PRE-AGGREGATE DRYING METHOD AND ENERGY EFFICIENT ASPHALT PLANT

• US 20120263006A1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CMI Terex Corporation (Terex Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terex Usa, LLC (Terex Corporation)
• Inventors: MUSIL, JOSEPH E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,506,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/4
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/05 Crushing, pulverising or disintegrating apparatus preparing and placing involving breaking E01C19/466 ; in general B02C; Aggregate screening, cleaning, drying or heating apparatus; Dust-collecting arrangements specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/1063 Controlling the operations E01C19/1068 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/109 Mixing containers having a counter flow drum, i.e. the flow of material is opposite to the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/1095 Mixing containers having a parallel flow drum, i.e. the flow of material is parallel to the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/30 in transportation, e.g. on roads, waterways or railways

Abstract

An HMA plant which uses incidental heating of metal surfaces in combination with hot exhaust gases to pre-heat and pre-dry virgin aggregate material contained in an enclosed container which permits hot dry air to pass through interstices in the virgin aggregate material stored in the container.

Claims

1. A method of making hot mix asphalt comprising the steps of:

providing an asphalt mixer;

providing a supply of aggregate material;

providing a structure which is configured for enclosing and containing aggregate material and protecting said aggregate material from atmospheric precipitation and further causing air to flow through the aggregate material for the purpose of drying said aggregate material with artificially heated and propelled air; and

causing said aggregate material to move from said structure into said asphalt mixer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

reclaiming heat from a heated metal object and using reclaimed heat for heating air which flows into the structure and through the aggregate material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the heated metal object is incidentally heated.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

providing a heat exchanger where exhaust fumes emitted from the asphalt mixer are used to further heat air which was earlier heated by an incidentally heated metal object.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

allowing liquid to flow from a lower portion of said heat exchanger, where said liquid is produced by condensation occurring within said heat exchanger.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

selectively applying heated air exiting from the heat exchanger to a RAP pre-heater and the structure.

7. A method of making hot mix asphalt comprising the steps of:

providing an asphalt mixer;

providing a supply of aggregate material;

providing a structure configured for enclosing and containing aggregate material in a substantially stationary arrangement and protecting said aggregate material from precipitation and further causing air to flow through the aggregate material for the purpose of drying said aggregate material with artificially heated and propelled atmospheric air; and

causing said aggregate material to move from said structure into said asphalt mixer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

reclaiming heat from a heated metal object and using reclaimed heat for artificially heating air which is propelled into the structure and blown through interstices in the aggregate material.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the heated metal object is incidentally heated.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

providing a heat exchanger where corrosive exhaust fumes emitted from the asphalt mixer are used to further heat air which was earlier heated by an incidentally heated metal object.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

allowing liquid to drain from a lower portion of said heat exchanger, where said liquid is produced by condensation occurring within said heat exchanger.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

selectively applying heated air exiting from the heat exchanger to a RAP pre-heater and the structure.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein exhaust fumes from the asphalt mixer exit from a heat exchanger exhaust stack without ever mixing with pre-heated air which is propelled into the structure.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein exhaust fumes from the asphalt mixer are allowed to mix together in the RAP pre-heater with air exiting from the heat exchanger.

15. A method of making asphalt comprising the steps of:

reclaiming heat from a heated metal object;

using reclaimed heat for heating air which flows into a structure and through aggregate material to produce heated aggregate material; and

using the heated aggregate material to make asphalt.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the heated metal object is incidentally heated.

17. The process of claim 15 further comprising:

using a stainless steel heat exchanger where corrosive exhaust fumes emitted from the asphalt mixer are used to further heat air which was earlier heated by a heated metal object.

18. The process of claim 17 further comprising:

providing a liquid drain disposed at a lower portion of said heat exchanger, where said liquid drains liquid produced by condensation occurring within said heat exchanger.

19. The process of claim 18 further comprising:

providing a valve configured for selectively applying heated air exiting from the heat exchanger to a RAP pre-heater.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein exhaust fumes from an asphalt mixer exit from a heat exchanger exhaust stack without ever mixing with pre-heated air which is propelled into the structure.