Integral Melter Pump System for Bitumen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current melter and pump systems for dispensing heated adhesives and crack-sealing materials face issues such as excessive pump wear, difficulty in maintaining consistent temperature, and accessibility for maintenance due to continuous operation and indirect heating, as well as potential material solidification and clogging.
Innovation Solution
An integral melter and pump system where the pump is mounted externally on a heat-conducting plate within the melter housing, allowing direct heat transfer and maintaining the pump at a consistent temperature, while being easily accessible for maintenance, and an oil jacket provides uniform heating to prevent material charring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the pump is indirectly heated through the cabinet structure, then the pump can be integrated into the heating system, but the temperature control becomes difficult and structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is extracted from the indirect heating zone and repositioned to mount directly on the melter container. This allows the pump to be heated directly by the melter's heating system without passing heat through the cabinet structure, eliminating the temperature control difficulties and structural integrity issues associated with indirect heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump mounting plate serves as an intermediary element that conducts heat from the melter container to the pump. This plate enables direct thermal coupling between the heated melter interior and the pump, ensuring consistent temperature maintenance without requiring complex heating systems.
2Reliability
If the pump continuously recirculates heated material, then the material remains fluid, but excessive wear occurs on pump components and seals
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts pump operation based on actual material dispensing needs. The pump operates intermittently to maintain material fluidity in the dispensing line rather than continuously recirculating, reducing wear on components and seals while ensuring reliability when material needs to be dispensed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous recirculation, the pump employs periodic operation cycles. The pump activates periodically to prime and maintain fluidity in the dispensing line, then pauses, reducing cumulative wear on components while maintaining sufficient material flow characteristics.
3Temperature
If the pump is located within the melter container interior, then direct heating is achieved, but accessibility for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly is segmented from the main melter container interior and positioned on the exterior mounting plate. This segmentation allows the pump to receive heat conduction from the melter container while maintaining external accessibility for maintenance and repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump is repositioned from a three-dimensional interior location to a two-dimensional exterior mounting plate on the melter container. This dimensional change enables direct heat transfer through the plate while providing easy external access for maintenance personnel.
4Productivity
If high heat is applied to the melter container, then material melting is efficient, but material charring may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system applies heat locally and uniformly to the melter container interior where the material resides, rather than applying excessive heat to the entire structure. The pump mounting plate provides localized heat conduction to the pump area, preventing charring while maintaining efficient melting rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump mounting plate acts as a thermal intermediary that conducts heat from the melter container to the pump. This plate distributes heat evenly, preventing localized overheating and charring of the material while maintaining efficient melting conditions in the container.
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 system reduces pump wear, maintains material fluidity, prevents solidification, and facilitates easy maintenance, ensuring efficient and reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
the pump is mounted externally on a heat-conducting plate within the melter housing, allowing direct heat transfer and maintaining the pump at a consistent temperature
Implementation Method 2
an oil jacket provides uniform heating to prevent material charring
Data Source
AI summary
An integral melter and pump assembly or system, and a method of making the same, is disclosed wherein the pump assembly comprises a melter housing having a melter container defined within the melter housing. A pump mounting plate is integrally mounted within a side wall portion of the melter container and an output dispensing supply pump is mounted directly upon an external surface portion of the pump mounting plate in a surface-to-surface manner such that heat generated internally within the melter container is effectively transferred by conduction from the melter container and through the pump mounting plate such that the temperature level of the output pump is elevated to, and maintained at, a predeterminedly desired level even when the pump, is not disposed in its output dispensing mode. In addition, since the output dispensing or material supply pump is disposed externally of the melter container and the melter housing, the output dispensing or material supply pump is easily and readily accessible in case maintenance becomes necessary. Optionally, an oil jacket or chamber can surround the melter container so as to more evenly or consistently provide heating of the melter container.