Asphalt Roofing Material Recycling With Solvent-Slurry Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for recycling asphalt-based roofing materials face challenges in separating and reusing their constituents due to strong adhesion and the difficulty in shredding and handling large piles of shingles, leading to inefficient recycling processes and high landfill disposal rates.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of solvents to create a slurry with asphalt-based roofing material, followed by fiber and filler separation using specialized presses and centrifuges, effectively separating asphalt, fiber, and filler to produce high-purity products suitable for various applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If milling machines are used to produce recycled roofing material, then the material can be used in road construction, but the recycling process is complex and energy-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the recycling process into distinct stages: shredding roofing shingles into manageable pieces, separating aggregate granules from asphalt binder, and further processing the separated materials. This segmentation simplifies each individual step while maintaining overall process effectiveness, reducing the complexity compared to using heavy milling machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the aggregate granules from the asphalt binder through separation processes. By taking out the aggregate component first, the remaining asphalt material becomes easier to process and recycle, eliminating the need for complex milling operations that would be required to process intact shingles.
2Manufacturing precision
If solvents are used to break down roofing shingles, then separation of constituents is achieved, but the process requires complex equipment and high energy input
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solvent-based chemical separation with mechanical separation methods. By using physical processes such as shredding and mechanical separation equipment, the patent achieves effective constituent separation without requiring solvents, complex chemical processing equipment, or high energy inputs associated with thermal or chemical breakdown methods.
3Productivity
If standard grinding and screening equipment is used, then material can be processed, but modification of equipment is required to handle high granular content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary shredding of roofing shingles into smaller, more manageable pieces before further processing. This preliminary action reduces the size and complexity of the material, allowing standard grinding and screening equipment to handle the high granular content without requiring significant modifications, thereby improving ease of manufacture and processing.
4Ease of operation
If roofing shingles are shredded on bulk basis, then material can be handled, but the high granular content makes dragging and flowing extremely difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the roofing shingle material into progressively smaller pieces through multi-stage shredding. By breaking down large shingles into smaller fragments, the material becomes less resistant to dragging and flowing, significantly improving ease of operation while reducing the force required for material handling and processing.
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 achieves efficient separation of asphalt, fiber, and filler with minimal equipment and energy input, allowing for high-yield recycling and reuse of these materials in diverse applications, reducing landfill waste and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a solvent is first added to an asphalt-based material to form a mixture containing asphalt dissolved in solvent and a solids material
Implementation Method 2
The solids material can be separated out by centrifugation or filtration while the asphalt dissolved in solvent can be fractionally distilled
Implementation Method 3
the asphalt dissolved in solvent can be fractionally distilled to separate the heavier asphalt phase from the lighter solvent phase
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method, process and system for recycling an asphalt-based roofing material. In particular, the method, process and system are capable of removing and recovering an aggregate product, fiber product, filler product and an asphalt product from the asphalt-based roofing material. The aggregate, fiber, filler and and asphalt products each may be reused in a variety of applications.