Astec Industries, Inc.

Erbie G Mize

James Donald Brock

J Don Brock

Malcom L Swanson

Irwin M Riske

A combustion chamber having improved heating efficiency and reduced NO.sub.x emissions includes a reduced diameter throat and a stepped configuration within the chamber. The chamber configuration encourages efficient combustion to reduce NO.sub.x production by promoting the formation of eddy currents within the chamber. A method for increasing heating efficiency and reducing NO.sub.x production is provided and involves passing combustion gases through such a combustion chamber.

Combustion chamber having reduced NO.sub.X emissions

Combustion chamber having reduced NO.sub.x emissions

Closure apparatus for the opening in the top of a storage bin or the like, including means for providing a liquid seal between the inside of the storage bin and the outside atmosphere. The apparatus includes a reservoir surrounding the opening in the storage bin and a movable gate structure including a downwardly extending wall that is lowered into the reservoir when the gate structure is moved into a closed position.

Storage bin closure with liquid seal

Apparatus and method for measuring out liquid asphalt gravimetrically. The apparatus comprises a plurality of tanks for containing liquid asphalt, each tank being suspended from a load cell, a series of pipes, valves and a pump for selectively filling the tanks with asphalt and a series of pipes, a valve and a variable rate pump for selectively removing the liquid asphalt from the tanks. The load cells are connected to a control circuit which converts the signals from the load cells into the corresponding weight of the tanks and the liquid asphalt contained therein. The control circuit is also connected to the variable rate pump to control the rate at which liquid asphalt is removed from the tank in response to the load cells.

Liquid asphalt weigh out system

Drum mix asphalt plant apparatus connected to a fiber filter dust collector for removing dust and other light particulate matter produced by operation of the drum mixer. Asphalt material is added to the drum mixer in a manner to minimize smoking of the asphalt material due to high temperature within the mixer, and the resulting dust and other fine particulate matter evolved from aggregate material within the drum mixer is withdrawn and collected in a fiber filter dust collector system such as a baghouse. The collected dust is returned to the drum mixer to be coated with asphalt material therein, so that the returned dust becomes admixed with the asphalt aggregate contents of the drum mixer.

Drum mix asphalt plant with fiber filter dust collector

Portable drum mix plant with baghouse

Continuous asphalt plant including a temperature control system for controlling the temperature of the asphalt-aggregate mix by varying the flow of hot gases through a mixing enclosure. The temperature of the source of heat, such as a flame burner, is controlled to maintain the temperature of the hot gases as they enter the mixing enclosure, and the hot gases are recirculated to assist in controlling the temperature of the hot gases entering the mixing enclosure and to provide more efficient operation of the plant.

Asphalt plant with improved temperature control system

Method of reducing emission of particulate matter

Apparatus and method for removing moisture from textile products which are sufficiently porous to permit a substantial flow of heated fluid through the product. Two separate drying regions are provided through which a web of textile product is serially moved. The textile product divides each drying region into a pair of drying zones, and a differential pressure of heated air is maintained on opposite sides of the textile product in each of the heating regions to maintain a flow of heated air through the textile product. The wet textile product first passes through an initial heating region for flowthrough exposure to air heated to a temperature exceeding the temperature at which the dry textile product is damaged, for evaporation of unbound moisture without damaging the textile product. The textile product then passes through a subsequent heating region for flow-through exposure to recirculating air at a temperature which is nondamaging to the textile product. Heated air is withdrawn from the air being recirculated in the second region, further heated, and supplied to the initial or superheat region for more efficient operation.

Superheat apparatus for drying textile products

Storage bin having a material discharge opening and a gate which is selectively openable to discharge material from the bin. A region surrounding the gated opening is selectively filled with a liquid to provide an airtight seal surrounding the closed discharge opening. The liquid is withdrawn from the region surrounding the discharge opening, before the gate is opened for discharge of material from the storage bin.

Storage bin with liquid sealed discharge opening

Apparatus for selectively opening and closing a fluid-tight sealing gate for a storage bin or the like. A gate closure member is mounted on a carriage which is supported for lateral movement relative to a material flow opening. As the carriage assembly is laterally moved by a linear actuator, the closure member is moved in a direction perpendicular to the material flow opening to accomplish sealing and unsealing of the opening in proper timed relation with the lateral movement of the carriage assembly. A material flow guiding structure is connected to the carriage assembly for movement into position adjacent the material flow opening, as the carriage assembly is laterally moved to withdraw the closure member from closure relation with the flow opening.

Growing community of inventors

Chattanooga, TN, United States of America

Erbie G Mize