Flexible Bitumen Container with Stabilizing Means
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bitumen packaging containers lack dimensional stability during filling and storage, causing bitumen to creep and become difficult to stack due to its viscous and temperature-dependent properties, leading to issues in transportation and storage, especially when filled into non-stable containers.
Innovation Solution
A flexible fabric container with a truncated pyramid shape, featuring a stretching capacity of 10-25% and stabilizing means in the side walls to prevent excessive bulging, combined with a stable inner plastic container to prevent bitumen sticking and facilitate easy handling, and reinforced seams and straps for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible fabric container is used for bitumen packaging, then the container can accommodate temperature-dependent volume changes of bitumen, but the container loses dimensional stability and creeps during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The container uses a flexible fabric shell that can expand and contract to accommodate the temperature-dependent volume changes of bitumen. The fabric material allows the container to adapt its volume without rigid structural constraints, solving the adaptability requirement while maintaining sufficient dimensional stability through controlled flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The container transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can adapt its shape and volume. The fabric material enables the container to dynamically respond to bitumen volume changes during temperature variations, while the controlled flexibility prevents uncontrolled creeping during storage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the fabric stretching capacity is increased to accommodate bitumen expansion, then the container can handle temperature variations, but excessive bulging occurs during filling
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric stretching capacity is optimized to a specific parameter range (10-25%) that balances two requirements: sufficient expansion to accommodate hot bitumen filling without excessive bulging, and enough flexibility to handle temperature-induced volume changes during storage and transport.
3Ease of manufacture
If bitumen is filled directly into the fabric container, then the packaging is simple, but bitumen sticks to the fabric and cannot be detached at processing
Solution Approach 1:
A polyethylene liner is introduced as an intermediary layer between the bitumen and the fabric container. The liner prevents direct contact and adhesion between bitumen and fabric, allowing easy detachment at processing. The liner is designed to be compatible with bitumen temperatures and can be easily removed or melted without affecting bitumen quality.
4Stability of the object's composition
If stabilizing means are added to prevent bulging, then the container maintains dimensional stability, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Stabilizing means are integrated into the fabric panels using flexible elements such as webbing strips or additional fabric layers sewn into the container structure. These flexible stabilizing elements prevent excessive bulging and maintain dimensional stability without requiring rigid structural components, thus minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 solution provides self-stabilization during filling and solidification, preventing uncontrolled bulging and jamming, allowing for efficient stacking and loading, and ensuring easy handling and processing without quality changes to the bitumen.
Implementation Method 1
the fabric forming the walls can stretch within a predetermined limit due to the temperature of the bitumen that is filled in, which leads to a certain bulging of the container
Implementation Method 2
stabilization means, e.g. As a result, the fabric forming the walls can stretch within a predetermined limit
Implementation Method 3
a separate inner container made of a plastic that is stable up to about 100°C to 105°C and has a melting point of about 130°C to 150°C can be used. This prevents the bitumen from sticking in the packaging container
Implementation Method 4
Due to its melting point, the inner container can also be melted down when the bitumen is processed, with no change in the bitumen quality being expected
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a large-volume packing container for bitumen, the container being made of flexible material and having approximately a truncated pyramid-like basic shape prior to filling, wherein the container is closed at the top by a cover wall (6) extending parallel to the bottom surface and having a preferably central fill opening (10). In order to achieve self-stabilization during filling, or stability during storage, in the temperature range from 100º to 110ºC the woven fabric forming the walls (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) has a stretching capacity of 10 - 25%, preferably 15 - 20%, in the direction of the warp and weft, wherein stabilizing means (14), such as pleats, seams, strips or the like are drawn or sewn into the lower region of the fabric panels forming the lateral walls (1, 2, 3, 4) in order to stabilize the woven fabric to forces occurring obliquely to the warp and weft.