FR2481336A1 - AUTOMOTIVE MACHINE FOR THE REGENERATION OF ROAD COATINGS IN BITUMINOUS CONGLOMERATE - Google Patents

Abstract

A. A SELF-PROPELLED MACHINE FOR ON-SITE REGENERATION OF ROAD COATINGS IN BITUMINOUS CONGLOMERATE. B. THIS MACHINE INCLUDES A CHASSIS 1 MOUNTED ON TRACKS 2 AND CARRYING A GROUP 24 FOR HEATING THE COATING TO BE TREATED. THIS GROUP INCLUDES A RADIOFREQUENCY GENERATOR, COUPLED WITH AT LEAST ONE ANTENNA 27 OF THE SLOT WAVE GUIDE TYPE. THE CHASSIS 1 ALSO CARRIES ORGANS 15 FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE PORTION OF THE COATING PREVIOUSLY REHEATED AND DEVICES 16, 17, 14 FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE DEMOLISHED MATERIALS AND THEIR LIFTING ABOVE THE GROUND AS WELL AS A HOMOGENEIZER AND MIXER DEVICE 12 DESDITED MATERIALS. A TANK 10 IS ALSO PROVIDED FOR THE BITUMINOUS BINDER AND A DEVICE 21 FOR DISPENSING THE TREATED MATERIALS COMING OUT OF THE HOMOGENEIZING AND MIXING DEVICE 12, AS WELL AS A FINISHING PLATE 22 FOR EXTENDING AND PERFORMING A FIRST COMPACTION OF THE CONUMGLOMINE REGULATION. C. THIS MACHINE IS LIKELY TO BE USED TO ENSURE THE CONTINUOUS REPAIR OF A ROAD SURFACE.

Description

248O1336

  When out of contact with the air and protected from

  light, bitumen preserves unaltered, its characteristics

  organoleptic and natural plasticity

practically to infinity.

  The asphalt conglomerate for road superstructures, which consists essentially of a hot mix of inert gravel and bitumen, follows this

  law, retaining essentially unaltered the characteristics

  plasticity acquired at the time of its preparation and

spreading it.

  The end of the use of road pavements of this type arrixe normally because of the rupture by wear of the layers bound with the bitumen. Thus slits are formed that cross the layers and in these slits penetrate water

  and dust, which creates irreversible diaphragms

  the deterioration process. The extent of the breaks leads to patching, holes and cuts until the demolition and ejection of

paving layers.

  Residues from the demolition of a road surface,

  if they are warmed up with appropriate means at

  tures of their original preparation (1500 - 1800) and remelan-

  give rise to bituminous conglomerates with

  completely similar to those of origin and pavilions

  with almost equal behavior and resistance

  those of the first installation.

  Until now the regeneration "in loco" of said materials has never been achieved advantageously on an operational scale because of the difficulty of having available

  heating systems that do not alter the characteristics of

of the bituminous binder.

  We know, in fact, that bitumen loses all, or

  part, its binding qualities if it is warmed to temperatures

  eratures greater than about 2000. Also heating between such limits, if performed in the presence of air, causes oxidation phenomena that alter the essential properties. With the systems known so far, to properly heat the mass of fragments, given that bitumen and inert are bad conductors, it requires prolonged exposure to sources

  indirect heat of low temperature, traditionally

  This makes the equipment for on-site regeneration of materials practically disadvantageous and their re-use for repairing the damaged pavement. this explains

  why so far, in the case of interventions

  maintenance on the street level, especially for those that do not only interest the external part, that is to say

  the wear layer, is still accepted the method of demo-

  asphalt pavement, for example by milling,

  monitoring the movement and transport to the landfill of

  demolished and reconstruction of the cladding with

  bituminous glomerate, with all the disadvantages that

that entails.

  The present invention relates to an automobile machine

  for the regeneration "in loco" of road surfaces, which uses a generator in

  microwave radio frequency coupled with at least one illumination

  waveguide type with slits capable of irradiating

  and distribute the energy produced to the ground.

  This machine is essentially constituted by a self-propelled frame, preferably mounted on tracks, provided with a motor and driving means on which are provided: - a generator capable of supplying at least one regenerator in radiofrequency coupled microwave with at

  least one slotted waveguide type illuminator

  can radiate and distribute the energy produced to the ground; - Devices for the demolition of the portion of the coating, previously heated, that it is desired to regenerate; - devices for moving and lifting demolished materials;

  at least one homogenizing and mixing device

  one of said materials preferably comprising propellers with opposite rotations;

  - a tank of bituminous binder provided with injection

  for the supply of any corrective additions

  inside the homogenizer and mixer

  - a device for distributing the materials

  tees coming out of the homogenizer and mixer device; - a finishing plate for spreading and the first

  compacting the regenerated conglomerate.

  The advantages which can be obtained by the use of the machine according to the present invention are v - the simultaneous, uniform and perfectly adjustable temperature heating of the whole mass subjected to

  treatment by going beyond the obstacle of the insufficient

  its own thermal efficiency, thanks to the use of the energy emitted by the illuminator coupled to the microwave radio frequency generator;

  - adjustment of the depth of the coating layer

  the pavement that is to be regenerated;

  - the reduced dimensions of the heating device

  compared to those known and therefore, a greater mana-

  bility of the whole of the operating machine compared to those already known; - the on-site regeneration of the pavement which is the subject of the maintenance intervention with the elimination of the costs for milling, loading and transport to the landfill of the demolished material and for the supply and installation on the ground the new conglomerate needed

  at the reconstruction of the coating.

  In addition the site is extremely limited in length and there are no interruptions between the operative phases so, at the end of the day, we can open again to traffic all the roadway, also taking into account the ease parking the machine on the slots

  reserved along the road, because of its low congestion

  is lying. Other features and advantages of the invention

  will result from the following description and drawings

  Attached o is shown, by way of indicative, but not limiting, a preferred embodiment

of the object of it.

  Figure 1 shows, in a side view, the automobile machine

  for the regeneration of coatings in con-

  bituminous glomerate according to the present invention.

  FIG. 2 shown in a view from above, the machine of

Figure 1.

  Figure 3 shows the machine of Figure I according to the section

transverse A-A.

  Figure 4 shows the machine of Figure 1 according to the section

transverse B-B.

  Figure 5 shows the machine of Figure 1 according to the section

longitudinal C-C of Figure 2.

  FIG. 6 shows in schematic form a radiofrequency generator group coupled to an illuminator of the type

  slotted waveguide according to the present invention.

  As can be seen in Figures 1 to 5, the

  China self-propelled, according to the invention is essentially constituted by a robust frame 1 mounted on tracks 2, provided with a motor 3 and a cabin 4 with the means

related driving 5.

  On the frame 1 are also provided a group

  6, a tank 7 for fuel, a tank 8 for the cooling au, a tank 9 for the liquid for hydraulic controls and transmissions, a tank

  for the bituminous binder and a tank 11 ploufle "filler".

  In the inter-axis between the longitudinal members / of the frame 1 is placed longitudinally a homogenizing device

248 1336

  and mixer 12 with counter-rotating propellers 13 having a

  inclination which can convey the material inward

  which enters through the front opening of the device 12 and the

  push towards the discharge back opening.

  The bottom of said device is placed at a short distance

  this floor and has at the front a slide 14 able to receive

  see and forward to the front opening of said device 12 previously heated material, as will be seen in the

  following the description, and successively stripped with the orga-

  15, moved towards the longitudinal axis of the machine by means of the pick-up screw 16 and raised thanks to the

scraping blade 17.

  During the passage through the device 12, the resulting bituminous conglomerate is homogenized and mixed, and optionally integrated by adding bitumen and / or

  "filler", the first is sprayed from above with a

  injectors 18 connected through a pipe 19 to the re-

  10, and the second fed by falling with a

  cochlée doseuse 20 provided inside the tank 11 in cor-

  corresponding to a projection of the same tank which has on the bottom a plurality of holes corresponding to the open holes

  through a portion of the upper wall of the device 12.

  The equipment thus treated thanks to the impulse

  Propulsion of the rotational propellers 13 is continuously discharged through the rear opening of the device 12 and distributed by a distribution screw 21, integral with the frame 1, over the entire width of the dig opened by the

routing members 15.

  Then said material is extended and compacted

  thanks to a finishing plate 22, it is also fixed to the frame 1.

  The frame 1 has at the front an angu-

  21 to support at least one group 24, provided for heating a layer of road pavement asphalt conglomerate width equal to the length of such or such groups 24, the action can be adjusted in

depth and temperature.

  As seen in FIG. 6, each group 24 essentially consists of a microwave radio frequency oscillator coupled through a three-port power output apparatus 26 with a coaxial output to a guide type antenna. slotted wave 27

  closed at the opposite end, with a short-circuit

  cooked 28. 1 In turn the circulatory power apparatus

  26 is connected to a resistive load 29.

  The power generator oscillator 25 is supplied at the desired voltage by the generator set 6, and in the preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example, said generator 25 is represented by a wave-operated magnetron. continuous, which produces power in the range of millimeter waves. For the cooling of the generator is provided a circuit 25 with water circulation 30, fed

by the tank 8.

  The power circulatory apparatus 26, of the type used in radio bridges, has the function of preventing the reflected power, ie that power portion due to the diversity of the transmission constant of the medium.

  aerial material and the material constituting the coating of the

  It is also possible for the reflection inside the antenna 27 to return to the generator 25 by creating malfunctions but to be absorbed by the resistive load.

of power 29.

  The antenna 27 is constituted by a slotted waveguide in which each slot 31 represents an elementary dipole. The arrangement of the devices must be such that the radiation produced is uniformly distributed over the entire length of said waveguide. In an alternative form, a final termination (not shown), that is to say, it could be interesting to reuse

  the power that can not be radiated by the antenna.

  To facilitate the transport of the machine according to the present invention and in order to reduce its field of action, this antenna 27 can be made with two

  parts connectable by means of flanges.

  Alternatively, each group 24 can be realized with two independent illuminators arranged symmetrically

on the same alignment.

  In relation to safety, especially in relation to the protection of operating personnel, the groups 24 are protected with a timely protection provided by means of a yoke 32 formed of modular copper elements which cover the structure in a superior manner, this clevis being suitable at

  avoid unwanted radiation leaks.

  This yoke 32 can be integrated by means of flexible elements 33, for example a reinforced strip

  of neoprene and / or similar elements, applied

  on the periphery / dadite clevis 32.

  If it is desired to accelerate the heating of the bituminous conglomerate without increasing the temperature, it is possible to provide

  the use of a plurality of groups 24 arranged longitudinally

  one after the other, so as to increase the surface area

paving exposed to radiation.

  In any case, in the form or embodiment described, the total length of each group is approximately 4 to 4.5

  meters, this length being necessary and sufficient to

  operate on an entire highway lane, while its

  width is of the order of about 50 cm.

  Therefore, it is obvious that the advantage of the greater cohesion of the machine according to the invention can be obtained with the use of the planned energy source with respect to the use of traditional sources such as, for example,

  that with infrared heating batteries, which measures

  many meters in length and are difficult to maneuver, especially in the parts of the route

in curve.

  In the embodiment described there is provided a generator 6 capable of delivering the requested power. For the operation of groups 24 are provided oleodynamic cylinders 34 connected to the support 23 and supplied by

  the liquid contained in the tank 8.

  The forward speed of the self-propelled machine thus designed and described is provided up to 4 meters per minute. Of course, all the elements that compose it are dimensioned in such a way that the total work is done

  without discontinuity, in the sense that the quantity of conglomerate

  bituminous rat heated, smashed, picked up, lifted and

  in the homogenizer and mixer device 12 within a certain period of time determined according to the desired forward speed must be such that at the same time, the same amount of bituminous conglomerate and "filler", can

  be processed by the said device 12 and doW unloaded, dis-

  tribeed and compacted, thus achieving the total regeneration of the upholstery. It is emphasized that, with the use of heating groups consisting of a microwave radio frequency generator coupled with a slotted waveguide antenna, it is possible to adjust

  the depth of the heated layer and, without

  the temperature and the speed of advance of the machine, this thickness is greater than the thickness of the layer which one actually wants to strip to submit it to the

  mixing and homogenization treatment.

  The heating of the lower layer to that to be pickled and treated has an advantageous result because a total or partial heating of the materials which constitute the deeper layer allows the welding of any slots present and / or their compaction, which can not not be achieved with the use of traditional energy sources,

  whose action is limited to a few centimeters

meters, usually 3 to 5 cm.

  In addition, the treated upper layer will not simply be bonded to the surface of the underlying layer, but ultimately, a perfect bond will be obtained between the top layer and the underlying layer, without appreciably modifying it. the distribution of different

  granulometries of the inert elements.

  According to a subsequent feature of the

  According to the present invention, it is provided that the doctor blade 17 and the slide 14 are liftable so that the material taken up by the picking and dispensing screws, 16 and 21 respectively, can be directly compacted by the finishing plate 22. thus avoiding passing through the homogenizer and mixer device 12, whenever, in the exclusive judgment of the operator, such a homogenization and mixing treatment, with or without the addition of "filler" or

binding is not considered necessary.

  Finally, it is demonstrated that, as a function of the arrangement of the bottom of the device 12 at a short distance from the ground, the materials resulting from the demolition of the resurfacing coating enter directly into the said device without the obligation of other / mechanical means. only with the aid of the Slide 14, with a considerable advantage for speed and

the general economy of work.

1 0

Claims (10)

  1. A self-propelled machine for the on-site regeneration of bituminous conglomerate pavements, using for heating the coating the energy produced by a microwave radio frequency generator coupled with at least one slotted waveguide type antenna, characterized in that it consists essentially of a frame (1) preferably mounted on tracks (2) provided with an assembler (3) and driving means (5) on which are provided: - a generator (6) capable of supplying at least one radiofrequency generator (25), coupled with at least one antenna (27) of the slotted waveguide type, capable of irradiating and distributing the energy produced to the ground   - devices (15) for the demolition of the door   preheated coating, which one wishes to regenerate; devices (16, 17, 14) for moving demolished materials and lifting them above the ground; at least one homogenizing and mixing device (12) for said materials, preferably with rotational propellers (13); - a tank (10) for the bituminous binder, connected   by means of a pipe (19) to injectors (18) for feeding   possible corrective additions within the homogenizer and mixer (12); - a tank (11) for the "filler", provided with a metering device (20) for feeding any corrective additions within the homogenizer and mixer device (12);   a device (21) distributing the treated materials   tees coming out of the homogenizer and mixer device (12) - a finishing plate (22) for extending and carrying out   a first compacting of the regenerated bituminous conglomerate.   2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized   in that each group (24) for heating a portion of the coating is essentially   consisting of a radio frequency oscillator with micro-   wave (25) coupled, through a three-port power circulatory apparatus (26), with a coaxial output, to a slotted waveguide-type antenna (27) closed at the opposite end with a plug of short circuit (28) in which each slot (31) represents an elementary dipole and the disposition of the slots is such that the produced radiation is uniformly distributed over the entire length of said waveguide, and in that it is thus   a resistive load (29) connected to a circular apparatus   power unit (26) and a water circulating circuit (30), supplied by the reservoir (8), for cooling oscillator (25).   3. A heating group intended to equip a -   Machine according to Claim 2, and intended to heat a passage part, characterized in that the oscillator (25) is represented by a magnetron which operates with continuous waves, able to produce power in the range of millimeter waves.   4. A heating unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the waveguide (27) is   consisting of two parts connectable by means of flanges.   5. A heating unit according to the claims   3 and 4, characterized in that it is made with two illuminators (25 to 31) mounted symmetrically on the same alignment.   6. A heating unit according to the claims   3 to 5, characterized in that it is protected by a clevis (32), made of modular copper elements, which covers the entire assembly, open to the ground so as to prevent unwanted radiation leakage said clevis (32) being extended inferiorly with flexible elements (33), for example a reinforced strip of   neoprene and / or similar elements applied at its periphery.   7. A machine according to claim 1, characterized   the fact that the bottom of the homogenizer and mixer device (12) is arranged at a short distance from the ground, so that the material demolished by the ripping members (15), moved by the pick-up screw (16) and joined by the scraping blade (17) enter directly into the homogenizer and mixer (12) without the need for subsequent mechanical lifting means, but only with the help of the fence (14) provided in the bottom to   the mouth of said device (12).   8. A machine according to claim 1 characterized   in that the scraper blade (17) and the slide (14) are liftable so that material demolished by the ripping members (15) and moved by the pick-up screw (16) is not lifted off the ground and passes   below the homogenizer and mixer (12).   9. An operating machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the group or groups (24) for heating are adjustable in height and orientation by cylinders (34) with oleodynamic control connected to the support (23).   10. An operating machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the groups (24) for heating are arranged in parallel lines, one after the other.