Bituminous Material Shredding via Cold Extrusion and Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for shredding bituminous material into recyclable granules are inefficient in terms of energy consumption and often result in incomplete fragmentation, especially when dealing with materials containing polyester substrates, leading to the formation of large conglomerates due to heating and cooling processes.
Innovation Solution
A machine and method that perform 'cold shredding' of bituminous material by compressing it into a compact agglomerate and then using a perforated tubular body with a cutting member to extrude and cut the material into small granules, eliminating the need for heating and cooling, thereby reducing energy consumption and ensuring complete fragmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heating and cooling processes are used to fragment bituminous material, then the material can be processed into granules, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of processing temperature from high-temperature (hot process) to ambient temperature (cold process). By eliminating the heating and cooling cycles, the patent achieves significant energy savings while maintaining the fragmentation capability through mechanical means alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical system (heating to soften, then mechanical cutting, then cooling to solidify) with a purely mechanical system. The cold shredding process uses mechanical force directly on the solid bituminous material to achieve fragmentation without requiring thermal energy input or output
2Productivity
If heating is applied to bituminous material with polyester substrate, then the material becomes processable, but plastic filaments form and prevent complete fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the processing temperature parameter from elevated temperatures (which cause polyester to melt and form filaments) to ambient temperatures. This parameter change prevents the formation of plastic filaments while still allowing the bituminous material to be processed into complete granules through mechanical shredding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the normally harmful effect of polyester substrate (which forms difficult-to-separate filaments when heated) into a benefit by processing the material cold. The polyester substrate remains stable and integrated in the granules when processed at ambient temperatures, eliminating the filament formation problem while maintaining processing capability
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 significant energy savings and complete fragmentation of bituminous materials, including those with polyester substrates, without the formation of plastic filaments, resulting in smaller, recyclable granules.
Implementation Method 1
a compacting unit (3), set resting upon the frame (2), which is designed to receive the portions (30) fed from a hopper (4) and compresses the portions themselves in such a way as to form a compact agglomerate
Implementation Method 2
a pressing member (7) for pushing the compact agglomerate thus obtained into the perforated tubular body (6) in such a way as to force the bituminous material by compression to come out through the holes of the perforated tubular body (6) so as to obtain a plurality of substantially filiform extruded portions (33)
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a machine (1) for shredding portions (30) of bituminous material in the solid state into recyclable granules (31) of small dimensions comprising a shredding unit (5), which in turn comprises a perforated tubular body (6), and a pressing member (7) for pushing the portions (30) into the perforated tubular body (6) in such a way as to force the bituminous material by compression to come out through the holes of the perforated tubular body (6) so as to obtain a plurality of substantially filiform extruded portions (33) of the bituminous material, and a cutting member (8) for cutting the extruded portions (33) coming out of the holes of the perforated tubular body (6) in such a way as to obtain the granules (31) of small dimensions.