Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100005898 | System and method for conditioning and detection of moisture damage in asphalt mixes - An apparatus and method for determination of susceptibility of asphalt concrete materials to moisture damage. An asphalt sample of known bulk specific gravity (density) is placed inside a chamber filled with water, which is capable of heating the sample to a pre-determined temperature. The chamber is pressurized by introduction of air pressure to a flexible membrane that decreases the volume within a chamber containing the sample and water, increasing the pore pressure in the sample. The pressure is then released and allowed to come to ambient pressure. This process is repeated a predetermined number of times (cycles). When a selected number of cycles are complete, the asphalt sample is removed from the chamber and its bulk specific gravity (density) measured again. The difference between the density before and after conditioning is an excellent method of rating the degree at which moisture would deteriorate asphalt samples due to introduction of moisture. The cyclic nature of the increased/decreased pore pressure is observed to significantly decrease bulk specific gravity (density) for poor quality asphalt designs. Furthermore, the sample conditioned by this method can be used for other conventional mechanical test methods, such as tensile strength and modulus determination. Computerized controls are used to automate the procedure and to record and display data from sensors. | 01-14-2010 |
20100319211 | Device and Methods for Rapid Drying of Porous Materials - An apparatus and method for quickly drying porous materials. A sealable chamber is connected to a cold trap which is connected to a vacuum pump. A sample is placed inside the sealable chamber. The vacuum pump is turned on and air is evacuated through the cold trap to the vacuum pump. Because evaporation may lower the temperature inside the sealable chamber, an infrared lamp may be used to heat the chamber and sample therein directly or heated air may be allowed to enter the sealable chamber in response to the vacuum created by the vacuum pump. Air may be drawn directly from the sealable chamber to the vacuum pump bypassing the cold trap. A load cell may be placed in the bottom of the sealable chamber to monitor the weight of a sample to determine if the drying process is complete. Other parameters could be used, including the degree of vacuum achieved in the chamber. The cold trap extracts moisture from the system, which eliminates the possibility of damage to the vacuum and creates an added pressure gradient for removal of air from the sealable chamber. Heating the chamber either by introducing heated air or by direct use of infrared heat facilitates drying of the sample and shortens the drying process. | 12-23-2010 |
20110214484 | System and Method for Conditioning and Detection of Susceptibility to Moisture Damage in Asphalt Mixes - An apparatus and method for determination of susceptibility of asphalt concrete materials to moisture damage. An asphalt sample of known bulk specific gravity (density) is placed inside a chamber filled with water, which is capable of heating the sample to a predetermined temperature. The chamber is pressurized by introduction of air pressure to a flexible membrane that decreases the volume within a chamber containing the sample and water, increasing the pore pressure in the sample. The pressure is then released and allowed to come to ambient pressure. This process is repeated a predetermined number of times (cycles). When a selected number of cycles are complete, the asphalt sample is removed from the chamber and its bulk specific gravity (density) measured again. The difference between the density before and after conditioning is an excellent method of rating the degree at which moisture would deteriorate asphalt samples due to introduction of moisture. The cyclic nature of the increased/decreased pore pressure is observed to significantly decrease bulk specific gravity (density) for poor quality asphalt designs. Furthermore, the sample conditioned by this method can be used for other conventional mechanical test methods, such as tensile strength and modulus determination. Computerized controls are used to automate the procedure and to record and display data from sensors. | 09-08-2011 |
20120000283 | Lightweight Portable Moisture Traps For Use With Vacuum Pumps - A portable moisture trap for use with a vacuum pump includes: a housing; a cooling chamber positioned at least partially within the housing including a first inlet port and a second outlet port; a lid that sealably attaches to a top portion of the cooling chamber to seal the cooling chamber; a heat sink residing under the cooling chamber; a thermoelectric device having an upper cooling side and a lower heat generating side residing between the cooling chamber and the heat sink; a fan oriented to blow air upwardly toward the heat sink; and a baffle extending downwardly in the cooling chamber from a location proximate the lid to a location proximate an inner bottom surface of the cooling chamber, with the baffle configured to define a physical barrier to urge air received through the first port to flow down toward the inner bottom surface of the cooling chamber before exiting through the second port, to thereby remove moisture from air traveling through the cooling chamber in response to a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the second port. | 01-05-2012 |
20120285038 | DEVICE AND METHODS FOR RAPID DRYING OF POROUS MATERIALS - An apparatus and method for quickly drying porous materials. A sealable chamber is connected to a cold trap which is connected to a vacuum pump. A sample is placed inside the sealable chamber. The vacuum pump is turned on and air is evacuated through the cold trap to the vacuum pump. An infrared lamp may be used to heat the chamber and sample therein directly or heated air may be allowed to enter the sealable chamber. Air may be drawn directly from the sealable chamber to the vacuum pump bypassing the cold trap. Various parameters may be used to determine if the drying process is complete, including the degree of vacuum achieved in the chamber. | 11-15-2012 |
20130326900 | APPARATUS, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RAPID DRYING OF LOOSE AND COMPACTED SAMPLES OF MATERIAL USING ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY - A method for drying at least one sample of material includes: placing the at least one sample of material into an interior of a sealable chamber; sealing the chamber; applying a vacuum to the interior of the chamber; heating the at least one sample using electromagnetic energy while applying the vacuum to the interior of the chamber; electronically monitoring at least one condition in the interior of the chamber; and determining that the at least one sample is dry based on the at least one monitored condition. | 12-12-2013 |
20140260525 | APPARATUS, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MEASUREMENT OF CHIP LOSS DURING ASPHALT SURFACE TREATMENT CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN - A post-road surface maintenance field test device includes a frame, a plurality of wheels connected to the frame, a rotatable brush held at least partially by or within the frame, a drive mechanism configured to rotate the brush, and a collection member. The collection member is held at least partially by or within the frame and resides adjacent the rotatable brush. In operation, as the device is conveyed over a road surface, the drive mechanism rotates the brush and the brush engages loose aggregates and/or aggregates that are weakly bound to a bonding medium and urges the engaged aggregates into the collection member. | 09-18-2014 |
20140366560 | Device and Methods for Rapid Drying of Porous Materials - An apparatus and method for quickly drying porous materials. A sealable chamber is connected to a cold trap which is connected to a vacuum pump. A sample is placed inside the sealable chamber. The vacuum pump is turned on and air is evacuated through the cold trap to the vacuum pump. An infrared lamp may be used to heat the chamber and sample therein directly or heated air may be allowed to enter the sealable chamber. Air may be drawn directly from the sealable chamber to the vacuum pump bypassing the cold trap. Various parameters may be used to determine if the drying process is complete, including the degree of vacuum achieved in the chamber. | 12-18-2014 |