EP0995839A2 - Mixing and surfacing apparatus - Google Patents

Mixing and surfacing apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0995839A2
EP0995839A2 EP99402593A EP99402593A EP0995839A2 EP 0995839 A2 EP0995839 A2 EP 0995839A2 EP 99402593 A EP99402593 A EP 99402593A EP 99402593 A EP99402593 A EP 99402593A EP 0995839 A2 EP0995839 A2 EP 0995839A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
surfacing
bitumen emulsion
mixing
bitumen
composition
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99402593A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0995839A3 (en
Inventor
David Nicholas Kilner
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Colas SA
Original Assignee
Colas SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Colas SA filed Critical Colas SA
Publication of EP0995839A2 publication Critical patent/EP0995839A2/en
Publication of EP0995839A3 publication Critical patent/EP0995839A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B08—CLEANING
    • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
    • B08B17/00—Methods preventing fouling
    • B08B17/02—Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C19/00—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving
    • E01C19/02—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving for preparing the materials
    • E01C19/10—Apparatus or plants for premixing or precoating aggregate or fillers with non-hydraulic binders, e.g. with bitumen, with resins, i.e. producing mixtures or coating aggregates otherwise than by penetrating or surface dressing; Apparatus for premixing non-hydraulic mixtures prior to placing or for reconditioning salvaged non-hydraulic compositions
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C19/00—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving
    • E01C19/46—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving for preparing and placing the materials, e.g. slurry seals

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to surfacing processes, in particular road-surfacing, involving the use of bitumen-based surfacing materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus for mixing bitumen emulsion and polymer-modified bitumen emulsion-based surfacing materials, and for applying such materials to the surface of a substrate, for example a road.
  • microasphalts polymer-modified bitumen emulsion and graded aggregates, commonly referred to as microasphalts, have widespread use in road surfacing. Such slurries typically also comprise a filler, cement and water in addition to that contained in the bitumen emulsion. Microasphalts are typically mixed at the point of application, although they may be mixed off-site, either by a batching process or by using a continuous flow mixing and laying machine, and are applied to road surfaces by spreading or screeding.
  • bitumen emulsion with metal surfaces in the mixing and/or laying apparatus results in deposition of bitumen on those surfaces. This reduces the effectiveness of the mixing and laying operations, and consequently operations must be interrupted regularly to remove the deposited bitumen, resulting in a significant reduction in productivity.
  • Removal of the deposited bitumen is typically achieved, slowly, through the use of high pressure water jets or, when deposition is more severe, by burning off the bitumen.
  • the latter method has the added disadvantage that it can cause damage to the mixing and laying apparatus, thereby reducing the life of that apparatus.
  • bitumen can be prevented, or at least significantly reduced, by applying to the metal surfaces of the mixing and/or laying apparatus that contacts the bitumen emulsion in use, an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion. If any bitumen is deposited on these surfaces, it is much easier to remove than in the currently operated processes.
  • Bitumen emulsions used in surfacing operations tend to be cationic in nature, and therefore positively charged, i.e. the bitumen droplets suspended in the emulsion have electropositive charges. These charged droplets repel each other, conferring stability on the emulsion as a whole. Accordingly, these droplets are also repelled by an electropositive charge applied to the metal surfaces of mixing and/or laying apparatus, reducing deposition thereon of bitumen from the emulsion.
  • an anionic bitumen emulsion may be mixed with aggregate for road surfacing.
  • use of an electronegative charge on the surfaces of the mixing and/or laying apparatus will effectively prevent deposition thereon of bitumen from the anionic emulsion.
  • a surfacing vehicle for mixing and applying to a substrate a bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition comprises a mixing unit for mixing together bitumen emulsion and aggregate to form the surfacing composition, a laying box for applying the surfacing composition, by trailing application, to a substrate, and means for electrically charging surfaces of the mixing unit and/or laying box which, in use, contact the surfacing composition, with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion.
  • the principle upon which the present invention is based may be applied to mixing and/or laying apparatus utilised separately, and to other bitumen emulsion-contacting parts in a combined mixing and laying apparatus.
  • a method of surfacing a substrate, preferably a road, with a bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition comprising a bitumen emulsion and aggregate comprises mixing together the bitumen emulsion and aggregate in a mixing unit having surfaces which are electrically charged with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion, so as to repel the bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition therefrom, and applying the surfacing composition to a substrate by trailing application from a laying box, wherein preferably the surfaces of the laying box are charged with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion, so as to repel the bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition therefrom.
  • bitumen emulsion includes bitumen emulsions which are polymer-modified. Furthermore, when, for example reference is made to a cationic bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition this means a surfacing composition based upon a cationic bitumen emulsion.
  • the surfaces of such apparatus must comprise electrically-conductive material, usually a metal, such as steel or aluminium. This is conventional in the field.
  • An electrical charge can be applied to these surfaces by simply making an electrical connection, for example through a wire, between the surfaces to be protected and a power supply.
  • the surfaces to be charged may be electrically-connected to the main power supply of that apparatus.
  • the surfaces to be protected are electrically-connected to the appropriately-charged terminal of the battery of the vehicle.
  • metal surfaces to be protected from bitumen deposition are isolated electrically both from earth and other metal surfaces in the apparatus. This is achieved, simply, by interposing insulating material between the surfaces to be charged and earth and other metallic surfaces. Suitable insulating materials include rubber and plastic materials.
  • the surfaces to be protected may comprise only the inner walls of the mixing and/or laying apparatus. However, if, as is conventional, the mixing and/or laying apparatus includes paddles and/or augers whose surfaces comprise electrically-conductive material, an electrical charge may also be applied to their surfaces, to prevent bitumen deposition thereon.
  • the present invention may be applied to stand-alone mixing apparatus, for example footway slurry mixers and cold mix plants, which may be static or mobile.
  • the invention is particularly beneficial, however, when applied to mixing and laying vehicles, which typically comprise hoppers, containing aggregate and other materials, for example fillers, fibres, etc., to be mixed with a bitumen emulsion from an on-board tank, a mixing unit where the aggregates and bitumen emulsion are mixed, and a laying box from which the resultant surface composition is applied, by trailing application, to the surface of a substrate, usually a road.
  • Vehicles of this type normally utilise a strike plate or screed plate to control the depth of surfacing composition applied from the laying box to the surface of the substrate. If desired, an electrical charge may also be applied to the strike plate or screed plate.
  • the present invention may also be applied solely to a laying box, or to other isolated parts of a mixing and laying vehicle which, in use, come into contact with bitumen emulsion, or bitumen-coated aggregate.
  • the present invention may also be applied to static and mobile bitumen emulsion storage tanks.
  • Tanks for storing cationic bitumen emulsions should be charged positively, and tanks for storing anionic bitumen emulsions should be charged negatively.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Road Paving Machines (AREA)
  • Road Paving Structures (AREA)
  • Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to surfacing processes, in particular road-surfacing, involving the use of bitumen-based surfacing materials, such as a surfacing vehicle and a laying box suitable for use with the surfacing vehicle, as well as a bitumen emulsion storage tank. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing bitumen emulsion and polymer-modified bitumen emulsion-based surfacing materials, and for applying such materials, said apparatus being provided with means for making it much easier to remove any bitumen deposited on the apparatus.

Description

    Field of the Invention
  • The present invention relates to surfacing processes, in particular road-surfacing, involving the use of bitumen-based surfacing materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus for mixing bitumen emulsion and polymer-modified bitumen emulsion-based surfacing materials, and for applying such materials to the surface of a substrate, for example a road.
    • Background to the Invention
  • Slurries comprising polymer-modified bitumen emulsion and graded aggregates, commonly referred to as microasphalts, have widespread use in road surfacing. Such slurries typically also comprise a filler, cement and water in addition to that contained in the bitumen emulsion. Microasphalts are typically mixed at the point of application, although they may be mixed off-site, either by a batching process or by using a continuous flow mixing and laying machine, and are applied to road surfaces by spreading or screeding.
  • The repeated contact of bitumen emulsion with metal surfaces in the mixing and/or laying apparatus results in deposition of bitumen on those surfaces. This reduces the effectiveness of the mixing and laying operations, and consequently operations must be interrupted regularly to remove the deposited bitumen, resulting in a significant reduction in productivity.
  • Removal of the deposited bitumen is typically achieved, slowly, through the use of high pressure water jets or, when deposition is more severe, by burning off the bitumen. The latter method has the added disadvantage that it can cause damage to the mixing and laying apparatus, thereby reducing the life of that apparatus.
    • Summary of the Invention
  • It has now been found that deposition of bitumen can be prevented, or at least significantly reduced, by applying to the metal surfaces of the mixing and/or laying apparatus that contacts the bitumen emulsion in use, an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion. If any bitumen is deposited on these surfaces, it is much easier to remove than in the currently operated processes.
  • Bitumen emulsions used in surfacing operations tend to be cationic in nature, and therefore positively charged, i.e. the bitumen droplets suspended in the emulsion have electropositive charges. These charged droplets repel each other, conferring stability on the emulsion as a whole. Accordingly, these droplets are also repelled by an electropositive charge applied to the metal surfaces of mixing and/or laying apparatus, reducing deposition thereon of bitumen from the emulsion.
  • Less frequently, an anionic bitumen emulsion may be mixed with aggregate for road surfacing. In this case, use of an electronegative charge on the surfaces of the mixing and/or laying apparatus will effectively prevent deposition thereon of bitumen from the anionic emulsion.
  • According to one aspect of the present invention, therefore, a surfacing vehicle for mixing and applying to a substrate a bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition comprises a mixing unit for mixing together bitumen emulsion and aggregate to form the surfacing composition, a laying box for applying the surfacing composition, by trailing application, to a substrate, and means for electrically charging surfaces of the mixing unit and/or laying box which, in use, contact the surfacing composition, with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion.
  • The principle upon which the present invention is based may be applied to mixing and/or laying apparatus utilised separately, and to other bitumen emulsion-contacting parts in a combined mixing and laying apparatus.
  • According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of surfacing a substrate, preferably a road, with a bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition comprising a bitumen emulsion and aggregate, comprises mixing together the bitumen emulsion and aggregate in a mixing unit having surfaces which are electrically charged with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion, so as to repel the bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition therefrom, and applying the surfacing composition to a substrate by trailing application from a laying box, wherein preferably the surfaces of the laying box are charged with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion, so as to repel the bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition therefrom.
    • Description of the Invention
  • In the context of the present Application, all references to bitumen emulsion include bitumen emulsions which are polymer-modified. Furthermore, when, for example reference is made to a cationic bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition this means a surfacing composition based upon a cationic bitumen emulsion.
  • Naturally, in order to apply an electrical charge to the bitumen-contacting surfaces of mixing and/or laying apparatus, the surfaces of such apparatus must comprise electrically-conductive material, usually a metal, such as steel or aluminium. This is conventional in the field.
  • An electrical charge can be applied to these surfaces by simply making an electrical connection, for example through a wire, between the surfaces to be protected and a power supply. In the case of stand-alone mixing apparatus or a combined mixing and laying apparatus the surfaces to be charged may be electrically-connected to the main power supply of that apparatus. In the case of a mixing and laying vehicle, it is preferred that the surfaces to be protected are electrically-connected to the appropriately-charged terminal of the battery of the vehicle.
  • It is essential that the metal surfaces to be protected from bitumen deposition are isolated electrically both from earth and other metal surfaces in the apparatus. This is achieved, simply, by interposing insulating material between the surfaces to be charged and earth and other metallic surfaces. Suitable insulating materials include rubber and plastic materials.
  • The surfaces to be protected may comprise only the inner walls of the mixing and/or laying apparatus. However, if, as is conventional, the mixing and/or laying apparatus includes paddles and/or augers whose surfaces comprise electrically-conductive material, an electrical charge may also be applied to their surfaces, to prevent bitumen deposition thereon.
  • As mentioned above, the present invention may be applied to stand-alone mixing apparatus, for example footway slurry mixers and cold mix plants, which may be static or mobile. The invention is particularly beneficial, however, when applied to mixing and laying vehicles, which typically comprise hoppers, containing aggregate and other materials, for example fillers, fibres, etc., to be mixed with a bitumen emulsion from an on-board tank, a mixing unit where the aggregates and bitumen emulsion are mixed, and a laying box from which the resultant surface composition is applied, by trailing application, to the surface of a substrate, usually a road. Vehicles of this type normally utilise a strike plate or screed plate to control the depth of surfacing composition applied from the laying box to the surface of the substrate. If desired, an electrical charge may also be applied to the strike plate or screed plate.
  • The present invention may also be applied solely to a laying box, or to other isolated parts of a mixing and laying vehicle which, in use, come into contact with bitumen emulsion, or bitumen-coated aggregate.
  • The present invention may also be applied to static and mobile bitumen emulsion storage tanks. Tanks for storing cationic bitumen emulsions should be charged positively, and tanks for storing anionic bitumen emulsions should be charged negatively.

Claims (17)

  1. A surfacing vehicle for mixing and applying to a substrate a bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition, the vehicle comprising
    a mixing unit for mixing together bitumen emulsion and aggregate to form the surfacing composition,
    a laying box for applying the surfacing composition, by trailing application, to the substrate, and
    means for electrically charging the surfaces of the mixing unit and/or laying box which, in use, contact the surfacing composition, with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion.
  2. A surfacing vehicle according to claim 1, for mixing and applying a cationic bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition, wherein the charging means applies an electropositive charge to the surfaces of the mixing unit and/or laying box.
  3. A surfacing vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the charging means charges the surfaces of both the mixing unit and the laying box.
  4. A surfacing vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the laying box comprises walls and at least one paddle and/or auger therebetween, and the charging means charges both the surfaces of the walls and the at least one paddle and/or auger.
  5. A surfacing vehicle according to any preceding claim, which further comprises a strike plate for controlling the depth of the surfacing composition applied from the laying box to the substrate, and wherein the charging means additionally charges the strike plate.
  6. A surfacing vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the surfaces to be charged by the charging means are electrically-insulated from other metallic parts of the vehicle.
  7. A surfacing vehicle according to any preceding claim, which is powered by a battery which is electrically-connected, through an appropriately-charged terminal, to the surfaces to be charged, and which comprises the charging means.
  8. A surfacing vehicle according to any preceding claim, which is a road-surfacing vehicle.
  9. Apparatus for mixing a bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition, comprising
    a mixing unit for mixing together bitumen emulsion and aggregate to form the surfacing composition, and
    means for electrically charging the surfaces of the mixing unit which, in use, contact the surfacing composition, with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion.
  10. Apparatus according to claim 10, for mixing a cationic bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition, wherein the charging means applies an electropositive charge to the surfaces of the mixing unit.
  11. A laying box suitable for use with a surfacing vehicle, by means of which a bitumen-based surfacing composition is applied to a surface by trailing application, and which comprises within the walls of the laying box at least one paddle and/or auger, and means for charging the walls and/or at least one paddle and/or auger with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion.
  12. A laying box according to claim 13, for applying a cationic bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition, wherein the charging means applies an electropositive charge to the walls of the laying box and/or the at least one paddle and/or auger.
  13. A method of surfacing a substrate, preferably a road, with a bitumen-based surfacing composition comprising a bitumen emulsion and aggregate, the method comprising
    mixing together the bitumen emulsion and aggregate in a mixing unit having surfaces which are electrically charged with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion, so as to repel the bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition therefrom, and
    applying the surfacing composition to a substrate by trailing application from a laying box, wherein preferably the surfaces of the laying box are charged with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion, so as to repel the bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition therefrom.
  14. A method of surfacing a substrate according to claim 13 with a cationic bitumen emulsion-based surfacing composition, wherein the surfaces of the mixing unit, and preferably, the laying box, are electropositively charged.
  15. A bitumen emulsion storage tank having metallic inner walls and means for charging the walls with an electrical charge of the same polarity as the charge carried by the bitumen emulsion.
  16. A storage tank according to claim 15, wherein the charging means applies an electropositive charge to the inner walls of the tank.
  17. A storage tank according to claim 16, which contains a cationic bitumen emulsion.
EP99402593A 1998-10-23 1999-10-20 Mixing and surfacing apparatus Withdrawn EP0995839A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9823338 1998-10-23
GB9823338A GB2342943B (en) 1998-10-23 1998-10-23 Mixing and surfacing apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0995839A2 true EP0995839A2 (en) 2000-04-26
EP0995839A3 EP0995839A3 (en) 2001-11-07

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ID=10841249

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EP99402593A Withdrawn EP0995839A3 (en) 1998-10-23 1999-10-20 Mixing and surfacing apparatus

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0995839A3 (en)
JP (1) JP2000129620A (en)
CA (1) CA2286958A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2342943B (en)
HU (1) HUP9903784A3 (en)
PL (1) PL336183A1 (en)
SK (1) SK144599A3 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6302805B1 (en) 1999-11-22 2001-10-16 Penley Sports, Llc Golf club shaft with improved performance characteristics

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3301441A (en) * 1964-11-30 1967-01-31 Teichert & Son Inc A Asphaltic concrete storage bin
US5178486A (en) * 1990-06-21 1993-01-12 Colas S.A. Device for spreading a fluid substance, and machine permitting the simultaneous application of this substance and of the surfacing of a highway
EP0771910A1 (en) * 1995-10-17 1997-05-07 Jacques Meunier Method for producing a composite material for roads

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9306290D0 (en) * 1993-03-26 1993-05-19 Exxon Research Engineering Co Bituminous surface construction

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3301441A (en) * 1964-11-30 1967-01-31 Teichert & Son Inc A Asphaltic concrete storage bin
US5178486A (en) * 1990-06-21 1993-01-12 Colas S.A. Device for spreading a fluid substance, and machine permitting the simultaneous application of this substance and of the surfacing of a highway
EP0771910A1 (en) * 1995-10-17 1997-05-07 Jacques Meunier Method for producing a composite material for roads

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
HU9903784D0 (en) 1999-12-28
GB9823338D0 (en) 1998-12-23
GB2342943A (en) 2000-04-26
PL336183A1 (en) 2000-04-25
GB2342943B (en) 2000-11-01
SK144599A3 (en) 2000-05-16
CA2286958A1 (en) 2000-04-23
HUP9903784A3 (en) 2002-05-28
HUP9903784A2 (en) 2000-06-28
EP0995839A3 (en) 2001-11-07
JP2000129620A (en) 2000-05-09

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