Embodiments of the present invention include a method and system for controlling the flow rate of materials into and out of the blender. The system includes the control and management of an on-site storage system for each component of a mixture, regulating the delivery rate of a blend mixture into a blender hopper, regulating the exit rate of the blended mixture from the blender hopper, and coordinating the flow of materials into and out of the blender.

A continuous asphalt mixture production plant based on double-horizontal-shaft forced mixing includes a cold aggregate bin, a continuous aggregate conveying and metering system, a drying drum, an aggregate elevator, a double-horizontal-shaft continuous mixing host, a continuous asphalt metering and conveying system, a continuous powder conveying and metering system and a finished product bin. The double-horizontal-shaft continuous mixing host includes a first double-horizontal-shaft mixing cylinder and a second double-horizontal-shaft mixing cylinder connected in series. The first double-horizontal-shaft mixing cylinder is provided with an aggregate inlet, an asphalt inlet, a powder inlet and a first discharging port, and the second double-horizontal-shaft mixing cylinder is provided with a mixture inlet and a second discharging port. The aggregate inlet, the asphalt inlet and the powder inlet are respectively connected with an outlet of the aggregate elevator, the continuous asphalt metering and conveying system and the continuous powder conveying and metering system correspondingly.

A system for preparing a polymeric mixture includes: a containment device configured to distribute dry polymeric materials; a receiving chamber in fluid communication with the containment device; a wetting bowl; a dispersing channel; and a mixing chamber connected to the dispersing channel. A method of preparing a polymeric mixture includes distributing water and dry polymeric materials through the various components of the system and mixing the materials with the mechanical mixing device.

A material wetting system for wetting a powder material includes a liquid supply system, a material mixing unit, a material supply system, and a shroud assembly. The liquid supply system includes a supply line. The material mixing unit is in fluid communication with the supply line and includes a central cavity having an open upper end configured to receive a supply of powder material. The material mixing unit is configured to receive liquid from the supply line and is operatively connected to a reduced pressure source to draw air into the central cavity. The material supply system includes an orifice and is configured to feed powder material through the orifice, with the orifice disposed above the central cavity of the material mixing unit. The shroud assembly is disposed about the open upper end of the central cavity of the material mixing unit and the orifice of the material supply system.

Agitation assemblies for a spreader having a rotatable feeding mechanism are provided that utilize the rotation of the feeding mechanism to oscillate an agitation member within the spreader. A crank is coupled to the feeding mechanism and a connecting linkage connects between the agitation member and the crank so that as a drive mechanism rotates the feeding mechanism to dispense spreading material towards a dispensing opening, the connecting linkage oscillates the agitation member. The agitation member can be a baffle or agitation plate. The oscillation of the agitation member can be pivoting or sliding oscillation.

A mixer (1) comprises a drum (2) having at least one inlet (6) and one outlet (7). The mixer (1) furthermore comprises a drive (3) and a stirring shaft (4), which is arranged in the drum (2) and is coupled to the drive (3). Furthermore, the mixer (1) comprises a conveying device (5), which is arranged in the drum (2) and which is arranged on one and the same axis as the stirring shaft (4).

A system for heating, coating, cooling and screening a granular substrate is provided. The system, such as an apparatus for continuous coating granular particles, includes a preheater apparatus for heating granular particles, a rotary drum having an inlet horizontally coupled to the preheater for receiving heated granular particles directly from the fluidized bed preheater, a coating apparatus positioned within the drum for applying a coating to the heated granular particles, and a cooling apparatus positioned horizontally in association with the drum for cooling the granular particles subsequent to coating.

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, systems and methods for handling bulk material in a manner that reduces dust, noise, and emissions are provided. The presently disclosed techniques use portable containers to transfer bulk material from a transportation unit to a blender inlet. The containers may be carried to the location on the transportation unit, where a hoisting mechanism is used to remove the container from the transportation unit and place it in a desired location. When bulk material is needed at the blender inlet, the hoisting mechanism may position the container of bulk material onto an elevated support structure. Once on the support structure, the container may be opened to release bulk material to a gravity feed outlet, which routes the bulk material from the container directly into the blender inlet. The disclosed containerized bulk material transfer system and method allows for reduced dust, noise, and emissions on location.

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, systems and methods for efficiently handling dry additives to be mixed with bulk material in a blender are provided. The systems may include a support structure used to direct bulk material from one or more portable containers on the support structure to a first outlet location, and a combined metering/transferring system for directing dry additives from another portable container to a second outlet location. Specifically, the metering/transferring system may output a metered flow of dry additives to the blender mixer to be combined with bulk material that is released from the portable containers. The metering/transferring system may utilize a gravity feed outlet coupled to a metered screw or other conveying device to move the dry additive from the portable container to the second outlet location.

The present invention is a modular system for delivering material directly to a blender hopper. The system includes primary base and optional secondary base modules supporting surge hoppers which receive material from material containers. The surge hopper may then dispense the material directly and rapidly to the blender hopper by gravity feed. During continuous operation, exhausted material containers may be removed from the surge hoppers and replaced with full material containers as material empties from the surge hoppers. This allows steady, high-volume flow of material to the blender hopper.