PROCESS FOR ACCELERATING THE WETTING OF AND THE APPLICATION OF SALT TO SURFACES

• US 20090173800A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rex W. Perkes
• Original Assignee: Rex W. Perkes
• Inventors: Perkes, Rex W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/7
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/007 Mobile apparatus specially adapted for preparing or applying liquid or semi-liquid thawing material or spreading granular material on wintry roads

Abstract

The salt slurry clump forming apparatus and process comprise an auger receiving salt and atomized liquid to form a slurry which is deposited on a broadcast spreader to form slurry clumps of generally 0.25″ to 1.25″ in diameter. Slurry clumps resist movement from roadway and other surfaces by wind and vehicle traffic and deter bonding of ice and snow with a surface. Multiple applications are lessened and road work in removal of ice and snow is facilitated.

Claims

1. An accelerated wetting slurry clump (52) spreading apparatus (1) comprising:

a. a container (400), generally a truck bed, containing salt (50) in a salt container (53);

b. a salt delivery chute (54) which meters salt (50) from the container (400) to at least one auger (100);

the at least one auger (100) may be comprised of at least two augers (100);

c. the at least one auger (100) contained in an auger container (140), shielded from salt (50) within the salt container (53) or not in an auger container (140) receiving salt (50) directly from the salt container (53);

the auger (100) has a cover (56) positioned above the at least one auger (100), within the cover (56) is a pipe (200) or pipe (200) system with at least one nozzle (220) downwardly directed toward the at least one auger (100);

the at least one nozzle may be multiple nozzles (220);

d. the cover (56) is positioned over the pipe (200), auger (100) and auger container (140);

the cover (56) and auger container (140) shields the at least one auger (100) from the introduction of salt (50) other than by delivery from a salt delivery chute (54);

the salt delivery chute (54), the auger container (140) and cover (56) are composed of rigid materials generally metal;

e. a liquid container (230) contains a liquid (240), generally water, which is delivered to the pipe (200);

the liquid (240) is generally pressurized and is in liquid communication via the pipe (200) with the at least one nozzle (220);

the auger (100) is rotated by an auger drive (120);

the salt (50) is introduced to the at least one auger (100) or augers (100), by the salt delivery chute (54), is wetted by liquid (240) sprayed, by the at least one nozzle (220) onto the salt (50) as it is mixed and propelled by the augers (100), producing a slurry (51), to a wetted salt outlet (320) from the auger container (140) and through a container wetted salt outlet (330) where the slurry (51) is then deposited on a rotatable broadcast spreader (300);

the liquid container (230) is generally made of flexible or rigid materials including plastics and metals;

the pipe (200) and at least one nozzle (220) is generally constructed of rigid tubular materials including plastics and metals;

f. the wetted salt outlet (320), from the auger container (140), and the container wetted salt outlet (330) are generally apertures;

wetted salt outlet (320) and the container wetted salt outlet (330) be formed in joined portions of the auger container (140) and the container (400);

the container (400) is generally supported by a truck having tires (420);

salt (50) may be comprised of NaCl or combinations of NaCl and CaCl₂ and other materials used for roadway surface deicing;

g. spray nozzles (220) are placed under a protective cover (56) and over the auger (100) system comprised of the auger (100) and auger container (140);

the cover (56) provides an environment where the salt (50) and liquid (240) can mix as well as protecting the auger (100) from the weight of the surrounding salt (50);

air space (58) is created between the cover (56) and the salt (50) allowing the spray nozzle (220) to atomize the liquid (240) across the salt (50) crystals;

the auger (100) mixes the salt (50) and the liquid (240) so that the salt (50), including crystals, can be completely covered, on all sides, with liquid (240);

h. the salt (50) is wetted as liquid (240) is sprayed or atomized onto the auger (100) which is receiving and propelling salt (50);

the salt (50) is sprayed with liquid (240) for at least 2 turns of the auger (100) in order to mix the salts (50) crystals with liquid (240);

the ratio of liquid (240) to salt (50) is dependent on weather and surface (440) conditions and may be in the range of 15 to 30 gallons of liquid (240) per ton of salt (50);

the required liquid (240) content will change depending on the moisture of the salt (50) and the ambient moisture;

the amount of time that elapses between the introduction of liquid (240) to the salt (50) and application to a road surface (440) has a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of the resulting wetted salt (50) solution;

I. operators of salt delivery vehicles will control the quantity of liquid (240), the quantity of salt (50), the time the salt (50) is exposed to atomized liquid (240) and the operation and rotation rate of the broadcast spreader (300) by the use of control systems including the use of electronic metering equipment which controls the ratio of liquid (240) to salt (50), the rotation rate of the broadcast spreader (300) and the speed at which the wetted salt slurry (51) mixture is applied to ensure optimum performance;

the metering of liquid (240) and salt (50) and control of the rotation rate of the broadcast spreader (300) may be by operator observation which can be facilitated by timing of release of a quantity of liquid (240) while releasing a quantity of salt (50);

j. changing road and weather conditions will require adjustments to the rate of delivery of slurry (51) to the surface (440);

a preferred application is 40 gallons of liquid (240) per ton of salt (50), applied at a rate of 40 lbs of salt (50) per mile;

k. the nozzle (220) size and pressure of liquid (240) determines the extent of wetting of salt (50) and the extent to which salt (50) has commenced to dissolve;

0.050″

nozzles receiving liquid (240) at 20 psi will deliver 1 gallon of liquid per mile;

the nozzles (220) are set about two inches above the top of the auger (100);

this separation allows the spray to atomize, thus being more efficient in wetting most to all of the salt (50) crystals;

l. a time requirement is dependent on the rotation rate of the at least one auger (100) and on the pitch and period of the auger (100);

the number of turns of the at least one auger (100) will be the number of turns required to wet the salt (50) sufficient to convert the salt (50) to a slurry (51);

a range of turns of the at least one auger (100) from 0.5 turns to 2 turns during the time salt (50) is subjected to liquid (240) will cause salt (50) particles to mix or blend;

additional turns of the auger (100) will continue the blending process to produce the desired slurry (51);

m. the combination of salt (50) with liquid (240) while mixed by the at least one auger (100) forms a slurry (51) which is deposited on the rotatable broadcast spreader (300) which forms slurry clumps (52) which are deposited on a surface (440);

slurry clump (52) size will vary from small droplets to golf ball size clumps (52) generally in a range of 0.1″

to 1.25″

in diameter with the preferred range of size in the range of 0.25″

to 1.25″

in diameter;

n. a preferred ratio is one ton of dry road salt (50) to 40 gallons of water (240);

operator control is required to deliver desired size and consistency slurry clumps (52) requiring the operator to observe the size of slurry clumps (52) and adjust the combination of the ratio of salt (50) to liquid (240) and the rate of rotation of the broadcast spreader (300) to maintain the consistent application of slurry clumps (52) of the desired size;

controls for rate of rotation of the broadcast spreader (300), the pressure of delivered liquid (240) and the delivery rate of salt (50) are generally required.

2. An accelerated wetting process for forming slurry clumps (52), using the apparatus of claim 1, for application to a surface (440) comprising:

a. loading a container (400), generally a truck bed, with salt (50);

b. containing at least one auger (100) within an auger container (140) having a cover (56);

metering salt (50) from the container (400), via a salt delivery chute (54) which is in communication with the auger container (140), to at least one auger (100);

the at least one auger (100) may be comprised of at least two augers (100) which may be separated by at least one auger container divider (150);

the auger container divider (150) comprised by an upstanding planar divider between at least two augers (100);

c. positioning above the at least one auger (100), within the auger container (140), a pipe (200) or pipe (200) system with at least one nozzle (220) downwardly directed toward the at least one auger (100);

the at least one nozzle may be multiple nozzles (220);

d. positioning a cover (56) over the pipe (200), auger (100) and auger container (140);

the cover (56) and auger container (140) shielding the at least one auger (100) from the introduction of salt (50) other than by delivery from a salt delivery chute (54);

composing the salt delivery chute (54), the auger container (140) and cover (56) of rigid materials generally metal;

e. containing liquid (240) in a liquid container (230);

the liquid (240) is generally water;

delivering the liquid (240) to the pipe (200);

the liquid (240) is generally pressurized and is in liquid communication via the pipe (200) with the at least one nozzle (220);

rotating the at least one auger (100) by an auger drive (120);

introducing the salt (50) to the at least one auger (100) or augers (100), by the salt delivery chute (54);

wetting the salt (50) by liquid (240) sprayed, by the at least one nozzle (220) onto the salt (50) as it is mixed and propelled by the augers (100), producing a slurry (51), to a wetted salt outlet (320) from the auger container (140) and through a container wetted salt outlet (330);

depositing the slurry (51) on a rotatable broadcast spreader (300);

composing the liquid container (230) of flexible or rigid materials including plastics and metals;

composing the pipe (200) and at least one nozzle (220) rigid tubular materials including plastics and metals;

f. forming the wetted salt outlet (320), from the auger container (140), and the container wetted salt outlet (330) as apertures;

wetted salt outlet (320) and the container wetted salt outlet (330) be formed in joined portions of the auger container (140) and the container (400);

the container (400) is generally supported by a truck having tires (420);

composing the salt (50) of NaCl or combinations of NaCl and CaCl₂ and other materials used for roadway surface deicing;

g. placing the spray nozzles (220) under a protective cover (56) and over the auger (100) system comprised of the auger (100) and auger container (140);

the cover (56) provides an environment where the salt (50) and liquid (240) can mix as well as protecting the auger (100) from the weight of the surrounding salt (50);

providing an air space (58) between the cover (56) and the salt (50) allowing the spray nozzle (220) to atomize the liquid (240) across the salt (50) crystals;

the auger (100) mixing the salt (50) and the liquid (240) so that the salt (50), including crystals, can be completely covered, on all sides, with liquid (240);

h. spraying or atomizing liquid (240) onto the auger (100) which is receiving and propelling salt (50), in a range of turns of the at least one auger (100) for 0.5 to 20 turns of the auger (100) or, in the preferred embodiment, for at least 2 turns of the auger (100) thereby mixing the salts (50) crystals with liquid (240);

determining the ratio of liquid (240) to salt (50) is dependent on weather and surface (440) conditions and may be in the range of 15 to 30 gallons of liquid (240) per ton of salt (50);

the required liquid (240) content will change depending on the moisture of the salt (50) and the ambient moisture;

the amount of time that elapses between the introduction of liquid (240) to the salt (50) and application to a road surface (440) has a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of the resulting wetted salt (50) solution;

I. observing, by an operator(s) of salt delivery vehicles, and controlling the quantity of liquid (240), the quantity of salt (50), the time the salt (50) is exposed to atomized liquid (240) and the operation and rotation rate of the broadcast spreader (300) by the use of control systems including the use of electronic metering equipment which controls the ratio of liquid (240) to salt (50), the rotation rate of the broadcast spreader (300) and the speed at which the wetted salt slurry (51) mixture is applied to ensure optimum performance;

metering of liquid (240) and salt (50) and control of the rotation rate of the broadcast spreader (300) may be by operator observation which can be facilitated by timing of release of a quantity of liquid (240) while releasing a quantity of salt (50);

j. adjusting the rate of delivery of slurry (51) to the surface (440) depending on changing road and weather conditions;

a preferred application is 40 gallons of liquid (240) per ton of salt (50), applied at a rate of 40 lbs of salt (50) per mile;

k. establishing the nozzle (220) size and pressure of liquid (240) depending on the extent of wetting of salt (50) and the extent to which salt (50) has commenced to dissolve;

using 0.010″

to 0.1″

nozzles with a 0.05″

nozzle preferred and receiving liquid (240) at 20 psi will deliver 1 gallon of liquid per mile;

setting the nozzles (220) in a range of 0.5″

to 12″

with a setting of about 2″

preferred, above the top of the at least one auger (100);

this separation allows the spray to atomize, thus being more efficient in wetting most to all of the salt (50) crystals;

l. determining the time requirement for wetting the salt (50) is dependent on the rotation rate of the at least one auger (100) and on the pitch and period of the auger (100);

the number of turns of the at least one auger (100) will be the number of turns required to wet the salt (50) sufficient to convert the salt (50) to a slurry (51);

a range of turns of the at least one auger (100) from 0.5 turns to 20 turns with at least 2 turns preferred, during the time salt (50) is subjected to liquid (240) will cause salt (50) particles to mix or blend;

additional turns of the auger (100) will continue the blending process to produce the desired slurry (51);

m. combining the salt (50) with liquid (240) while mixed by the at least one auger (100) forms a slurry (51) which is deposited on the rotatable broadcast spreader (300) which forms slurry clumps (52) which are deposited on a surface (440);

forming slurry clump (52) sizes from small droplets to golf ball size clumps (52) generally in a range of 0.1″

to 1.25″

in diameter with the preferred range of size in the range of 0.25″

to 1.25″

in diameter;

n. setting a preferred ratio of one ton of dry road salt (50) to 40 gallons of water (240);

insuring operator control as required to deliver desired size and consistency slurry clumps (52) requiring the operator to observe the size of slurry clumps (52) and adjust the combination of the ratio of salt (50) to liquid (240) and the rate of rotation of the broadcast spreader (300) to maintain the consistent application of slurry clumps (52) of the desired size;

controlling the rate of rotation of the broadcast spreader (300), the pressure of delivered liquid (240) and the delivery rate of salt (50) as required for formation of preferred diameter sized slurry clumps (52);

forming slurry clumps (52) with the consistency of cooked oatmeal will be a consistency for average conditions.