Screening Hopper With Grinding Tines for On-Site Soil Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
The re-use of soil and clay materials removed during construction is challenging due to varying particle sizes, moisture content, and contamination, leading to instability and high energy costs for transportation and treatment.
Innovation Solution
A screening hopper with a grinding array and serrated tines that break down large particles and filter out oversize material, combined with a vibrating mechanism to process soil with high moisture content and contaminants, allowing on-site reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If soil material is removed and disposed of in landfill sites, then the foundation work can be completed, but high energy costs are incurred for transportation and virgin materials must be imported
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper enables the site to process its own excavated soil material on-site, transforming it into usable fill material without requiring external disposal facilities or imported virgin materials. The system serves itself by converting waste into a useful resource right where it is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the excavated soil material to landfill, the hopper recovers and processes it into usable fill material. The screening and grinding mechanisms separate and reshape the material, allowing it to be reused for backfilling and other construction purposes, thereby eliminating the need for virgin materials.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the soil material is screened to achieve correct particle size, then stable construction material is produced, but the process becomes complex due to moisture content and contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper divides the screening process into distinct functional zones: an initial screening area with bars that separate material by size, and a grinding area with rotors that further reduce particle size. This segmentation allows each zone to handle specific aspects of particle size control, simplifying the overall process despite the complexity of the material.
Solution Approach 2:
The hopper changes the physical parameters of the soil material through mechanical screening and grinding actions. By adjusting the bar spacing and rotor speed, the system can produce fill material with consistent particle size distribution, transforming unstable excavated material into stable construction material.
3Reliability
If large quantities of soil material are transported to landfill sites, then proper foundation work can be completed, but high costs are incurred for transportation and material replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper enables the construction site to process and reuse its own excavated material on-site, eliminating the need for transportation to landfill sites and importation of virgin materials. This self-sufficient approach maintains foundation stability while dramatically reducing transportation energy costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding excavated soil to landfill, the hopper recovers and processes it into usable fill material with consistent particle size. This recovered material can be used for backfilling and other foundation work, eliminating the need for virgin materials and reducing transportation requirements.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the soil material with high moisture content is processed, then on-site reuse is enabled, but the screening process becomes difficult due to moisture binding particles together
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper segments the processing into initial screening through bars and subsequent grinding by rotors. This two-stage approach handles high moisture content effectively by first separating larger particles and then reducing smaller particles, preventing moisture-bound particles from clumping together and affecting separation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating bar screen and grinding rotors create mechanical vibration and motion that prevents moisture-bound particles from adhering together. The continuous motion and varying forces break apart clumps and maintain particle separation, enabling accurate size classification even with high moisture content material.
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
Reduces energy consumption by processing soil on-site, ensuring stable construction materials and minimizing waste disposal, while reducing the need for virgin materials.
Implementation Method 1
the base section of the hopper including a grinding array
Implementation Method 2
a tine includes a serrated edge, mounted to be upward facing, the serrations of the serrated edge being adapted to reduce the particle size
Implementation Method 3
combined with a vibrating mechanism to process soil with high moisture content
Implementation Method 4
a separation array deployed above the open top, the separation array comprising a plurality of elongate tines
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An apparatus for producing a construction material for use in the building industry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a hopper (10) which includes a trough (11) having a base section and an open top to allow material to be added to the hopper. The base section of the hopper includes a grinding array (24). A separation array (152) is deployed above the open top with the separation array comprising a plurality of elongate tines (151), each having a first end and a second end, mounted parallel to each other, and secured at least at one end to a support means.