Heating Assembly for Asphalt Cement in Cold In-Place Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The CIR process faces challenges due to the loss of heat in asphalt cement during transportation, leading to substandard quality repairs when the temperature falls below 300° F, especially when the process is carried out at a distance from the supply terminal or across multiple shifts.
Innovation Solution
A heating assembly is integrated into the asphalt cement flow circuit, comprising a burner and an asphalt cement coil, with a heat modifying component to control temperature, ensuring continuous heating of asphalt cement to maintain it within the required range for effective use in the CIR process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If asphalt cement is transported over long distances or across multiple shifts, then the operational range and flexibility of the CIR process is improved, but heat loss occurs causing temperature to fall below 300° F resulting in substandard quality repairs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating assembly pre-heats the asphalt cement before it enters the storage tank, ensuring it arrives at the optimal temperature range (300-350° F) even after long transportation or extended operational periods. This preliminary heating action compensates for inevitable heat loss during storage and transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating assembly provides continuous heating capability to maintain asphalt cement temperature within the required range throughout the entire operational period, from initial heating through storage to final application. This continuous thermal management ensures consistent repair quality regardless of operational duration.
2Reliability
If heating assembly is added to maintain asphalt cement temperature, then repair quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating assembly is integrated into the existing asphalt cement flow circuit rather than operating as a separate system. The heater, pump, and control mechanisms are combined with the storage tank and delivery system, creating a unified thermal management system that maintains repair quality without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating assembly is designed to automatically maintain asphalt cement temperature within the optimal range through self-regulating controls. The system monitors and adjusts heating output as needed, reducing the need for manual temperature management and simplifying operational complexity while ensuring consistent repair quality.
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
This solution allows for continuous and controlled heating of asphalt cement, preventing heat loss and ensuring consistent quality repairs by maintaining the asphalt cement temperature within the optimal range for the CIR process, even during extended operations or distant repairs.
Implementation Method 1
the burner directs hot gases of combustion across the asphalt cement coil so that heat may be transferred from the hot gases to the asphalt cement flowing through the coil
Data Source
AI summary
A CIR train includes a milling machine, an asphalt cement supply tank, a mechanism for dispensing asphalt cement onto paving material that has been removed from the roadway by the milling machine, an asphalt cement pump for pumping asphalt cement from the asphalt cement supply tank into and through an asphalt cement flow circuit to the asphalt cement dispensing mechanism. A heating assembly is interposed in the asphalt cement flow circuit between the asphalt cement supply tank and the dispensing mechanism. The heating assembly includes a heater and a heat modifying component. The heater includes an asphalt cement coil that is in the asphalt cement flow circuit, and a burner that is adapted to direct hot gases of combustion across the asphalt cement coil. The heat modifying component is adapted to modulate the amount of heat transfer from the hot gases of combustion to the asphalt cement in the coil.