Drying Device With Slotted Drive Plates For Asphalt Aggregates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medium-capacity asphalt coating plants face challenges with high energy consumption and limited dimensions due to the size of the burner and cylindrical drum, affecting the drying quality of aggregates and fuel efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A drying device with a cylindrical drum and burner configuration, featuring aggregate drive plates with cut slots to separate fines from aggregates, reducing drying time and fuel consumption, and allowing for a smaller, more efficient design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by stationary object

If a burner is used to dry aggregates in a cylindrical drum, then the aggregates can be dried, but the energy consumption is very high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoiddrying quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The slots in the drive plates perform preliminary separation of fines from aggregates before the main drying process begins. This preliminary action removes a significant portion of the material that would otherwise require energy-intensive drying, thereby reducing overall fuel consumption while maintaining drying quality for the remaining aggregates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The drive plates are segmented with slots that create separate zones for fine particle removal and aggregate drying. This segmentation allows the system to handle different material types (fines vs. aggregates) differently, removing fines through the slots while directing aggregates toward the burner for efficient drying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the drum length is increased to improve drying quality, then the drying quality improves, but the dimensions of the plant are restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying qualityVSAvoiddrum length

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By performing preliminary separation of fines from aggregates at the inlet end of the drum through the slots in the drive plates, the required drying length is significantly reduced. This allows high-quality drying to be achieved in a shorter drum, making the plant more compact and suitable for mobile applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The slots in the drive plates add a new dimensional element (radial openings) to the traditional drive plate structure. This dimensional change enables fine particle removal through the plate thickness, creating an additional separation mechanism that complements the longitudinal drying process and reduces the required drum length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of time

If slots are cut into the drive plates to remove fines, then the drying time is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying timeVSAvoiddrive plate structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drive plates incorporate geometric parameter changes by adding slots to their structure. This modification changes the physical parameters of the drive plates from solid surfaces to perforated surfaces, enabling them to perform dual functions of agitation and fine particle separation, thereby reducing drying time without requiring entirely new components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution reduces fuel consumption and enables a more compact design by accelerating the drying process and separating fines, thereby improving the efficiency and reducing the dimensions of the drying device and overall coating plant.

Implementation Method 1

a cylindrical drum (8) with an inlet end (8a) and an outlet end (8b) and a burner (9) arranged on the outlet end side (8b) of the cylindrical drum (8)... the burner (9) arranged on the outlet end side (8b) of the cylindrical drum (8)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

aggregate drive plates (10) installed inside the cylindrical drum (8) for dispersing the aggregates in the hot air and fumes diffused inside the drum by the burner

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Implementation Method 3

at least a part of the drive plates (10) having cut slots (11) at their free ends... Slots cut into the free ends of some of the drive plates allow the fines present among the aggregates to be removed as soon as they enter the drying unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical separation:

Data Source

PatentEP4004288B1Drying device

Publication Date: 2023.11.08 TOTALENERGIES ONETECH

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AI summary

Device (5) for drying granules for a coated-material production unit (1), the drying device (5) having a cylindrical drum (8) with an inlet end (8a) and an outlet end (8b) and a burner (9) disposed next to the outlet end (8b), metal sheets (10) for driving granules being installed inside the cylindrical drum (8) for dispersing the granules in the hot air diffused by the burner (9) with at least some of the driving metal sheets (10) having, at their free ends, cut slots (11), at least some of the driving metal sheets (10) having a fixing wall (12) and an end wall (14), and the angle (a) between the fixing wall (12) and the end wall (14) is between 100° and 160°, more particularly equal to 125°.