WO2025203046A1 - Vehicle mounted mobile concrete mixer having an on-board, automatic, air pollution control mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle mounted Mobile Concrete mixer having an on-board, automatic, air pollution control mechanism" is a mobile concrete Mixer assembly (10) installed on a vehicle (V) having a plurality of solid material compartments (1-5) each with a separate discharging means (C1-C5) adapted to discharge the said solid ingredients into a weigh hopper (W) having a belt conveyor (8) at its bottom, suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic load-cells (L) conveying the weighed materials to a mixer (9) adapted to form a Batching Compartment (BC) closed from all sides during operation, for cumulative weighing of all solid ingredients wherein the said Batching compartment (BC) is adapted to have a fully automatic & human intervention free pollution control mechanism working on DC electric supply of the battery (17).

Description

TITLE: “Vehicle mounted Mobile Concrete mixer having an onboard, automatic, air pollution control mechanism”

[001] TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION:

This invention specifically relates to a Truck- Mounted or Vehicle Mounted concrete 'Batching & Mixing Plant or a 'Mobile Truck-Mounted Concrete Mixer' which is having an automatic batching & mixing system consisting of weight-based batching and therefore a weighing belt conveyor or a weighing hopper on board the said vehicle.

[002] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION & DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART:

The vehicle mounted mobile concrete production and transportation equipment have been in existence for quite some time now and can be classified into various types depending upon their batching (proportioning) mechanisms such as Weight based, Volume Based and a combination of volume, weight & Time. The batching mechanism batch the various ingredients into the mixer on weight, volume and on Volume, Weight & Time basis.

In Volumetric Mobile Concrete Dispensers generally two storage bins are provided for fine and coarse aggregates respectively and at least one bin for cement along with a storage tank for water. The fine & coarse aggregate bins are provided with a common belt conveyor at bottom wherein the flow rate (mass or volume flow) of each material is adjusted manually by adjusting opening of the individual material bins and all materials are simultaneously batched. However, in this system, the materials are batched on a continuous basis without controlling the time of each conveyor/conveying device independently as the mixer used is a continuous discharge mixer. However, the related prior arts are as follows:

1. Our Patented invention with granted Indian Patent No. 287080 discloses a "Weight based Concrete Production 81 Transportation Vehicle" wherein the said Mobile concrete Mixer as disclosed, batches a plurality of ingredients on weight basis in a "weigh hopper" having a belt conveyor at its bottom which is supported or suspended on a plurality of electronic load cells.

2. Our another Patented invention with granted Indian Patent No. 327661 discloses a mobile Concrete Mixer installed on a Truck which is able to carry out all the activities of batching, Conveying, Mixing and Discharging with a single WCMD device wherein the said WCMD device is suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic load cells for weight based cumulative batching.

3. Our another patented invention, with granted Indian Patent No. 323780 titled "a novel SCMD Transit Mixer for production and transportation of concrete" discloses a Mobile Concrete Mixer installed on a truck or a vehicle and is suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic loadcells for cumulative (one after another) batching of various ingredients of concrete on weight basis having a SCMD mixer.

4. Our another patented invention "Mobile Concrete Mixer having a Volume, Weight 8i Time- VWT batching" as disclosed by the granted Indian Patent No. 395657, discloses a plurality of dry material storage bins each provided with its own conveyor for conveying that particular material to the Mixer and all such material conveyors & conveying devices operate simultaneously to discharge the pre-set weight of each material to the mixer based upon the mass flow rate of the said conveyor and each conveyor is independently cut off based upon the time infractions of seconds. The basic requirement fulfilled by the invention as disclosed by the said patent No. 395657 system, is that, it is fully automatic & human intervention free during production of concrete.

5. Our another patented invention, with granted Indian Patent No. 526136 titled as "a Mobile Concrete Mixer having a prioritized, fixed flow Hydraulic Drive system" discloses a prioritized hydraulic circuit for various mobile concrete mixers provided with weight based or VWT (volume, weight & Time) based batching system.

6. Our another patented invention, with granted Indian Patent No. 538550 discloses a Mobile Truck-mounted Concrete Mixer having swivel-able water tanks wherein the disclosed Mixer batches the concrete on weight basis by using loadcells or VWT (volume, weight & time) batching system.

To summarize the above prior arts from Prior art No. 1 to No. 6, it has been observed over the years that batching of all concrete ingredients on weight basis needs some space between the weigh scale and the material discharge gates to accommodate the materials to be weighed. Therefore, the materials during batching need to fall from a height on the weigh scale resulting in some dusting especially with cement materials in powder form. Various measures have been incorporated to minimize the dusting by having the weighing area completely covered and closed. The present invention discloses a very effective pollution control mechanism which works automatically as the batching starts and when the materials are delivered to the mixer.

[003] TECHNICAL PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXISTING PRIOR ARTS:

No Existing prior arts as per our knowledge and beliefs are found available for Vehicle Mobile Concrete Mixers having an on-board pollution control mechanism. The related prior arts from 1 to 6 disclose the Truck-mounted Mobile concrete Mixers having weight based or VWT (Volume, weight & Time) based batching. The weight-based mobile Mixers as disclosed have a duly covered batching compartments where the actual weighing of ingredients take place. However, the present invention discloses a Mobile Concrete mixer with a very effective pollution control mechanism which is fully automatic and human intervention free, which is not disclosed by any of the said related arts.

[004] OBJECT OF INVENTION & SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM:

The primary object of the present invention is thus to have a Fully Automatic Mobile Concrete Mixer with optimum air pollution control during the batching operation wherein the said mixer is installed on a Truck or a vehicle & produces weight-based concrete by batching the ingredients in a weigh hopper or a belt conveyor suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic load-cells forming a batching compartment.

Another Most important objective of the present invention is to have a Mobile Concrete Mixer having a pollution control mechanism which is functionally very effective and automatic and also highly cost-effective thereby bringing a significant commercial advantage.

Another important objection of the present invention is to have a fully automatic Mobile Concrete Mixer installed on a Truck or a Vehicle having a environment friendly operation with no dust emission. Thereby making a great impact on the city atmosphere and eliminating the emissions of particulate matter into the city atmosphere.

Another important objective on the present invention is to have a Mobile Concrete Mixer having an on-board pollution control mechanism which is integrated with the PLC panel operating the mixer & which is operated automatically through the said PLC in an HUMAN INTERVENTION FREE manner by means of DC electric supply from on-board batteries on the vehicle, on which it is installed. Alternatively, the DC supply is provided through the batteries of the slave engine if the said machine is operated by a dedicated slave engine. Alternatively, the DC supply is provided by using an additional on-board rechargeable battery. Thereby making the operation human intervention free and automatically as the equipment is operated.

[005] SUMMARY & DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION:

“Vehicle mounted Mobile Concrete mixer having an on-board, automatic, air pollution control mechanism” is characterized by- a. A mobile Concrete Mixer (10) installed on a vehicle (V) such as a truck or trailer wherein the said mixer is provided with a plurality of separate compartments (1,2, 3,4,5) having separately stored solid ingredients and compartments (6 & 7) for liquid ingredients such as water and chemical additives and each compartment or storage bin is provided with a separate discharging means (C1,C2,C3,C4,C5) adapted to discharge the said solid ingredients cumulatively in a weighing hopper (W) and having a belt conveyor (8) at its bottom which is suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic loadcells (L) and is adapted to convey the batch of weighed ingredients to a Mixer (9) after the weighing is complete and conveying means for water & chemical additive (C6 and C7) directly discharge pre-set quantity in mixer (9); b. The bottom of the discharging means of the solid material compartments (Cl to C5) and the said weighing hopper (W) along with the weighing belt conveyor (8) suspended or supported on loadcells (L) is covered from all sides by removable sheet metal panels thereby forming a closed batching compartment (BC) which is extended upto the mixer (9) thus completely covering the discharge end of the said weighing belt (8); c. The said batching compartment (BC) thus formed is adapted to have a plurality of water mist nozzles (11) positioned in such a way at the bottom of the material compartments that the nozzles (11) completely surround the discharging means (C1-C5) in the entire length & breadth of the said weighing hopper (W). d. Another set of water mist nozzles (12) is adapted to be installed on both sides of the said weighing belt conveyor (8) and also in the discharge end cover (13) of the said belt conveyor (8) from where the weighed materials are discharged in the mixer (9). e. Two diaphragm type booster pumps (15 8i 16) operable by DC electric supply are connected separately to water mist nozzles sets (11) & (12) respectively by using quick couplings and water pipe running from the said pumps to the said nozzles. Alternatively, commonly available high pressure water pumps developing required pressure can be used. f. The said booster pumps (15 & 16) are adapted to have very low displacements just above 1 LPH and high operating pressures preferably above 90 PSI. g. A PLC (Programmable Logic Control) panel (14) is adapted to operate the discharging means (Cl to C7) in a human intervention free manner depending upon the sequential programing of the PLC when the Cycle Start button is pressed. h. The water mist nozzles (11) are adapted to form a water mist containing micro particles of water all around the discharging means (Cl to C5) as the Panel (14) automatically activates the booster pump (15) as soon as the discharging means (Cl to C5) start discharging materials cumulatively. i. The micro water particles thus are adapted to come in contact with the dust particles emitting from the discharging means (C1-C5) before these can escape through the enclosure of the batching compartment (BC), which make them heavy and bring them down in the said weigh hopper (W) by gravity. j. The said water booster pumps (15 & 16) receive inlet flow from the water tanks (6A & 6B) which are interconnected but installed on either longitudinal sides of the vehicle (V). k. After the weighing is complete, the second booster pump (16) is adapted to be activated by the said PLC (14) as soon as the said weighing belt (8) starts discharging the weighed materials in the mixer (9). As the booster pump (15) is operated, the second set of nozzles (12) start making water mist with micro water particles injected at high pressure thereby making the dust particles heavy and bring them down in the said mixer (9) by gravity before they can escape through the enclosure of the said Batching compartment (BC). The first booster pump (15) is deactivated by the PLC (14) after a delay which is settable in the PLC in seconds. l. This cycle is adapted to be automatically repeated by the PLC (14) with each production cycle by programing the said PLC (14) accordingly. m.The booster pumps (15 & 16) work on DC electric current which is taken via the PLC (14) and drawn either from vehicle batteries or battery of the slave engine operating the said mixer assembly (10) or by means of an additional rechargeable or replaceable battery-pack. n. The booster pumps (15 & 16) are thus adapted to be operated sequentially when the discharging means (C1-C5) start discharging materials in weigh hopper (W) and when the belt conveyor (8) starts delivering weighed material into the hopper. o. Since the booster pumps have just above 1 LPH (Liter per hour) displacement and the batching & conveying takes only a few seconds per batch, the water added through water mist is negligible. However, the PLC can be programmed to calculate and take the water into account and make correction to the final water added to the mixer (9). p. The mixer (9) is adapted to have a Mixer dust filter (F) so as to arrest any residual dust particles inside the mixer.

The above said mechanism is thus completely auto operated and does not need any human intervention. Any malfunctioning nozzle can be replaced during daily or weekly maintenance.

[006] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

1. The fig. No. 1 on sheet No. 1 discloses the Side View of the present invention, a mobile concrete mixer (10) on a vehicle (V) having a plurality of separate solid material storage bins or compartments (1- 5) and each having a separate discharging means (C1-C5) and a weigh hopper (W) having a belt conveyor (8) suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic load cells and thus forming an enclosed compartment named as Batching Compartment (BC) which is extended and encloses the discharge end of the said belt conveyor (8) on the Mixer (9).

2. The fig. no. 2 on sheet no. 2 discloses the Top View of the said invention with material storage and respective conveyors and conveying devices. The said fig no. 2 on sheet no. 2 also discloses the locations below the said material compartments (1-5) and the discharge end cover (13) where the said high pressure water mist nozzles are adapted to be installed.

3. The Fig. No. 3 on sheet No. 3 discloses the simplified schematic arrangement of the automatic operation of the mist nozzles (11 & 12) in tandem with discharging means (C1-C5) & Belt conveyor (8) through booster pumps (15 & 16) by the PLC (14) using the DC current from the battery (17).

[007] DETAILED DISCRIPTION & WORKING OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS:

Please refer to the Fig No. 1 on sheet No. 1 which discloses a truck-mounted mobile concrete mixer (10) having a plurality of separate storage bins or compartments for solid ingredients of concrete (1-5) and a mixer (9). Each of the solid material storage bin or compartment (1 to 5) is adapted to have a separate conveyor (screw or belt) or a separate discharging means (Cl to C5) . Thus, in the most preferred embodiment as shown in the Fig. No. 1 on sheet No. 1, the three aggregate bins (1,2,3) are adapted to store 10 mm, 20 mm & sand, and each one is provided with a separate belt conveyor (Cl, C2, C3) at its operative bottom. There are two compartments, one for cement (4) and one for fly ash (5), (or GGBS) and each is provided with a separate screw conveyor (C4 & C5). There are two interconnected water tanks (6) provided with a water pump (C6). A separate chemical tank (7) is provided for chemical additive which is provided with a chemical dosing pump (C7). Kindly refer to the Fig. No. 1 on the sheet No. 1, The bottom of the discharging means of the solid material compartments (Cl to C5) and the said weighing hopper (W) along with the weighing belt conveyor (8) suspended or supported on loadcells (L) is covered from all sides by removable sheet metal panels thereby forming a closed batching compartment (BC) which is extended upto the mixer (9) thus completely covering the discharge end of the said weighing belt (8); Kindly refer to the Fig. No. 2 On sheet No. 2 which discloses in detail the top view of the material storages and their respective conveyors which convey the materials to the mixer (9). Kindly refer to the fig No. 2 on sheet No. 2 which discloses the locations and arrangement of a plurality of water mist nozzles (11) and (12) just below the said storage compartments (1-5) and inside the discharge end cover (13). The set of nozzles (11) surround the outlets of all discharging means (C1-C5) wherein the said nozzles (11) are interconnected by piping and quick-couplers which are installed at the bottom of the material bins (1-5) and are adapted to receive water from the booster pump (15) when the said discharging means (Cl to C5) start discharging materials one after the other (cumulatively). The nozzles (11) are high pressure nozzles adapted to form a fine mist of microparticles of water around the said discharging means (C1-C8) thereby making the dust particles heavy when coming in contact and falling back inside the weigh hopper (W) on the surface of the material heap on the belt conveyor (8) which is suspended or supported on electronic load cells. The said fig no. 2 on sheet no. 2 also shows another set of high-pressure water mist nozzles (12) which are lined on opposite sides of the said belt conveyor (8) and in the discharge section of the said belt (8) on the top of the mixer (9). Kindly refer to the Fig. No. 4 on sheet No. 4 which discloses the simplified working schematic of the present invention showing the arrangement of the automatic operation of the mist nozzles (11 & 12) in tandem with discharging means (C1-C5) & Belt conveyor (8) through booster pumps (15 & 16) by the PLC (14) using the DC current from the battery (17). The DC supply is taken from the battery (17) of the vehicle (V) or alternatively through the battery (17) of an on-board slave engine operating the said Mobile mixer (10) or from an additional battery (17) which is rechargeable or replaceable. Working of the most preferred embodiment:

When the Cycle-start button is pressed, the cumulative weighing of all solid ingredients starts wherein the discharging means (C1-C5) start operating one after the due to the sequential operation of the said discharging means by the PLC (14). At the same time, the PLC (14) activates the booster pump (15) wherein the plurality of high pressure water mist nozzles (11) installed all along the Closed Batching Compartment (BC) start producing water mist of very fine micro particles surrounding the said discharging means (C1-C5). Since the nozzles (11) are installed at the bottom of the compartments (1- 5) and above the weigh hopper (W), the micro-water mist particles come in contact with the dust caused due to discharging of the materials. After coming in touch, the dust particles become heavy and fall down due to gravity inside the weigh hopper (W) on the surface of the material heap on the weighing belt (8) which is suspended on supported on plurality of electronic load cells (L). Once all the materials are weighed & the pre-set weight is reached, the belt conveyor (8) is operated by the PLC (14). At the same time the second booster pump (16) is activated by the PLC (14). Due to activation of second pump (16), the high pressure water mist nozzles (12) which are installed on both sides of the top of the said belt conveyor (8) start producing very fine water mist made of micro particles of water. The water nozzles (12) are installed on the top side of discharge end of the belt as well. Any excess dust particles coming in contact with the micro water particles become heavy and fail down in the mixer due to gravity and get mixed with water inside the mixer (9). The Batching Compartment (BC) is an closed compartment during concrete batching. Therefore, no dust particles escape out due to the above automatic system which operates every cycle and in automatic mode, without any human intervention thus resulting in an environment friendly operation.

The diaphragm type booster pumps (15 & 16) are adapted to have very low displacement just exceeding 1 LPH (liter per hour). The batching and conveying takes a few seconds and hence the water amount is negligible when compared to the total batch size. Which also can be calculated and corrected in the PLC if required.

Techno-commercial importance of the Novelty & Inventive steps in the present invention:

The present invention discloses a Mobile Concrete Mixer installed on a truck or vehicle which is adapted to have a fully automatic and human intervention free pollution control mechanism in the production mode exactly in the closed BATCHING COMPARTMENT (BC) where the dust pollution is avoided at source by means of automatic operation through the PLC (14) which is already being used for the operation of the components of the said mobile Mixer (10). This ensures human intervention free automatic operation and optimum consistency at a much lower added cost.

The present invention, thus discloses a Vehicle Mounted Mobile Concrete Mixer with an functionally effective and commercially cost effective mechanism to eliminate the air pollution caused by the concrete batching and conveying operation while on board of the vehicle, thereby disclosing a environment friendly operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. "Vehicle mounted Mobile Concrete mixer having an on-board, automatic, air pollution control mechanism" is a mobile concrete Mixer assembly (10) installed on a vehicle (V) having a plurality of solid material compartments (1-5) each provided with a separate discharging means (C1-C5) adapted to discharge the said solid ingredients into a weigh hopper (W) having a belt conveyor (8) at its bottom, suspended or supported on a plurality of electronic load-cells (L) conveying the weighed materials to a mixer (9) adapted to form a Batching Compartment (BC) closed from all sides during operation, for cumulative weighing of all solid ingredients, wherein the said vehicle mounted mobile Concrete mixer is characterized by- a. The said batching compartment (BC) and the said weigh belt conveyor (8) are adapted to have a plurality of high-pressure water mist nozzles (11) and (12) respectively, installed bellow the said solid compartments (1-5) surrounding the said discharging means (C1-C5) and on both sides of the top of the said belt including the discharge end cover (13) and are adapted to form a water mist made of micro water particles which are further adapted to make the dust particles heavy and to fall by gravity in the said weigh hopper (W); b. Said water mist nozzles (11 & 12) are adapted to be operated by high pressure water booster pumps (15 8i 16) by the PLC (14) by means of DC electric supply from battery (17) in a fully automatic and human intervention free manner, in tandem with the operations of the said discharging means (C1-C5) and the weigh belt conveyor (8) respectively.