Aggregate Cooling Drum with Radial Donuts for Hot Weather Concreting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for concrete aggregates in hot weather regions are inefficient, costly, and do not optimize heat transfer processes, leading to suboptimal concrete strength due to high ambient temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A drum-based cooling system with radial donuts and axial webs for enhanced mixing and thermal contact, combined with optimized air flow and finite element method simulations to improve cooling efficiency and reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If chilled water is used to cool aggregates, then aggregate temperature is reduced effectively, but storage cost and water consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic cooling by introducing chilled air into the aggregate mixing drum through nozzles. This hydraulic/pneumatic approach replaces the water-based cooling system, using compressed air as the cooling medium to reduce aggregate temperature without requiring large volumes of chilled water storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cooling medium from liquid (chilled water) to gas (chilled air). This parameter change allows the system to achieve effective cooling while dramatically reducing the quantity of cooling medium required, as gases can be circulated and reused without the same storage constraints as liquids.
2Temperature
If ice is added to the mixing drum to cool aggregates, then aggregate temperature is reduced, but investment cost for ice making plant increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic delivery of chilled air directly to the aggregates in the mixing drum, eliminating the need for expensive ice making plants. This approach provides a more economical solution by using air compression and cooling technology instead of large-scale ice production infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical ice making system with a pneumatic cooling system. Instead of using mechanical processes to produce and handle physical ice, the system uses compressed chilled air to achieve the same cooling effect, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and investment cost.
3Temperature
If chilled air cooling system is designed for large volume aggregates, then cooling effectiveness is achieved, but system complexity and occupied space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the chilled air cooling system into the existing concrete mixing drum, making the drum serve dual functions: mixing and cooling. The cooling nozzles are incorporated into the drum structure, allowing the same equipment to perform multiple operations without requiring separate dedicated cooling infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cooling function with the mixing function by introducing chilled air directly into the mixing drum during the mixing process. This combination eliminates the need for separate cooling equipment and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effectiveness for large aggregate volumes.
4Productivity
If conventional cooling methods are used in hot weather, then concrete production continues, but concrete strength decreases due to high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling action by chilling the air before it enters the mixing drum, and by pre-cooling aggregates during the mixing process before final concrete placement. This preliminary cooling prevents temperature-related strength loss from occurring in the first place, maintaining concrete strength while continuing production during hot weather.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves faster and more efficient cooling of aggregates, maintaining concrete strength by optimizing heat transfer and reducing energy consumption, making it a cost-effective solution for large-scale aggregate cooling.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling process in the existing drums in the market is based on mixing the aggregates to enlarge the contact area between the aggregates and the cooling air
Implementation Method 2
Chilled air is a preferred candidate, although this requires huge flow rates and extensive cooling systems
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for cooling aggregate are described. Systems and methods may include a drum. The drum may include an aggregate inlet; a plurality of buckets arranged in a ring around a circumference of the drum, and a plurality of rings arranged along the length of the drum, wherein each of the plurality of buckets has openings that open into the interior of the drum; one or more radial donuts or radial webs within the interior of the drum; an aggregate outlet; and a cooling air supply.