RU2725976C1 - Process line for cold treatment of road pavement on-site using asphalt-cement mixture - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: road construction.SUBSTANCE: process line of equipment for cold processing of road pavement on-site using asphalt-cement mixture (ACM) includes road milling machine, consumption tank for asphalt-cement mixture, mechanism for supply and spraying of asphalt-cement mixture onto road surface material, removed from roadway by road milling machine, pump for asphalt-cement mixture for pumping of asphalt-cement mixture from supply tank for asphalt-cement mixture into pumping circuit of asphalt-cement mixture and along it to mechanism of asphalt-cement mixture spraying. Heating plant is arranged in asphalt-cement mix pumping circuit between asphalt-cement mixing tank and its spraying mechanism. Heating unit includes a mixture heater unit and a heat-modifying component. Mix heater unit includes heating coil for heating of asphalt-cement mixture, arranged in pumping circuit of asphalt-cement mixture, and a burner for directing hot combustion gases through a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture.EFFECT: heat-modifying component is designed to change amount of heat transferred by hot combustion gases of asphalt-cement mixture in heating coil.11 cl, 16 dwg

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of provisional patent application US No. 62/629296, filed February 12, 2018.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the repair or updating of road surfaces using road bitumen. More specifically, the present invention relates to equipment for updating road surfaces of roads using cold-processed in situ asphalt concrete material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Often, road repairs are carried out by laying on top of an existing pavement (made of concrete or bitumen mix for pavement) a new layer (often called a “leveling pavement layer”) of concrete or bitumen material for the pavement. However, without surface pretreatment, this road repair method as a whole leads to an insufficient amount of paving material being applied to sections cut by ruts, potholes / potholes or otherwise damaged areas, since an additional top layer of pavement will be laid the same calculation of the norm per unit width of the road in damaged sections (which are characterized by a greater depth of potholes in width, which must be filled with material for paving), as well as in undamaged sections. Due to the reduced thickness of the laid topcoat on previously damaged areas, ruts will re-form on the new pavement, or the coating will be otherwise damaged due to wear over a short period of time. However, by milling the surface of the damaged pavement to the same level along the height of the surface below the level of damaged sections when laying a new pavement layer, it is possible to create a uniform thickness of the newly laid additional pavement layer over the entire width of the road surface. The indicated method of updating the road surface can be used to achieve the initial elevations of the damaged road surface, while laying the leveling layer of the asphalt concrete surface over the damaged, but not milled road surface, often leads to an increase in the height of the road surface or to exceed the initial elevations of some sections roadbed. Repair of the roadway without milling can lead to the need to increase the height of the roadside lane, road fencing and manhole covers, as well as to adjust the dimensions of the elevated overpasses, while using the appropriate milling method, such work is excluded. The use of milling before updating the pavement also makes it possible to achieve an appropriate longitudinal and transverse slope of the road and thereby avoid problems of road drainage and safety. In addition, milling, as a rule, allows you to create a rough surface that provides laying and strong bonding with a new layer of asphalt or other surface layer of pavement. Finally, milling allows you to get raw materials that can be recycled and disposed of in the manufacture of new materials for paving.

The road milling machine is equipped with a milling drum, including several cutting teeth mounted around its circumference, while the drum, as such, is installed in the housing for the milling drum. The road milling machine is designed to move along the surface of the roadway with a milling drum rotating in the housing for milling the surface in order to remove the pavement made of asphalt or Portland cement, in preparing the paving material for processing and (or) in preparation for laying the leveling layer of the road canvases. A typical road milling machine includes one or more conveying conveyors designed to remove milled material for covering roads from the milling drum location area and transporting it from the operation area of the road milling machine for loading into a nearby dump truck. A road stabilizer / road restoration machine is similar to a road milling machine in that it is a wheeled or tracked vehicle equipped with a milling drum including several cutting teeth mounted around its circumference, while the drum as such is mounted in the housing for the milling drum. However, the milling drum of the road stabilizer / road restoration machine is generally used to grind or grind the existing roadway, or road surface, to a depth greater than the milling depth using the road milling machine, before updating the road surface (usually referred to as restoration), or prior to the initial laying of the pavement (usually called stabilization), and the crushed material is not removed from the milling area.

Equipment for cold processing of pavement in place using the ACS can be used to repair damage to the roadway in one pass, while reusing almost the entire volume of milled asphalt for the device of the roadway. In the process of cold processing of the pavement in place using the ACS, the road milling machine is used to remove damaged layers of asphalt, and the removed material is recycled, laid again on the road surface and then compacted. If the road surface has high structural strength, the technology of cold processing of the road surface in place using the ACS allows for the effective repair of all types of cracking, potholes and pits formed in the road surface. Cold processing of the road surface in situ using the ACS can be used to repair asphalt roads damaged by fatigue cracks (having the appearance of a crocodile skin), to eliminate the protrusion of bitumen and cement milk on the surface of the road surface (excess of asphalt-cement mixture), cracking of blocks, wave formation and the formation of local irregularities on the pavement, cracking in asphalt concrete pavement at the joints, longitudinal cracking, for patching, the introduction of polished aggregates, repair of potholes, chipping, rutting, shear cracking, peeling and transverse (resulting from overheating) cracks. In all cases, it is necessary to study the root cause of the destruction of the road surface in order to avoid destruction of the foundation. Nevertheless, cold processing of the pavement in place can be used in almost all cases in the absence of damage to the base of the roadway. In general, the cost of on-site cold processing of pavement using an ACS is only half the cost of laying a pavement from a hot mix layer (i.e. laying new asphalt-cement material for paving), but this technology achieves approximately 80 % strength on the strength of the road surface from the hot mixture layer.

The on-site cold working process of the pavement using the ACS can be carried out using a road milling machine or a road stabilizer / road restoration machine, which were modified by installing an additional distribution pipe to spray the asphalt-cement mixture in the milling drum body. Then the asphalt-cement mixture is thoroughly mixed with the milled crushed material using a milling drum. Further, the mixture obtained by mixing can be set up with a shaft along the road for further loading into an appropriately equipped asphalt paver or sent via the unloading conveyor belt of the road milling machine directly to the receiving hopper of the asphalt paver. When performing the on-site cold processing of the pavement using ATC only with the help of a road milling machine or a road stabilizer / road restoration machine and an asphalt paver, the asphalt-cement component of the mixture must be supplied from a separate tank truck for transportation of the asphalt-cement mixture, from a tank installed on a vehicle, wheeled chassis or other mobile vehicles, which are usually coupled to a modified road milling machine or road stabilizer / road restoration machine. The component of the asphalt-cement mixture is pumped directly from the tanker and dosed through the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture into the distribution pipe for spraying liquid materials in the body of the milling drum.

In some cases, the on-site cold working process of the pavement using an ACS is carried out using a road milling machine or a road stabilizer / road restoration machine arranged in series with a cold processing machine using an ACC, such as RT-500, manufactured and marketed by Roadtec, lnc., Chattanooga, Tennessee. The machine for cold processing using the ACS can be equipped with a vibrating screen, a crusher, an autonomous source of asphalt-cement mix and an agitator of an asphalt mixer. When performing the process of cold processing of the road surface in situ using the ACS using the machine for the cold processing of the road surface using the ACS, the recycled material for the road surface shot by milling by the road milling machine is fed to a vibrating screen. The upper screening product on a vibrating screen is fed to a crusher installed on a machine for cold processing of road surfaces using ACS, and the material passing through the crusher is again fed to a vibrating screen through the material return line. The material of the desired particle size distribution is further mixed in an mixer of an asphalt mixer with an asphalt-cement mixture coming from an autonomous storage tank. Due to the limited volume of a self-contained tank for storing asphalt-cement mixture in a cold pavement processing machine using an ACS, it would be preferable to supply an additional amount of asphalt-cement mixture from a separate freight vehicle for delivery of material to an asphalt storage tank the cement mixture placed on the machine for cold processing of the pavement using the ACS, in order to ensure that frequent interruption of the process of cold processing of the road surface in situ using the ACS is excluded due to the need to re-fill the storage tank for the asphalt-cement mixture on the machine for the cold pavement recycling using ACS. In any configuration of equipment for cold processing of pavement in place using an ACS, the primary component of the new pavement is the material for the pavement milled from the roadway. The only additional component of the new pavement is the asphalt-cement mixture transported by the machine for cold processing of the pavement using the ACS and (or) a mobile vehicle for the delivery of this material. Due to the fact that the speed of movement of equipment involved in the on-site cold processing of the pavement using the ACS is primarily determined by the speed of the road milling machine, the generally accepted practice for all components of the on-site cold processing of the pavement using the ACS is beyond the exception of the asphalt paver is to combine all the components in a production line to ensure that all components are moved at the same speed at all stages of the on-site cold processing of the pavement using ACS. Such components are combined and used in the on-site cold processing of the pavement with the use of ATsS, is often called the technological line of equipment for the cold processing of pavement in place using ATsS.

The properties of the asphalt-cement mixture are most fully manifested in the process of cold processing of the pavement in place using the ACS when it is laid at a temperature in the range from about 300 ° F to about 350 ° F. Despite the fact that the freight vehicle for the delivery of asphalt-cement the mixture is usually provided with thermal insulation; it does not include any heating installation to maintain the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture during the on-site cold processing of the pavement using ACS. Consequently, the asphalt-cement mixture in the freight vehicle for delivering the mixture begins to cool gradually as soon as the freight vehicle leaves the loading point of the asphalt-cement mixture. If the process of cold processing of the pavement in place using the ACS is carried out at a large distance from the loading point of the asphalt-cement mixture, the asphalt-cement mixture in the tank of the freight vehicle for the delivery of the mixture loses a significant amount of heat before the process of cold processing of the pavement in place using ACS. Moreover, the on-site cold processing of the pavement using the ACS can begin at a certain point in time of the day that does not allow the process to be completed in one shift. When the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture in the delivery vehicle for any reason drops below about 300 ° F, further use of such a mixture is likely to result in poor quality coating on the repaired roadbed.

US Patent Application No. 15 / 855,403 describes a method and apparatus for heating an asphalt-cement mixture transported in a tank for supplying an asphalt-cement mixture to use such an asphalt-cement mixture in the cold processing of the pavement in situ using ACS. The device, the description of which is given in the specified application, includes a block of the mixture heater for the asphalt-cement mixture, which is part of the technological line of equipment for the cold processing of the road surface in situ using the ACS. More specifically, the mixture heater unit is located between the reservoir for supplying the asphalt-cement mixture and the component of the production line of the equipment for the cold processing of the pavement in situ using an ACS supplying the asphalt-cement mixture, which is mixed with the processed material of the road surface during the cold processing of the road surface at location using ADC. Preferably, the mixture heater unit with steplessly controlled heat output ranging from about 300,000 BTU per hour to about 500,000 to 750,000 BTU per hour is used in the method of said related patent application; however steplessly controlled heaters with thermal power in the indicated range are difficult to find in the sales markets. Therefore, it would be preferable if a device could be created that provides heating of the asphalt-cement mixture to the required temperature, which is a heating device of a simpler design.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

One of the advantages of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it provides for the creation of a method and device that provides a continuous process of cold processing of the road surface in situ using an ACS and eliminates the problem of cooling the asphalt-cement mixture transported by a freight vehicle to deliver the mixture. An additional advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it provides a device equipped with a simpler heating device compared to a device with steplessly controlled thermal power, which is within the minimum and maximum nominal BTU values.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent based on the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

NOTES ON INTERPRETATION OF TERMS

The use of the terms “a”, “an”, “the” and similar terms in the context of the description of the present invention is construed to include both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated in this application or unambiguously is in conflict with the context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “comprising” should be construed as non-limiting terms (ie meaning “including, in particular,”) unless otherwise indicated. The terms “mainly”, “in general” and other words indicating degree are relative definitions intended to indicate an allowable deviation from a characteristic so defined. The use of such terms in describing the physical or functional characteristics of the present invention is not intended to limit such a characteristic to an absolute value that defines the term, but rather to provide an approximation of the value of such a physical or functional characteristic.

Terms relating to connections, connections, etc., such as “connected”, “connected”, “connected” and “interconnected”, refer to a relationship in which structures are attached or connected to one another either directly or indirectly using intermediate structures, and also represent both movable and rigid connection or interconnection, unless otherwise specified or clearly indicated otherwise in this context. The terms “functionally connected” and “functionally connected” describe such an attachment, connection or connection in which the respective structures or components are properly operated due to the presence of such a relationship.

The use of all examples or an explanatory language (eg, “such as” and “preferably”) in the present context is intended solely to more fully illustrate the present invention and its preferred embodiments, and not to limit the scope of the present invention. Nothing in the description of the present invention should be construed as indicating any element as fundamental to the implementation of the present invention, unless specifically indicated otherwise. In the present context, a specific definition of a number of terms is given. These terms are given their broadest interpretation, corresponding to the definitions given below:

The term "asphalt-cement mixture" includes asphalt-cement mixture of various types and compositions in liquid form, as well as foamed asphalt-cement mixture and emulsions of the asphalt-cement mixture with the ability to flow.

The term "road milling machine" refers to a machine equipped with a milling or working drum designed to be placed in contact with the roadway or the base surface of the roadway to remove part of the surface. The term "road milling machine" includes, in particular, machines, which in some cases are called road stabilizers and machines for restoring the roadway. The term “road milling machine” also includes a modified road milling machine for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACC in accordance with the definition below.

The term “on-site cold pavement processing process using ACS” refers to the use of on-site cold paving processing equipment using an ACC designed to repair damaged pavement by removing damaged layers of the pavement, processing paved material removed by milling, and replacing remote and laying recycled road surface material on the roadbed and its compaction.

The term “modified road milling machine for on-site cold processing of pavement using an ACS” refers to a road milling machine modified by incorporating an asphalt-cement mixture supply system containing a spray assembly installed in a milling drum housing for feeding and spraying asphalt -Cement mixture in the milling drum housing.

The term “on-site cold processing equipment line for pavement processing using an ACS” refers to several pieces of equipment, including, but not limited to, a mobile supply tank for asphalt-cement mix and a road milling machine (which may or may not be a modified road milling machine for cold processing of pavement in place using ACS), while the indicated units of equipment are used or intended for use in the process of cold processing of pavement in situ using ACS. The on-site cold processing equipment line using an ACS may include an on-road cold processing equipment using an ACS, and the line includes an asphalt paving machine, although an asphalt paving machine may be used after passing other components of the on-site cold processing equipment line using ACS to select shafts of recycled road surface material set along the road.

The term "direction of processing" refers to the direction of the main movement of the technological line of equipment for the cold processing of pavement in place using the ACS when the line works on the road.

The term "downstream" in accordance with the value used in the present context to describe the relative position in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture or in connection with the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture, which is part of the present invention or related to the present invention, refers to the relative the position of the flow direction of the asphalt-cement mixture coming from the supply tank to the component of the technological line of the equipment for cold processing of the pavement in place using the ACS, ensuring the supply of the asphalt-cement mixture mixed with the processed material of the road surface in the process of cold processing of the pavement in place using ACC in accordance with the present invention.

The term "upstream" in accordance with the value used in the present context to describe the relative position in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture or in connection with the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture, which is part of the present invention or related to the present invention, refers to the relative the position of the direction opposite to the direction of flow of the asphalt-cement mixture coming from the supply tank to the component of the technological line of the equipment for cold processing of pavement in place using an ACS that provides the supply of asphalt-cement mixture mixed with recycled material of the road surface during cold processing of the road surface at location using the ACS in accordance with the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a method and apparatus for heating an asphalt-cement mixture supplied from a mobile supply tank for an asphalt-cement mixture, with the aim of ensuring the use of such an asphalt-cement mixture in the process of cold processing of the road surface in situ using ACS. The heating installation for heating the asphalt-cement mixture includes a mixture heater unit and a heat-modifying component. The specified installation for heating is included in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture between the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture and the component of the production line of the equipment for cold processing of the road surface in situ using an ACS, spraying the asphalt-cement mixture mixed with the processed road surface material in the process cold processing of pavement in situ using ACS. More specifically, the heating installation is located downstream of the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture and upstream in front of the component for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture mixed with the recycled paving material. The component of the heater block of the mixture of the installation for heating includes a burner and a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture. The heated asphalt-cement mixture is pumped through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, and the burner directs hot combustion gases through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture in such a way that heat transfer of hot gases from the asphalt-cement mixture flowing through the heating coil is ensured.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the mixture heater unit may include several heating coils for heating the asphalt-cement mixtures through which the hot combustion gases pass. In some embodiments of the present invention, the mixture heater unit may be provided with several burner nozzles, the nozzles being different in size so that the fuel can be selectively directed through nozzles of different sizes to change the thermal power of the burner. In addition, the block of the mixture heater can also be equipped with valves or other mechanisms that provide a change in the flow of fuel supplied to the burner to change its thermal power.

The heat-modifying component of the heating installation is designed to control the amount of heat transferred by the hot combustion gases of the asphalt-cement mixture located in the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, in order to control the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture downstream of installations for heating. The specified regulation is preferably carried out by changing the flow rate of the air flow and (or) the flow of the asphalt-cement mixture through the block of the mixture heater. In some embodiments of the present invention, the heat-modifying component includes a bypass valve designed to mix the unheated asphalt-cement mixture with the asphalt-cement mixture that has been heated by the mixture heater block so as to achieve the desired temperature of the mixed asphalt-cement mixture. In other embodiments of the present invention, the heat-modifying component includes an air flow regulator designed to control the flow of hot combustion gases generated during combustion of the burner and passing through a heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, in order to control the amount of heat transferred by the hot combustion gases of the asphalt-cement mixtures in a heating coil. In the indicated embodiments of the present invention, there are several exhaust ventilation ducts on the mixture heater block, each channel being equipped with a ventilation duct blocking device or other control mechanism that selectively opens or closes the flow of hot combustion gases passing through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture block heater mixture. Exhaust ventilation ducts and ventilation ducts overlap devices are arranged so that when actuating the ventilation ducts overlap devices, the path of the hot combustion gases inside the unit of the mixture heater is changed, thereby changing the nature of the flow of hot combustion gases through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture , and thereby changing the amount of heat transferred by the hot combustion gases of the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil.

Preferably, the heating installation is designed to continuously heat the asphalt-cement mixture as it is received from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank in order to provide a continuous increase in the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture at an increase of approximately 1.0 ° F per gallon at a flow rate of approximately 30 gallons / minute, or at a larger temperature increase at a lower flow rate, or at a lower temperature increase at a higher flow rate in order to ensure that the asphalt-cement mixture discharged from the mixture heater block is within a predetermined acceptable temperature range for use in the process of cold processing of pavement in place using the ACS.

To simplify the understanding of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention, as well as the best embodiment of the present invention known to the inventors, are illustrated in the figures and their detailed description is given below. However, it is not intended that the present invention be limited to the specific described embodiments of the present invention or use in connection with the device illustrated herein. Thus, the scope of the present invention contemplated by the inventors includes all equivalents of the subject matter described herein, as well as various enhancements and alternative embodiments of the invention that are typically practiced by those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates. The inventors expect that those skilled in the art will make such changes as they see fit, including practicing the present invention in a way other than specifically described herein. In addition, any combination of elements and components of the present invention described herein, in any one of the possible variations, is encompassed by the present invention, unless otherwise indicated in the present description, or explicitly excluded by context.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are denoted by the same positions throughout the description, and in which the arrows marked "AC" indicate the direction of flow of the asphalt-cement mixture and the arrows marked "AF" indicate direction of flow of heated air and combustion gases, on which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS, consisting of an asphalt paver, a modified milling machine for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS, a mixture heater unit for an asphalt-cement mix, and a freight vehicle delivery of asphalt-cement mix.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of a production line of cold paving processing equipment in place using the ACS shown in FIG. 1, with a modified road milling machine for cold processing of pavement in place using an ADC, illustrated somewhat schematically.

FIG. 2A is a side view of a portion of a production line of cold paving processing equipment in place using an ACS similar to that of FIG. 2, illustrating an alternative circuit for pumping an asphalt-cement mixture from an asphalt-cement mixture supply tank mounted on a vehicle for supplying an asphalt-cement mixture to a milling drum body of a modified road milling machine for cold processing of a road surface in situ using an ACS.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an on-site cold processing equipment production line using an ACS consisting of an asphalt paver, a cold road processing machine, a road milling machine, an asphalt-cement mix heater block, and a freight vehicle for delivering the asphalt-cement mix.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of an alternative production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS, including a first example of an asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit, a mixture heater block of the present invention, and a heat-modifying component for mixing unheated asphalt-cement mixture with asphalt cement mixture heated by the block of the mixture heater in such a way as to achieve the required temperature of the mixed asphalt-cement mixture downstream of the installation for heating.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a mixture heater unit of the present invention, illustrating the nature of the flows of the asphalt-cement mixture and heated air passing through the mixture heater unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the heat-modifying component shown schematically in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the heat-modifying component of FIG. 6, shown in a different perspective, in contrast to FIG. 6, wherein parts of the assembly are removed in order to illustrate the bypass valve of the heat-modifying component in the open position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the heat-modifying component shown in FIG. 7 illustrating the bypass valve of the heat-modifying component in the closed position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a heating apparatus of the present invention, wherein the heating apparatus includes a paired mixture preheater and a heat-modifying component shown in FIG. 6-8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the heating apparatus shown in FIG. 9 illustrating the connection of a heating apparatus with a road milling machine.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a part of an alternative production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS, including a third example of a heating installation of the present invention, including a heat-modifying component, designed to change the flow of hot combustion gases generated during operation of the burner of the mixture heater block, s the purpose of regulating the amount of heat transferred by the hot gases of the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture of the mixture heater block.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a heating apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the heating apparatus shown in FIG. 12, with a heating coil removed to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, illustrating the flow of heated air and combustion gases passing through the mixture heater unit during operation in accordance with the first gas flow configuration.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a third exemplary embodiment of the heating apparatus shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 illustrating a stream of heated air and combustion gases passing through a heating coil to heat an asphalt-cement mixture when operating in accordance with a first gas stream configuration.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the heating apparatus shown in FIG. 12-14, with the heating coil removed for heating the asphalt-cement mixture, illustrating the flow of heated air and combustion gases passing through the mixture heater unit during operation in accordance with the second gas flow configuration.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the heating apparatus shown in FIG. 12-15, illustrating the flow of heated air and hot combustion gases passing through a heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture during operation in accordance with the second configuration of the gas stream.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention should be read while studying the accompanying drawings, which should be considered as part of a complete written description of the present invention. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and specific features of the present invention may be shown enlarged in scale or in a somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness of the description.

In FIG. 1, 2 and FIG. 2A illustrates a first production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACC, including an asphalt paving machine 10 (not shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2A), a modified road milling machine 12 for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACC, block a mixture heater 14 and a truck 16 for delivering an asphalt-cement mixture. The modified road milling machine 12 for cold processing of pavement in situ using the ACS includes an operator’s workstation 18 and an engine, typically a diesel engine (not shown), located in the engine compartment 20. The engine power is transmitted using a drive belt (not shown) or another device known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates to a milling drum 22 located in a known milling drum housing 24 (not shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 2A for clarity). Milling drum 22 includes several cutting teeth intended for milling the surface of the roadway as the milling drum rotates and the machine moves along the roadway in the direction of processing “P” of the road surface material.

Power from the engine is also transmitted by means known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates to a rear side drive track 26 and a front side drive 28 of the track. A modified road milling machine for cold processing the pavement in situ using an ACC may include one or two rear track drive 26 of the track (such as the rear track drive of the track 26) and two front track drive of the track (such as the front track drive 28 tapes). Some or all of these on-board caterpillar track drives can turn left and right to control the direction of travel. Other exemplary embodiments of a modified road milling machine for in-situ cold processing of pavement using an ACC (not shown in the figures) may include wheel drives instead of tracked track drives. Drive units are connected to lifting columns, including internal linear actuators (not shown), which can be activated to raise and lower the frame of the road milling machine with respect to the surface of the roadway to change the depth of milling. Due to the fact that the milling drum 22 is mounted to rotate in the housing 24 of the milling drum on the frame of the road milling machine, when lifting the frame on the lifting columns, the milling drum is lifted and the latter comes out of contact with the surface of the roadway, and when lowering the frame on the lifting columns is provided lowering the milling drum to contact the surface of the roadway with the aim of milling to achieve the desired depth. The operator’s workstation 18 includes all the controls necessary to actuate and control the direction of movement of the modified road milling machine for cold processing of the pavement on the spot using the ADC, the rotating milling drum 22, as well as to control all other operations of the road milling machine 12.

The modified road milling machine 12 for cold processing of the pavement in situ using the ACS includes an asphalt-cement mixture spraying unit 30 installed inside the milling drum body and intended for supplying and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture coming from the inlet pipe 32 in fluid communication with a supply tank 34 on a freight vehicle 16, for the delivery of asphalt-cement mixture. The dosed supply mechanism 36 for the asphalt-cement mixture is installed on the front of the road milling machine 12 and is in fluid communication with the exhaust pipe 38, the mixture heater unit 14 and the inlet pipe 32 coming from the freight vehicle 16 for delivering the asphalt-cement mixture. The dosed supply mechanism 36 includes a pump designed to pump out the asphalt-cement mixture from the supply tank 34 on a cargo vehicle 16 to deliver the asphalt-cement mixture and supply it through the inlet pipe 32 to the mixture heater unit 14 and from the mixture heater block 14 through the exhaust pipe 38 to the spraying unit 30, feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture in the body of the milling drum 24, where it is mixed with the material of the road surface milled from the surface of the roadway. An alternative circuit for pumping the asphalt-cement mixture from the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture on a freight vehicle 16 for delivering the asphalt-cement mixture to the body of the milling drum 24 of the modified road milling machine for cold processing of the pavement in situ using the ACS is illustrated in FIG. 2A. As shown in the figure, the dosed supply mechanism or pump 36 is designed to pump out the asphalt-cement mixture from the supply tank 34 on a cargo vehicle 16 to deliver the asphalt-cement mixture, via the inlet pipe 32a to the pump 36, from the pump 36 to the mixture heater unit 14 through the inlet pipe 33 of the mixture heater unit and from the mixture heater unit 14 to the spray unit 30 through the exhaust pipe 38. Regardless of the means by which the asphalt-cement mixture is transported to the spray unit 30, the mixture consisting of asphalt-cement mixture and milled material further transported from the housing 24 of the milling drum via a conveyor conveyor 40 to the hopper 42 in front of the asphalt paver 10.

The asphalt paver 10 includes a known conveyor system consisting of a longitudinally arranged conveyor conveyor (not shown) and a transverse screw auger (also not shown) for transporting the mixed asphalt-cement mix and recycled paving material from the hopper 42 to the area located immediately before the smoothing timber 44, where they are unloaded onto the surface on which the paving is laid. The smoothing beam compacts and levels the asphalt layer on the repaired roadbed.

In FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of a production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in place using an ACS designed to move along the roadway in the direction of processing “P” as the road surface is processed on the roadway. The specified production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS includes a well-known asphalt paving machine 10, a machine 46 for cold processing of paving using an ACS, a road milling machine 48, a mixture heater block 14, and a freight vehicle 16 for delivering an asphalt-cement mixture . Machine for cold processing of pavement using ACS includes a tank 50 for storing the asphalt-cement mixture, crusher 52, strainer 54 and mixer 56 of the asphalt mixer. Road milling machine 48 is a well-known road milling machine. A pump (not shown) connected to the tank 50 for storing the asphalt-cement mixture is designed to pump out the asphalt-cement mixture from the supply tank 34 on a freight vehicle 16 for supplying the mixture through the inlet pipe 32 to the mixture heater block 14 and from the heater block 14 mixture through the exhaust pipe 58 into the tank 50 for storing the asphalt-cement mixture on the machine 46 for the cold processing of the pavement using the ACS. Road milling machine 48 mills the material of the road surface from the roadbed and transports it through a conveyor belt 60 to a receiving hopper 62 on the machine 46 for cold processing of the road surface using ACS. The material milled by the road milling machine is further processed by the machine 46 for cold processing of the road surface using ACS using a crusher 52 and a strainer 54, and fed to the mixer 56 of an asphalt mixer. The asphalt-cement mixture from the reservoir 50 for storing the asphalt-cement mixture is also transported and fed into the mixer 56 of the asphalt mixer and mixed therein with the processed milled material. The mixed asphalt-cement mix and recycled pavement material are then transported from the asphalt mixer through the conveyor 64 to the hopper 42 at the front of the asphalt paver 10. The internal conveyor system in the known asphalt paver 10 conveys the mixed asphalt-cement mix and recycled pavement material from the hopper 42 to the area immediately in front of the screed 44, where they are unloaded onto the surface on which the coating is laid. The smoothing beam 44 compacts, smoothes and levels the asphalt layer on the repaired roadbed.

In FIG. 4-8, a first example of a heating installation is illustrated, including a mixture heater block and a heat-modifying component for changing the flow of an asphalt-cement mixture along a heating coil to heat an asphalt-cement mixture of a mixture heater block in order to control the amount of heat transferred to the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil with hot gases generated in the mixture heater block. In FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of an alternative production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS including a supply tank 134 for asphalt-cement mix and a pumping circuit for pumping asphalt-cement mix, including a control valve 136 of the supply tank for regulating the flow of asphalt-cement mix from a supply tank 134, a supply pipe 138, a strainer 140 for removing impurities of the asphalt-cement mixture, a pump 142 for the asphalt-cement mixture, a flow meter 144 of the asphalt-cement mixture for measuring the amount of the asphalt-cement mixture supplied from the pump for the asphalt-cement mixture, and an inlet pipe 145 connected to the heating apparatus 146. In FIG. 4 also schematically illustrates a mixture heater block 114, an inlet pipe 147 of a mixture heater block connected to a mixture heater block 114, and a heat-modifying component 148. The heat-modifying component 148 includes a bypass valve 149, a bypass inlet pipe 150 connected to the bypass valve 149, the mixing T- a shaped pipe 152, a bypass outlet pipe 154 connected to the mixing T-shaped pipe 152, an exhaust pipe 156 of the mixture heater block connected to the mixing T-shaped pipe 152, and an exhaust pipe 158 extending from the mixing T-shaped pipe 152. In this an example of the implementation of the present invention, a bypass inlet pipe 150 connected to the bypass valve 149, a mixing T-pipe 152, a bypass discharge pipe 154 connected to a mixing T-pipe 152, and a discharge pipe 156 of the mixture heater unit connected to the mixing T-pipe 152 include a bypass fluid circuit, which is part of the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture.

The asphalt-cement mix pumping circuit illustrated in FIG. 4 provides fluid communication between the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank 134, a heating unit 146, which is located downstream of the supply tank 134, and a mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture to the recycled paving material removed from the roadway with a road milling machine in the process of cold processing of the road surface in situ using the ACS. The installation for heating is designed to heat the asphalt-cement mixture coming from the supply tank, before it is fed and sprayed onto the processed material for the pavement removed from the roadway. Installation for heating 146 may be an autonomous installation located behind a cargo vehicle for the delivery of asphalt-cement mixture, or may be installed on a cargo vehicle for the delivery of asphalt-cement mixture, on a modified road milling machine for cold processing of road surfaces in place with using ACS or on a machine for cold processing of pavement using ACS.

The mixture heater block 114 of the heating apparatus 146 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 5. As shown in the figure, the mixture heater block 114 includes a burner 159 designed to burn diesel, propane or other fuel mixed with air drawn from outside the unit for heating by a built-in fan or blower (not shown) to create a flame 160 and hot gases combustion. Flames and hot combustion gases are directed into the heating zone of the heating coil chamber 161, which is partially formed by the heating coil 162 to heat the asphalt-cement mixture. The heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture is twisted in a spiral inside the chamber 161 of the heating coil along its entire length. Around the inner chamber 161 of the heating coil is laid the outer layer of insulation 163, which provides thermal insulation of the block 114 of the mixture heater. The heating coil 162 for heating the asphalt-cement mixture is part of the asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit illustrated in FIG. 4, and therefore, is in fluid communication with the inlet pipe 147 of the asphalt-cement mixture and with the outlet pipe 156 of the asphalt-cement mixture of the mixture heater block. The burner 159 is located relative to the heating coil 162 for heating the asphalt-cement mixture so that the hot combustion gases generated during combustion of the burner can pass through the heating coil 162 for heating the asphalt-cement mixture and around it in the heating coil chamber 161 in order to transfer heat the asphalt-cement mixture pumped through the heating coil 162 to heat the asphalt-cement mixture with a pump 142. Gaseous products of combustion from the internal heating chamber 161 are discharged from the mixture heater block 114 through the exhaust ventilation channel 166, which is in fluid communication with the internal heating chamber.

In FIG. 4 and FIG. 6-8 illustrate a heat-modifying component 148 for a heating unit 146 and a preferred asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit connected thereto. As shown in the figures, the asphalt-cement mixture from the flow tank 134 is pumped by the asphalt-cement mixture pump 142 when flowing over the asphalt-cement mixture flow meter 144 into the inlet pipe 145 of the heating unit 146. The bypass valve 149 is provided with a valve plate 167 (shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8) connected to the linear actuator 168 and intended to move between one or more open positions, including the open position shown in FIG. 7 and the closed position shown in FIG. 8. The bypass valve is also in the open position in FIG. 6. The heat-modifying component 148 also includes linear position sensors 169 (shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8), designed to determine the position of the valve plate 167 relative to the valve seat 170 at any time. When the bypass valve plate 167 is in the open position, as shown in FIG. 7, a portion of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the heating unit 146 through the inlet pipe 145 passes through the bypass inlet pipe 150 and to the bypass valve 149, and from the bypass valve 149 to the mixing T-pipe 152, as shown by the asphalt flow direction line - cement mixture AC171. The specified part of the asphalt-cement mixture circulates bypassing the mixture heater block. The other part of the asphalt-cement mixture flowing through the inlet pipe 145 passes through the inlet pipe 147 of the mixture heater block, as shown by the flow line of the asphalt-cement mixture AC172, to the mixture heater block 114, and from the mixture heater block 114 through the exhaust pipe 156 of the block the mixture heater enters the mixing T-pipe 152. Depending on the position of the bypass valve plate 167 relative to the valve seat 170 (best view of FIG. 7), controlled by a controller, such as controller 174, a larger or smaller portion of the asphalt-cement mixture supplied through the inlet pipe 145, is directed to the block 114 of the mixture heater so that the relative proportion of the heated asphalt-cement mixture exiting the mixing T-pipe 152 can be changed in order to achieve the desired temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture downstream of the installation for heating up. On the other hand, when the bypass valve plate 167 is in the closed position on the valve seat, the entire amount of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the heating unit 146 through the inlet pipe 145 passes through the inlet pipe 147 of the mixture heater unit, as shown by the AC172 flow direction line to the mixture heater block 114, and from the mixture heater block 114 through the exhaust pipe 156 of the mixture heater block to the mixing T-pipe 152. Thus, when the bypass valve is in the closed position, the entire amount of asphalt-cement mixture passing through the inlet pipe 145 installation for heating 146, will be heated in block 114 of the mixture heater.

Both the linear actuator 168 and the linear position sensors 169 are operatively connected to the controller 174, shown schematically in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6-8, which is preferably installed in the workplace of the operator of a modified road milling machine, such as a modified on-site road milling machine 12 for cold processing of a pavement in situ using an ACC or a cold processing machine of a road surface using an ACC, such as a cold machine 46 pavement processing using ACS. A controller 174 is also operatively coupled to an asphalt-cement mix pump 142, an asphalt-cement mix flow meter 144, and an asphalt-cement mix heater block 114. The controller 174 is also operatively connected to a temperature sensor 175 located in the inlet pipe 145 connected to the heating unit 146 and to a temperature sensor 176 located in the outlet pipe 156 of the mixture heater unit. The controller is designed to receive temperature data from these temperature sensors in order to control the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the exhaust pipe 158 to a modified road milling machine, such as a modified road milling machine 12 or to a cold paving processing machine with using an ACC, such as a pavement cold machine 46 using an ACC.

The controller 174 may include one microprocessor, or two or more microprocessors, including components for controlling the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture used in the cold processing of the pavement in situ using the ACS, as well as components for controlling the operation of the modified road milling machine 12 or machine 46 for cold processing of pavement on the basis of data entered by the machine operator or on the basis of accepted by the sensor or other known operating parameters. The controller 174 may include a storage device, auxiliary storage device, a processor, and other components for executing the application program. Other various circuits may be associated with the controller 174, for example, power supply circuits, signal conditioning circuits, solenoid drive circuits, and other types of circuits. A number of marketed microprocessors can be configured to perform the functions of a controller 174. It should be noted that the controller 174 can be easily integrated into a universal computer or a microprocessor of a machine capable of controlling various machine functions for a modified road milling machine, such as a modified road milling machine 12 or a machine for cold processing of road surfaces, such as a machine 46 for cold processing of road surfaces using ACS.

In FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 illustrates a second embodiment of a heating apparatus of the present invention, comprising a heating apparatus 115 comprising a paired mixture heater unit 116 and a heat-modifying component 117. The paired mixture heater unit 116 includes a pair of mixture heater units 118 and 119 that are connected in series with each other, each of them is basically identical to the mixture heater block 114 shown in FIG. 5. The paired mixture heater block 116 may be replaced by the mixture heater block 114 in a schematic view of a heating apparatus 146 shown in FIG. 4. The heat-modifying component 117 includes a bypass valve 149 and connected components of the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture. When the bypass valve 149 is in the open position (as shown in FIG. 7), part of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the heating installation 115 through the inlet pipe 145 (not shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10) passes through the bypass inlet pipe 150 (also not shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10) both to the bypass valve 149 and from the bypass valve 149 to the mixing T-pipe 152 (not shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10). The specified part of the asphalt-cement mixture circulates bypassing the mixture heater block. Another portion of the asphalt-cement mixture flowing through the inlet pipe 145 passes through the inlet pipe 147 of the mixture heater unit, as shown by the AC120 flow direction line in FIG. 10, into a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture in the mixture heater block 118 (not shown, but basically similar to the heating coil 162 for heating the asphalt-cement mixture in the mixture heater block 114), is heated by contact with the hot combustion gases generated by combustion burners 121. The asphalt-cement mixture heated in the mixture heater block 118 exits the mixture heater block 118 through the bypass line 122, as shown by the AC123 flow direction line in FIG. 10, and enters the mixture heater block 119. The bypass pipe 122 is in fluid communication with the heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture in the mixture heater unit 119 (not shown) so that the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture can be heated in contact with hot gases combustion resulting from combustion of burner 124. The asphalt-cement mixture from the mixture heater block 119 exits the mixture heater block 119 through the exhaust pipe 156 of the mixture heater block, as shown by the AC125 flow direction line, and enters the mixing T-pipe 152 (not shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10). Depending on the position of the bypass valve plate 167 relative to the valve seat 170 in the bypass valve 149 controlled by a controller, such as a controller 174, a larger or smaller portion of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the inlet pipe 145 is directed to the paired mixture heater unit 116 in this way so that the relative proportion of the heated asphalt-cement mixture leaving the mixing T-pipe 152 can be changed in order to achieve the desired temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture downstream of the heating unit. On the other hand, when the bypass valve plate 167 is in the closed position on the bypass valve seat 149, the entire amount of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the heating unit 115 through the inlet pipe 145 passes through the inlet pipe 147 of the mixture heater unit to the paired heater block 116 mixture (including blocks 118 and 119 of the mixture heater), and from the paired block of the mixture heater 116 through the exhaust pipe 156 of the mixture heater block into the mixing T-pipe 152. Thus, when the bypass valve is in the closed position, the entire amount of asphalt-cement mixture, flowing through the inlet pipe 145 of the heating installation 115, is heated in the paired block 116 of the mixture heater. As shown in FIG. 10, a heating installation 115 may be mounted on a frame 126 of a road milling machine, such as a modified road milling machine 12. In this embodiment, regardless of whether the bypass valve 149 is in the open or closed position, the asphalt-cement mixture exits from the mixing T-pipe 152 through an exhaust pipe, such as an exhaust pipe 158 (not shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10), as shown by the AC127 flow direction line, and enters a spray unit, such as a spray unit 30, which feeds and spraying asphalt-cement mixture in the body of the milling drum, in which it is mixed with the material of the road surface milled from the roadway.

In FIG. 11-16, a third embodiment of a heating installation is illustrated, comprising a mixture heater unit and a heat-modifying component for changing the flow of hot combustion gases generated by the burner of the mixture heater unit passing through a heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture to control the amount of heat transferred hot gases generated during the combustion of the burner, asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil. In FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a part of an alternative production line of equipment for cold processing of pavement in situ using an ACS, which includes a supply tank 134 for asphalt-cement mix and a pumping circuit for pumping asphalt-cement mix, including a control valve 136 of the supply tank for regulating the flow of asphalt-cement mix supplied from the supply tank 134, the supply pipe 138, the mesh filter 140 for removing impurities from the asphalt-cement mixture, the pump 142 for the asphalt-cement mixture, the flow meter 144 of the asphalt-cement mixture for measuring the amount of asphalt-cement mixture exiting the asphalt pump cement mixture, and an inlet pipe 145 connected to a heating installation 246. As shown in FIG. 12-16, the installation for heating 246 includes a mixture heater block 214 provided with a burner 177. The burner 177 is operatively connected to the controller 174 and is intended to burn diesel fuel, propane or other fuel mixed with air drawn from the outside by a built-in fan or blower ( not shown) to create a flame 178 (shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 15) and hot combustion gases that are supplied to the heating coil chamber 180, which is partially formed by the outer wall 182. The heating coil 184 for heating the asphalt-cement mixture is part of the circuit pumping the asphalt-cement mixture and is in fluid communication with the inlet 186 for the asphalt-cement mixture and with the outlet 188 for the asphalt-cement mixture so that the hot combustion gases generated by the combustion of the burner 177 can pass through the heating coil 184 for heating the asphalt-cement mixture and around it in the chamber 180 of the heater coil to transfer heat to the asphalt-cement mixture pumped through the heating coil 184, for heating the asphalt-cement mixture by the pump 142, controlled by the controller 174.

Installation for heating 246 includes a heat-modifying component, including an air flow controller, functionally connected to the mixture heater block 214. More specifically, the airflow regulator includes an upper exhaust ventilation duct 190 with an upper ventilation duct overlap device 192 installed therein, and a lower exhaust ventilation duct 194 with a lower ventilation duct overlap device installed therein (not shown, but basically identical to the upper ceiling device 192 ventilation duct). Both the upper exhaust ventilation duct 190 and the lower exhaust ventilation duct 194 are mounted so that they are in fluid communication with the heating coil chamber 180. In addition, the control of both the upper ventilation channel overlap device 192 and the lower ventilation channel overlap device is controlled by a linear actuator 196 operably connected to the controller 174 so that either the upper ventilation channel overlap device 192 is in the open position and the lower device the ventilation duct was in the closed position (as shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14), thereby allowing the hot combustion gases to pass downward through the heating coil 184 to heat up the asphalt-cement mixture and upward along its sides before exit the coil chamber 180, or the lower ventilation channel shut-off device was in the open position, and the upper ventilation channel shut-off device 192 was in the closed position (as shown in Fig. 15 and Fig. 16), thereby allowing hot combustion gases to pass in the direction down th cut the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture and then exit the chamber 180 of the heating coil. Installation for heating 246 also includes linear position sensors (not shown, but similar to linear position sensors 169, which are shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8), connected to a linear actuator 196 and designed to determine the amount of extension of the actuator linear actuator 196 , and therefore, to determine whether the upper ventilation channel overlap device 192 and the lower ventilation channel overlap device are in the open or closed position. A heating installation, similar to heating installation 246, may include a paired mixture heater unit, such as a paired mixture heater unit 116, including mixture heater units 118 and 119, one or both of which are equipped with an air flow regulator, such as the regulator illustrated in FIG. . 12-16.

Preferably, the burners 159, 121, 124 and 177 are multi-stage burners that can be configured in various ways. The SDC Series oil burner, marketed by Beckett Corporation of North Ridgeville, Ohio, has one fuel nozzle operating in two different pressure ranges to produce two different heat capacities. RG5D light oil burner marketed by Riello S.p.A. of Legnago ”, Italy, has two fuel nozzles operating at different fuel rates in order to generate two different heat capacities. The WL20 oil burner, marketed by Weishaupt Corporation) Mississauga, Ontario, is equipped with two solenoids designed to supply fuel at two different flow rates to a single nozzle to generate two different heat capacities. Other burners designed to generate one or more heat capacities may be used. It is preferable to use a burner designed to produce at least a maximum of approximately 400,000 BTU per hour.

During operation of the modified road milling machine or cold pavement processing machine using the ACS in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 11-16, the operator can select the desired temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture exiting the installation for heating 246 through the outlet 188 for the asphalt-cement mixture through the exhaust pipe 158 and entering the modified road milling machine, such as the modified road milling machine 12 or a machine for cold processing of pavement using ACS, such as a machine 46 for cold processing of pavement using ACS. After entering data about the specified required temperature into the controller 174, the controller uses the specified information: (1) about the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture at the inlet recorded by the sensor 175 located in the inlet pipe 145 connected to the inlet 186 for the asphalt-cement mixture of the heating installation 246, (2) on the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture at the outlet recorded by the sensor 198 located in the outlet 188 for the asphalt-cement mixture of the mixture heater block 214, (3) on the signals from the linear position sensors connected to the linear actuator 196 units for heating 246, and (4) on the flow rate at the pump 142 (registered by the flow meter 144 of the asphalt-cement mixture) for controlling: (a) the pump 142 for the asphalt-cement mixture, (b) the burner 177, and (c) the linear actuator mechanism 196 (controlling the operation of both the upper device for blocking the ventilation channel 192 and the lower device for blocking the ventilation ion channel connected to the block 214 mixture heater) in order to achieve the desired temperature at the outlet of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the outlet 188 of the asphalt-cement mixture and entering the exhaust pipe and then into a modified road milling machine, such as a modified road milling machine 12 or into a pavement cold processing machine, such as a pavement cold processing machine 46 using an ACC.

Preferably, the heating unit 246 is designed to continuously heat the asphalt-cement mixture when it is supplied from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank so that the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture is continuously increased at an increase of approximately 1.0 ° F per gallon at a flow rate of approximately 30 gallons / minute, or at a larger temperature increase at a lower flow rate, or at a lower temperature increase at a higher flow rate in order to ensure that the asphalt-cement mixture discharged from the mixture heater unit is within a predetermined acceptable temperature range for its use in the process of cold processing of pavement in situ using ACS.

Installation for heating 246 is located downstream of the supply tank 134 in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture, which is in fluid communication with the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture to the processed paving material removed from the roadway by a road milling machine during the cold process on-site pavement recycling using ACS. The installation for heating is designed to heat the asphalt-cement mixture coming from the supply tank, before spraying it and applying it to the processed material for the pavement removed from the roadway. Installation for heating 246 may be an autonomous installation located behind a cargo vehicle for the delivery of asphalt-cement mixture, or may be installed on a cargo vehicle for the delivery of asphalt-cement mixture, on a modified on-site modified cold milling road processing machine using ATsS or on the car for cold processing of a paving with use of ATsS.

Despite the fact that the present description contains many distinctive features, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but only as solely illustrating its preferred embodiments, as well as the best options contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the present invention. Various changes and improvements may be made to the present invention, described and claimed herein, which will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

Claims (72)

1. The technological line of equipment for the cold processing of the road surface in situ using asphalt-cement mix (ACS), designed to move along the road surface or road surface in order to remove the road surface material from the road surface and process such road surface material by mixing it with asphalt - cement mixture, while the technological line of equipment for the cold processing of pavement in place using the ACS includes: (A) a road milling machine for milling a pavement and removing milled pavement material from a roadway; (B) a supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture separated from the road milling machine; (C) a mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the road surface material removed from the road surface by a road milling machine; (D) an asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit designed to allow the asphalt-cement mixture to flow from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank to the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the paving material removed by milling from the roadway, wherein the circuit pumping the asphalt-cement mixture includes a pump for the asphalt-cement mixture for pumping the asphalt-cement mixture from the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture into the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture and along the specified circuit; (E) a heating installation located in the asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit and located between the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank and the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the paving material removed by milling from the roadway, while the installation for heating includes: (i) a mixture heater unit, comprising: (a) a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture, located in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture; (b) a burner for directing hot combustion gases through a heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture through which the asphalt-cement mixture is pumped; (ii) a heat-modifying component designed to change the amount of heat transferred by the hot combustion gases of the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil, to control the temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture downstream of the heating installation, in which the heat-modifying component changes the amount of heat transferred by the hot combustion gases of the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil, by changing the flow of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, or by changing the flow of hot combustion gases from the burner of the mixture heater block through the heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture. 2. The production line according to claim 1, wherein the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture is installed on a freight vehicle for the delivery of the asphalt-cement mixture. 3. The production line according to claim 1, in which the block of the mixture heater is designed to provide continuous heating of the flow of asphalt-cement mixture coming from a supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture. 4. The production line according to claim 1, wherein the block of the mixture heater includes a pair of heating coils for heating the asphalt-cement mixture, connected in series in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture. 5. The production line according to claim 1, in which the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture includes an inlet pipe for supplying the asphalt-cement mixture to the heating unit and an outlet pipe for removing the asphalt-cement mixture from the heating unit. 6. The production line according to claim 5: (A) which includes a mixing T-shaped nozzle located between the block of the mixture heater and the exhaust pipe to divert the asphalt-cement mixture from the installation for heating; (B) in which the heat-modifying component includes a bypass fluid circuit and a bypass valve designed to move between: (i) a plurality of open positions in which at least a portion of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the installation for heating through the inlet pipe is fed into the mixing T-pipe without passing through the mixture heater block; and (ii) a closed position in which the entire amount of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the installation for heating through the inlet pipe is heated in the block of the mixture heater and then fed to the mixing T-pipe. 7. The production line according to claim 6: (A) in which the heat-modifying component includes a linear actuator; (B) in which the bypass valve includes a valve disc and a valve seat, wherein the valve disc is connected to a linear actuator and is designed to move between one or more open positions relative to the valve seat and the closed position on the valve seat; (C) in which the heat-modifying component includes linear position sensors for detecting the position of the valve disc relative to the valve seat. 8. Technological line of equipment for the cold processing of the road surface in situ using asphalt-cement mix (ACS), designed to move along the road surface or road surface in order to remove road surface material from the road surface and process such road surface material by mixing it with asphalt - cement mixture, while the production line of equipment for the cold processing of pavement in place using the ACS includes: (A) a road milling machine for milling a pavement and removing milled pavement material from a roadway; (B) a supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture separated from the road milling machine; (C) a mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the road surface material removed from the road surface by a road milling machine; (D) a unit for heating; (E) an asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit designed to allow the asphalt-cement mixture to flow from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank to the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the paving material removed by milling from the roadway, wherein the circuit pumping asphalt-cement mixture includes: (i) an inlet pipe for supplying an asphalt-cement mixture to a heating unit; (ii) an exhaust pipe for removing the asphalt-cement mixture from the heating installation; (iii) an asphalt-cement mixture pump for pumping the asphalt-cement mixture from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank to the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture and along the specified circuit; (F) in which the heating installation is located in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture and is located between the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture and the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the paving material removed by milling from the roadway, while the installation for heating includes: (i) a mixture heater unit, comprising: (a) a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture, located in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture; (b) a burner for directing hot combustion gases through a heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture through which the asphalt-cement mixture is pumped; (ii) a mixing T-shaped nozzle located between the block of the mixture heater and the exhaust pipe to divert the asphalt-cement mixture from the installation for heating; (iii) a heat-modifying component designed to change the flow of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, in order to control the amount of heat transferred by the hot combustion gases of the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture, wherein the heat-modifying component includes: (a) a bypass valve designed to move between one or more open positions, in which at least a portion of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the installation for heating through the inlet pipe is fed into the mixing T-pipe without passing through the block the mixture heater, and in a closed position in which the entire amount of the asphalt-cement mixture entering the installation for heating through the inlet pipe is heated in the block of the mixture heater and then fed to the mixing T-pipe; (b) a linear actuator; (G) in which the bypass valve includes a valve disc and a valve seat, wherein the valve disc is connected to a linear actuator and is designed to move between one or more open positions relative to the valve seat and the closed position on the valve seat; (H) in which the heat-modifying component includes linear position sensors for detecting the position of the valve disc relative to the valve seat; (I) a controller; (J) an exhaust pipe for discharging the asphalt-cement mixture from the mixture preheater unit into the mixing T-piece; (K) a temperature sensor located in the inlet pipe for the asphalt-cement mixture connected to the installation for heating; (L) a temperature sensor located in the exhaust pipe extending from the mixture preheater unit to the mixing T-piece; (M) in which the controller is operatively connected to a temperature sensor located in the inlet pipe, a temperature sensor located in the exhaust pipe, a linear actuator, a linear position sensor, a bypass valve, an asphalt-cement mixture pump, an asphalt-cement mixture flow meter, and a unit mixture heater; (N) in which the controller is designed to receive temperature data coming from temperature sensors located in the inlet pipe for supplying the asphalt-cement mixture to the heating unit, and in the outlet pipe going from the mixture heater unit to the mixing T-piece, and to use such data to control the flow of asphalt-cement mixture coming from the pump, as well as to control the operation of the mixture heater block and the bypass valve in order to achieve the required temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the exhaust pipe that discharges the asphalt-cement mixture from the installation for heating. 9. The technological line of equipment for the cold processing of the road surface in situ using asphalt-cement mix (ACS), designed to move along the road surface or road surface in order to remove road surface material from the road surface and process such road surface material by mixing it with asphalt - cement mixture, while the technological line of equipment for the cold processing of pavement in place using the ACS includes: (A) a road milling machine for milling a pavement and removing milled pavement material from a roadway; (B) a supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture separated from the road milling machine; (C) a mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the road surface material removed from the road surface by a road milling machine; (D) a unit for heating; (E) an asphalt-cement mixture pumping circuit designed to allow the asphalt-cement mixture to flow from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank to the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the paving material removed by milling from the roadway, wherein the circuit pumping asphalt-cement mixture includes: (i) an inlet pipe for supplying an asphalt-cement mixture to a heating unit; (ii) an exhaust pipe for removing the asphalt-cement mixture from the heating installation; (iii) an asphalt-cement mixture pump for pumping the asphalt-cement mixture from the asphalt-cement mixture supply tank to the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture and along the specified circuit; (F) in which the heating installation is located in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture and is located between the supply tank for the asphalt-cement mixture and the mechanism for feeding and spraying the asphalt-cement mixture onto the paving material removed by milling from the roadway, while the installation for heating includes: (i) a mixture heater unit, comprising: (a) a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture, located in the pumping circuit of the asphalt-cement mixture; (b) a heating coil chamber formed partially by the outer wall, wherein the heating coil chamber includes a heating coil for heating the asphalt-cement mixture; (c) a burner designed to direct hot combustion gases into the heating coil chamber and through a heating coil placed in the chamber to heat the asphalt-cement mixture; (ii) a heat-modifying component designed to change the flow of hot combustion gases from the burner of the mixture heater block through a heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture to control the amount of heat transferred by the hot gases generated by the burner combustion, the asphalt-cement mixture in the heating coil to heat up asphalt-cement mixture, the heat-modifying component includes an air flow regulator including a linear actuator, an upper exhaust ventilation duct with an upper ventilation duct overlap device installed in it, and a lower exhaust ventilation duct with a lower ventilation duct overlap installed in it, while upper exhaust ventilation duct and lower exhaust ventilation duct: (a) installed so that they are in fluid communication with the heating coil chamber; (b) they are controlled by a linear actuator so that either the upper ventilation channel shut-off device is in the open position and the lower ventilation channel shut-off device is in the closed position, while allowing the flow of hot combustion gases downward through the heating coil and in the upward direction along the sides of the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture before the hot gases leave the chamber of the heating coil, or the lower ventilation channel shut-off device was in the open position and the upper ventilation channel shut-off device was in the closed position, while ensuring the flow of hot combustion gases in the downward direction through the heating coil to heat the asphalt-cement mixture and then their removal from the chamber of the heating coil. 10. The production line according to claim 9, in which the air flow regulator includes a linear position sensor connected to a linear actuator and designed to determine the amount of extension of the actuator of the linear actuator, and therefore, to determine whether there is an upper device for blocking the ventilation duct and a lower device for blocking the ventilation duct in the open or closed position. 11. The production line according to p. 10: (A) which includes a controller; (B) which includes a temperature sensor located in the inlet pipe for supplying the asphalt-cement mixture to the installation for heating; (C) which includes a temperature sensor located in the exhaust pipe to discharge the asphalt-cement mixture from the installation for heating; (D) in which the controller is operatively connected to a temperature sensor located in the intake pipe, a temperature sensor located in the exhaust pipe, a linear actuator, a linear position sensor, an asphalt-cement mixture pump, an asphalt-cement mixture flow meter, and a mixture heater unit; (E) in which the controller is designed to obtain temperature data from temperature sensors located in the inlet pipe in the installation for heating and in the outlet pipe coming from the installation for heating, and to use such data to control the flow of asphalt-cement mixture coming from pump, as well as to control the operation of the mixture heater block and the linear actuator of the air flow regulator in order to achieve the required temperature of the asphalt-cement mixture passing through the exhaust pipe that discharges the asphalt-cement mixture from the installation for heating.

Images