# US 10,246,832 B2 · Road paver with water fog spray device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,832 B2 - Document ID: US10246832B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/966,119 - Filed: 2018-04-30 - Published: 2018-08-30 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29 - Assignees: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc. - Inventors: Guido Martin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246832B2 ## CPC - E01C 19/17: Application by spraying {or throwing} - B08B 15/00: Preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced; Collecting or removing dirt or fumes from that area - E01C 19/002: {Apparatus for preparing and placing the materials and for consolidating or finishing the paving} - E01C 19/48: for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface {, e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ (E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004)} - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract A road paver includes a screed assembly for laying a mat of paving material, and a tank for storing a coolant. The road paver further comprises a nebulizer device configured to receive the coolant from the tank and to nebulize the coolant into a coolant fog in an environment of the road paver. By cooling the environment of the road paver, the amount of harmful fumes emitted by hot paving material can be substantially reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A road paver comprising: a screed assembly configured to lay a mat of paving material; a tank configured to store a coolant, a spray device configured to spray the coolant from the tank in proximity of the screed assembly of the road paver, and a pump configured to receive the coolant from the tank and convey the coolant to the spray device, wherein the coolant sprayed from the spray device includes a water fog. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The road paver of claim 1, wherein the water fog has a droplet size smaller than about 100 μm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The road paver of claim 1, wherein the road paver further comprises an auger for distributing the paving material, and the spray device is configured to spray the coolant in a region directly above the auger. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The road paver of claim 1, wherein the spray device is further configured to be movable or extendable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The road paver of claim 1, wherein the spray device is configured to provide spray at least one meter in height, the height being measured in a vertical direction from a top surface of the laid mat of paving material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The road paver of claim 1, wherein the spray device further comprises: a spray bar fluidly connected to the pump to receive the coolant from the tank via the pump, the spray bar including a plurality of atomizer nozzles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The road paver of claim 6, wherein at least one of the atomizer nozzles is directed to a region above an auger of the road paver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The road paver of claim 6, wherein the atomizer nozzles are directed into a plurality of differing radial directions with respect to the spray bar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The road paver of claim 6, wherein the spray device comprises an extendable and movable spray bar. ### Claim 10 A method for operating a road paver including a screed assembly, the method comprising: operating the screed assembly to lay a mat of paving material; spraying a coolant in proximity of the screed assembly of the road paver, wherein at least a portion of the sprayed coolant is a water fog; and cooling air in an environment of the road paver by evaporative cooling affected by the coolant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the method step of cooling air in the environment of the road paver by evaporative cooling affected by the coolant includes cooling the air to: condense gaseous components originating from the paving material, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and reduce evaporation of components of the paving material, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the step of spraying a coolant comprises producing the coolant fog to substantially extend until a height of about 1.50 meters, the height being measured in a vertical direction from a top surface of the laid mat of paving material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: adjusting a position and extension of the produced water fog based on an actual paving width of the road paver. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the step of spraying a coolant comprises producing the water fog to form a barrier for gaseous components rising from the paving material. ### Claim 15 A road paver, comprising: a screed assembly configured to lay a mat of paving material; a supply of coolant, a spray device configured to spray the coolant, the spray device configured to provide spray at least one meter in height, the height being measured in a vertical direction from a top surface of the laid mat of paving material, wherein the coolant sprayed from the spray device includes a water fog having a droplet size smaller than about 100 μm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The road paver of claim 15, wherein the spray device includes a plurality of nozzles arranged in a linear configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The road paver of claim 16, wherein the plurality of nozzles are located at a rear end of the tractor of the road paver, above a conveyor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The road paver of claim 16, wherein the plurality of nozzles are located directly above an auger of the road paver. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The road paver of claim 18, wherein the plurality of nozzles extend substantially the entire width of the auger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The road paver of claim 19, wherein the plurality of nozzles are supplied with coolant through a common spray bar.