a corresponding heating mechanism can be installed to heat the distilled water in the sealed water storage chamber to approximately 80°C ± 5°C. This temperature of pulsed distilled water is introduced into the cleaning chamber through a high-temperature resistant hose 4, utilizing the residue-free properties of distilled water to achieve a final clean rinse. After rinsing, the system closes the chamber and then uses pulsed hot air generated by the hot air pulse chamber to quickly dry the inside of the viscometer.

[0025] Waste liquid collection tank 6 is designed to be replaceable. It is recommended to prepare at least three independent tanks to collect waste liquid from different cleaning stages: the first is used to collect asphalt waste pushed out by hot air in the early stage of cleaning; the second is used to collect trichloroethylene mixed waste liquid containing a large amount of asphalt (this solution can be recycled and reused by subsequent heating and condensation devices to separate the asphalt components because trichloroethylene has a low boiling point); the third is used to collect wastewater generated after rinsing with distilled water, effectively preventing the direct discharge of sewage containing trace amounts of organic matter or solvents and polluting the environment.

[0026] The control system, as the core hub, adopts an industrial PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) to coordinate the entire cleaning process through built-in programs. The system receives sensor signals from each compartment in real time (including temperature sensor 1 in the hot air compartment, sensor 2 in the trichloroethylene pulse compartment, etc.) and outputs control commands. For example, it adjusts the power of the heating unit through PWM signals (such as maintaining the solvent compartment at 55-60℃ and the cleaning chamber at 135℃±5℃), drives the pulse valve group to operate through switch signals (generating 0.5-5Hz pulsed airflow / liquid flow), and sets parameters and monitors the operating status through a touch screen human-machine interface to achieve automated and safe control of the cleaning process.

[0027] The operation process is briefly described as follows:

[0028] Securely fasten the tested asphalt viscometer to the hanging bracket 2 inside the cleaning chamber 1, and tighten it with the positioning clamp 3. Connect one end (inlet) of the viscometer to the high-temperature resistant hose 4, and insert the other end (outlet) into the waste collection box 6. Control the cleaning chamber to heat to a constant temperature of 135℃±5℃. The control system activates the hot air pulse chamber to soften the asphalt with high temperature, and uses hot air at a continuous temperature of 100℃±5℃ and 40kPa±5kPa to push the residual asphalt inside the viscometer to the first waste collection box.

[0029] Subsequently, the trichloroethylene pulse chamber is opened, and under the combined action of pulsed hot air and pulsed hot trichloroethylene, the residual asphalt inside is flushed and dissolved. The large amount of asphalt-containing trichloroethylene mixture discharged is collected in the second waste collection box, and the cleaning chamber 1 is checked through the observation window to confirm that it is clean.

[0030] Afterwards, the trichloroethylene chamber was closed, and the distilled water pulse chamber was opened instead. With the assistance of pulsed hot air, the solvent residue was thoroughly rinsed off with pulsed hot distilled water, and the rinsing wastewater was collected in the third waste collection box.

[0031] Finally, close the distilled water chamber and thoroughly dry the inside of the viscometer using only pulsed hot air. Once the viscometer has cooled to a safe temperature, it can be removed from the cleaning chamber, completing the cleaning process.

[0032] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the technical solution of this utility model, and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the claims of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer, characterized in that, Includes a cleaning chamber, a hot air pulse chamber, a trichloroethylene pulse chamber, a distilled water pulse chamber, and a control system. The cleaning chamber is equipped with a suspension structure for fixing the viscometer, and also has an output end of a high-temperature resistant rubber tube (4) for connecting the viscometer. The hot air pulse chamber is configured to output a pulsed airflow of 100℃±5℃ to melt and expel the asphalt inside the viscometer; The trichloroethylene pulse chamber is configured to output trichloroethylene pulse solvent at 55-60°C for dissolving asphalt residues. The distilled water pulse chamber is configured to output a pulsed water flow of 80℃±5℃ for rinsing the viscometer; The output ends of the hot air pulse chamber, the trichloroethylene pulse chamber, and the distilled water pulse chamber are all connected to the input end of the high-temperature resistant rubber hose (4); The control system independently controls the start and stop of the hot air pulse chamber, trichloroethylene pulse chamber, and distilled water pulse chamber.

2. The cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suspension structure includes a suspension frame (2) and a positioning clamp (3) installed inside the cleaning chamber. The suspension frame (2) is used to suspend the viscometer, and the positioning clamp (3) is used to hold and fix the viscometer.

3. The cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a waste collection box (6), which is located at the bottom of the cleaning chamber and is used to collect waste generated during cleaning.

4. A cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a heating wire (5), which is installed on the top of the cleaning chamber for heating the inside of the cleaning chamber.

5. A cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The hot air pulse chamber includes: Heating unit: Used to heat air to 100℃±5℃; Pulse generating mechanism: used to cut hot air into pulsed airflow with a frequency of 0.5 to 5 Hz; Temperature sensor 1: Used to monitor airflow temperature in real time and feed it back to the control system; Airflow inlet: Used to connect to an external air compressor; Pulse outlet: the input end used to connect to the high-temperature resistant hose (4).

6. A cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The trichloroethylene pulse chamber includes: Corrosion-resistant sealed enclosure: used to store trichloroethylene solvent and isolate it from the environment; Immersion heating rod: Located at the bottom of the corrosion-resistant sealed chamber, used to heat trichloroethylene to 55-60°C; Temperature sensor 2: Used to monitor the solvent temperature in real time and feed it back to the control system; Corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump 1: Used for extracting solvents; Pulse valve: Used to cut a continuous solvent flow into pulsed output.

7. A cleaning device for an asphalt viscometer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The distilled water pulse chamber includes: Sealed water storage tank: Used for storing distilled water; Heating mechanism: used to heat distilled water to 80℃±5℃; Corrosion-resistant centrifugal pump 2: Used for pumping heated distilled water; Electromagnetic pulse valve: used to cut water flow into pulsed water flow; Output interface: used to connect to the input end of the high-temperature resistant hose (4).

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