Modular Hot Asphalt Packaging Unit for Winter Repair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing hot asphalt are energy-intensive and seasonal, leading to inefficiencies in road maintenance, particularly during winter months when potholes form and require filling with cold asphalt, which has poor environmental compatibility and short durability.
Innovation Solution
A system for producing hot asphalt using prefabricated packaging units that separate solid materials from binders, allowing for on-site production at temperatures between 140°C and 240°C, using bitumen-based binders with additives for improved properties, and allowing for flexible packaging sizes to accommodate varying repair needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hot asphalt is produced using traditional large-scale mixing plants, then production efficiency is high, but the system cannot operate during winter months and requires annual overhaul
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the traditional large-scale mixing plant into smaller, modular packaging units that can be deployed independently. Each unit contains pre-measured solid materials and binder in separate compartments, enabling small-batch production without requiring a full-scale plant operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The solid materials and binder are pre-prepared and packaged in ready-to-use units before the winter season. This preliminary preparation allows immediate deployment when potholes need repair, eliminating the need for seasonal plant operation and annual overhauls.
2Ease of operation
If cold asphalt with solvents is used for winter repairs, then workability is improved, but environmental compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable packaging units that contain pre-measured amounts of binder and solid materials. These units are designed for single-use deployment at repair sites, eliminating the need for solvent-based cold asphalt while maintaining ease of application through the pre-prepared format.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If cold asphalt without solvents is used, then environmental compatibility is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the asphalt production into smaller packaging units, the patent eliminates the need for expensive solvent-free cold asphalt while maintaining environmental compatibility. The modular approach allows precise material usage without waste, reducing overall cost compared to purchasing expensive pre-mixed solvent-free cold asphalt.
4Productivity
If cold asphalt is used for pothole repairs, then immediate repair capability is improved, but durability deteriorates to only 3-4 months
Solution Approach 1:
The binder and solid materials are pre-prepared in correct proportions and packaging units, enabling immediate deployment for rapid repair. However, the use of proper binder materials ensures the repaired asphalt achieves full durability comparable to traditional hot asphalt, lasting significantly longer than cold asphalt's 3-4 months.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite system combining pre-measured solid asphalt materials with binder in specific proportions. This composite approach ensures both rapid application capability and long-term durability, creating a repair material that outperforms conventional cold asphalt while maintaining ease of use.
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 approach enables the production of durable, environmentally friendly hot asphalt that can be produced in smaller quantities, ensuring longer-lasting repairs and reducing costs, while maintaining the advantages of hot asphalt's performance and elasticity.
Implementation Method 1
producing hot asphalt from the system (140°C and 240°C)
Implementation Method 2
hot asphalt can then easily be produced on site in units of the system or packaging size used
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a packaging unit (1) for the production of hot asphalt and a method for producing hot asphalt. The packaging unit (1) comprises a solid material (5) and a binder (7) and is characterized in that the binder (7) is arranged in a casing (9) that separates the binder (7) from the solid material (5). The packaging unit (1) preferably contains solid material (5) and binder (7) in such quantities by weight that hot asphalt of a predetermined composition (recipe) can be produced. This allows the advantages of hot asphalt in terms of durability and wear resistance to be combined with the advantages of cold asphalt in terms of short-term and size-adapted production, so that asphalt with excellent properties can be provided cost-effectively even for small applications and independent of large production sites.