Systems and methods for recycling asphalt

• US 7,150,420 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asphalt Recycling Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Asphalt Recycling Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Bejarnson, Mark, Morgan, Todd, Arsdale, Robert Van, Packer, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US10/614,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 241/21, 241/23, 241/65, 404/75, 404/77
• US Class Current: 241/23
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/1004 Reconditioning or reprocessing bituminous mixtures, e.g. salvaged paving, fresh patching mixtures grown unserviceable; Recycling salvaged bituminous mixtures; Apparatus for the in-plant recycling thereof E01C19/1036 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for receiving used asphalt materials, heating the materials, dynamically tumbling the materials into a recycled granulized form, and selectively providing the recycled asphalt for use. An asphalt recycling system is used that is configured to receive used asphalt materials, including RAP and asphalt chunks. Inside the system, the asphalt materials are heated in a heating chamber, such as by natural gas, propane, or another heat source. The heating chamber warms the metal in the chute, and material in the chute can be exposed to exhaust gas, which preheats the asphalt material. The material is then delivered through the chute and onto a conveyer belt, which drops down into a rotating drum. The drum includes a material classifier ring and a plurality of paddles that are used to tumble the heated asphalt material until it becomes generally granularized. The drum can be manipulated (e.g., tilted, etc.) so that the material can be maintained in the drum until the asphalt material is ready to be reused.

Claims

1. A method for recycling asphalt, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving asphalt material through a load hopper;

delivering said asphalt material onto a conveyer belt;

directing said asphalt material into a rotating drum via a chute;

heating said asphalt material causing said asphalt material to soften and water to evaporate;

tumbling said asphalt material using a material classifier ring until said asphalt material is generally granularized;

mixing said asphalt material with a rejuvenating additive;

manipulating said drum so said asphalt material can be maintained in said drum until said asphalt material is ready to be reused;

removing said asphalt material from said drum wherein said material classifier ring prevents said asphalt material from passing said material classifier ring in said rotating drum until said asphalt material is smaller than a certain size and wherein said material classifier ring comprises a number of paddles with spaces between said paddles, said spaces determining the size of said asphalt material that is allowed to pass said material classifier ring.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said tumbling loosens said asphalt material.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the direction of said tumbling is reversed to further facilitate granularization.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said material classifier ring is located in an early stage of said rotating drum.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said tumbling of said asphalt material is facilitated by a plurality of paddles located in a later stage of said drum.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said tumbling of said asphalt material is facilitated by a plurality of paddles located in a later stage of said drum.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said manipulating said drum comprises tilting the drum upward.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said manipulating said drum comprises tilting the drum downward.