Thermoplastic kettle auxiliary heat exchanger system
OwnerJames P. Sheainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An auxiliary heat exchanger that is used in conjunction with thermoplastic melter kettles. The auxiliary heat exchanger receives molten thermoplastic material from the bottom of a melter kettle, transports the molten thermoplastic material though the auxiliary heat exchanger and feeds the molten thermoplastic material into the top of the melter kettle thereby mixing hotter molten thermoplastic material from the bottom of the melter kettle into cooler thermoplastic material near the top of the melter kettle. The auxiliary heat exchanger includes an oil bath chamber and parallel heat transfer tubes that are arranged in a serpentine configuration and include motor drive augers to transport molten thermoplastic material through the auxiliary heat exchanger.
Claims17
In a melter kettle for melting thermoplastic pavement marking material wherein the melter kettle is provided with a combustion chamber the improvement comprising an auxiliary heater coupled outward on an outer side wall of the melter kettle, the auxiliary heater comprising an oil bath chamber through which heated oil is circulated and a configuration of heat transfer tubes within the oil bath chamber through which molten thermoplastic material can flow, the configuration of heat transfer tubes is coupled at one end to a lower portion of the melter kettle and coupled at another end to the top of the melter kettle for receiving molten thermoplastic from the lower portion of the melter kettle and discharging molten thermoplastic material to the top of the melter kettle.
A melter kettle for melting thermoplastic pavement marking material in combination with an auxiliary heater wherein:
- the melter kettle comprises a combustion chamber and a heat dome chamber in the bottom of melter kettle;
- and
- the auxiliary heater comprises an oil bath chamber through which heated oil is circulated and a configuration of heat transfer tubes within the oil bath chamber through which molten thermoplastic material can flow, the configuration of heat transfer tubes is coupled at one end to a lower portion of the melter kettle and coupled at another end to the top of the melter kettle for receiving molten thermoplastic from the lower portion of the melter kettle and discharging molten thermoplastic material to the top of the melter kettle, said auxiliary heater being coupled outward on an outer side wall of the melter kettle.
A method of melting a thermoplastic material in a melter kettle having a combustion chamber, said method comprising:
- charging thermoplastic material into the melter kettle;
- combusting a fuel source in the combustion chamber to heat and melt the thermoplastic material in the melter kettle;
- providing an auxiliary heater, said auxiliary heater being coupled outward on an outer side wall of the melter kettle;
- transporting molten thermoplastic material from the bottom of the melter kettle through the auxiliary heater and then into the top of the melter kettle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.