Spray Assembly Nozzle Overlap Control for Paving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray assemblies for asphalt paving machines face challenges in applying tack material evenly across varying widths and at different paving speeds, leading to uneven application and premature cooling of tack material, which degrades its binding performance.
Innovation Solution
A spray assembly with first and second spray bars, each equipped with non-overlapping nozzles and a collector pan to intercept overlapping spray, controlled by a microprocessor and linear actuator to adjust the spray pattern and prevent overlap, ensuring consistent tack application across different widths and speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a separate tack truck is used to apply tack material, then the paving operation can be performed, but the paving machine must wait for the tack truck to catch up, causing loss of time and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tack spray assembly with the paving machine into a single integrated unit. The spray bars are mounted on the paving machine itself, allowing simultaneous application of tack material and asphalt mat without requiring a separate tack truck to operate in coordination with the paver.
Solution Approach 2:
The paving machine is given dual functionality by integrating both the asphalt distribution system and the tack material spray system. This allows the single machine to perform both functions that previously required two separate vehicles, eliminating the speed mismatch problem between tack truck and paver.
2Area of stationary object
If the spray bars are extended to cover wider paving widths, then the coverage area is improved, but the spray application becomes uneven due to nozzle overlap, degrading manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The spray bars are made adjustable in width through telescopic sections that can be extended or retracted. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the spray bar width to be precisely matched to the paving width, ensuring that nozzles are optimally spaced to cover the required area without overlap or gaps, regardless of whether the paving operation requires a narrow or wide coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows changing the physical parameter of spray bar length to optimize spray pattern coverage. By adjusting the extension of telescopic sections, the distance between nozzles and the overall spray coverage area are modified to match different paving width requirements, maintaining uniform application across varying widths.
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 enables a consistent and even application of tack material across various widths and paving speeds, preventing premature cooling and maintaining the binding performance of the tack material, thus improving the efficiency and quality of the asphalt paving process.
Implementation Method 1
each of which is adapted to dispense a fluid material in a defined spray pattern onto the surface
Implementation Method 2
a collector pan to intercept overlapping spray from the nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
A spray assembly for applying a fluid material to a surface includes a first spray bar and a second spray bar, each of which is mounted for movement along an axis. Each spray bar includes a plurality of nozzles, each of which is associated with a valve that can be opened or closed. Each nozzle is adapted to dispense a fluid material in a defined spray pattern onto the surface. The nozzles are spaced along the length of the spray bar to which they are attached and disposed above the surface so that the spray pattern from any nozzle on a spray bar does not overlap the spray pattern of a longitudinally adjacent nozzle. The assembly also includes a source of fluid material, and a fluid circuit through which fluid material may be supplied to each of the nozzles. Components of the assembly are also provided for intercepting at least a portion of the spray from a nozzle of the second spray bar to prevent the spray pattern from such nozzle from overlapping with the spray pattern from a nozzle of the first spray bar. A mechanism is also provided for closing the valve associated with a nozzle of the second spray bar. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a first spray bar having a plurality of nozzle sets and a second spray bar having a plurality of nozzle sets, and a tack application controller for selectively opening and closing the valves associated with the nozzles in each nozzle set depending on the travel speed of the paving machine.