Asphalt Removal via Electromagnetic Induction Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for peeling off asphalt pavement, such as manual chipping and water-jet techniques, generate significant vibration and noise, and require large amounts of water or electric power, making them inefficient and difficult to handle the peeled asphalt.
Innovation Solution
A method using electromagnetic induction heating to form a softened layer on the asphalt pavement, allowing it to be peeled off in block form without large vibration or noise, using a steel plate as the heating object to efficiently apply heat only in the vicinity, with the asphalt being fragmented into blocks for easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If microwave irradiation is used to heat and soften the entire asphalt layer, then the asphalt layer can be peeled off without generating large vibration and noise, but a large amount of electric power is required and the softened asphalt layer is hard to handle during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local heating by positioning the microwave irradiator to heat only the lower surface of the asphalt layer in contact with the steel plate, rather than heating the entire asphalt layer uniformly. This localized heating approach reduces energy consumption while still enabling effective peeling at the bonding interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the asphalt layer into a softened lower surface and a solid upper surface. By heating only the lower surface to create a softened layer, the patent enables selective peeling while leaving the majority of the asphalt layer intact and easy to handle, avoiding the problems of handling entirely softened asphalt.
2Ease of manufacture
If the entire asphalt layer is softened by supplying large amount of high-frequency electric power, then the asphalt pavement can be peeled off, but the asphalt pavement after being peeled off is hard to handle and the metal plate is likely to be excessively heated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local heating by positioning the microwave irradiator to heat only the lower surface of the asphalt layer in contact with the steel plate, rather than heating the entire asphalt layer uniformly. This localized heating approach reduces energy consumption while still enabling effective peeling at the bonding interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial heating to only the necessary portion of the asphalt layer (the lower surface in contact with steel plate) rather than heating the entire layer. This partial action is sufficient to achieve peeling while avoiding excessive heating that would make the asphalt difficult to handle.
3Ease of manufacture
If water-jet technique is used to peel off asphalt pavement, then bonding layer on steel plate can be removed, but large vibration and noise are generated and large volume of water is used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical water-jet system with an electromagnetic heating system. Instead of using high-pressure water to mechanically remove the bonding layer, the patent uses microwave-induced heating to soften the asphalt and enable peeling, thereby eliminating the mechanical vibration and noise associated with water-jet techniques.
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 method efficiently peels off asphalt pavement with minimal electric power consumption, reduces vibration and noise, and facilitates handling as a block, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a hot peeling apparatus 210 disclosed in the following Patent Document 2 is designed to generate an alternating magnetic field from an electromagnetic induction coil 212 supplied with a high-frequency electric power, in such a manner that an eddy current is produced in a surface of a metal plate 214 to cause self-heating of the metal plate 214
Implementation Method 2
an eddy current is produced in a surface of a metal plate 214 to cause self-heating of the metal plate 214
Implementation Method 3
an induction current generated by the alternating magnetic flux flows along the manhole frame 220, and thereby the manhole frame 220 is heated by Joule heat
Implementation Method 4
when an alternating current is supplied to an electromagnetic induction coil 222 provided inside a manhole frame 220, an alternating magnetic flux is generated to pass through the inside of the manhole frame 220 via a flange 224 serving as a flux path member. An induction current generated by the alternating magnetic flux flows along the manhole frame 220
Implementation Method 5
An induction current generated by the alternating magnetic flux flows along the manhole frame 220, and thereby the manhole frame 220 is heated by Joule heat
Data Source
AI summary
It is intended to allow an asphalt pavement to be peeled off efficiently with a relatively small amount of electric power without generating large vibration and noise, and handled in the form of a block. An electromagnetic induction coil 36 is positioned above an asphalt pavement 22 provided on a copper plate (12) to melt a lower surface of the asphalt pavement 22. Then, a wedge-shaped thermally-conductive peeling member 60 having a peeling layer formed on an upper surface thereof is inserted into a melted layer (74) of the lower surface of the asphalt pavement 22 to peel off the asphalt pavement 22 from the steel plate 12. This makes it possible to peel off the asphalt pavement 22 with a relatively small amount of electric power and handle the peeled asphalt pavement 22 in the form of a block.