Processes and equipment for producing a rubber for tires

18:

• A process for controlling an addition of water to a rubber mixture during a mixing cycle in which the rubber mixture is transported as a continuous sheet along a transport route, the transport route including at least one spray system that sprays water on at least a portion of the continuous sheet, the water being controllably evacuated by at least one aspiration system, the process comprising steps of:
• obtaining data for a rubber mixture, the data including at least:
• a predetermined water flow rate for a spray system,
• a predetermined air flow rate for an aspiration system, and
• a target temperature value and a target water-content value for the rubber mixture;
• adding water to a continuous sheet of the rubber mixture while the rubber mixture is being prepared in a mixing cycle in progress;
• detecting an amount of water added at an elapsed time during the mixing cycle in progress;
• determining, using the amount of water detected in the detecting step, a predicted temperature value and a predicted water-content value for the rubber mixture at an end of the mixing cycle in progress;
• comparing the target temperature value with the predicted temperature value, and the target water-content value with the predicted water-content value;
• and,
• after the end of the mixing cycle in progress and before a next mixing cycle, adjusting an actual water flow rate for the next mixing cycle when a comparison result from the comparing step indicates non-equivalence.

19:

• The process of claim 18, further comprising steps of:
• evacuating air that contains evaporated water from the step of adding water;
• and
• transporting the continuous sheet in a predetermined direction during the steps of adding water and evacuating air,
• wherein the step of adding water includes spraying the continuous sheet while the continuous sheet is being transported proximate each of an upper spray station and a lower spray station of a spray system, and
• wherein the step of evacuating air includes using an aspiration system to evacuate air containing water from the spraying.

20:

• The process of claim 19,
• wherein the spray system includes at least one rail positioned at each of the upper spray station and the lower spray station, each rail being in communication with a source of water and a source of air to supply water and air to one or more nozzles at the predetermined water flow rate and at a predetermined air pressure, and
• wherein the aspiration system includes:
• at least one aspiration hood positioned downstream of each rail, each aspiration hood being in communication with an apparatus for evacuating air at the predetermined air flow rate,
• a heating element for heating a portion of the aspiration system to prevent condensation of water from the spraying, and
• transport system for transporting the continuous sheet during the step of evacuating air.

22:

• The process of claim 19, wherein:
• the predetermined water flow rate is in a range of from about 40 liters/hour to about 400 liters/hour,
• the predetermined air flow rate is in a range of from about 5000 m3/h to about 30000 m3/h,
• the target temperature value is about 70° C., and
• the target water-content value does not exceed about 0.20% by weight of the rubber mixture of the continuous sheet.

24:

• The process of claim 19, further comprising steps of:
• using a detection system to detect the actual water flow rate, an actual air flow rate, and a presence of a pressure suitable for producing atomizing air droplets, and to generate one or more signals indicative of the actual water flow rate, the actual air flow rate, and the presence of a pressure suitable for producing atomizing air droplets;
• and
• using a monitoring system to receive the one or more signals generated by the detection system, and to send one or more commensurate control signals to perform the adjusting step.

28:

• The process of claim 18, further comprising steps of:
• transporting the continuous sheet to an evacuation station, the evacuation station including at least one evacuation spray rail, each evacuation spray rail including at least one evacuation aspiration hood located downstream of the evacuation spray rail;
• using each evacuation spray rail to spray the continuous sheet during the transporting step;
• and
• using each evacuation aspiration hood to evacuate air containing evaporated water.

29:

• A system for controlling an addition of water to a rubber mixture being produced in a mixing cycle, the system comprising:
• a mixer structured to form a rubber mixture into a continuous sheet;
• a transporter structured to transport the continuous sheet during a mixing cycle;
• a spray system structured to deliver water to the continuous sheet at a predetermined water flow rate;
• an aspiration system structured to evacuate air at a predetermined air flow rate, the aspiration system being associated with the spray system;
• a detector configured to detect during the mixing cycle:
• an actual water flow rate, an actual air flow rate for evacuated air containing evaporated water, and a presence of a pressure suitable for producing atomizing air droplets, the detector being further configured to generate at least one signal corresponding to a detection result;
• and
• a controller configured to receive the at least one signal from the detector and to:
• determine a predicted temperature value and a predicted water-content value for the rubber mixture at an end of the mixing cycle,
• compare the target temperature value with the predicted temperature value, and the target water-content value with the predicted water-content value, to obtain a comparison result and,
• after the end of the mixing cycle and before a next mixing cycle, adjust the actual water flow rate for the next mixing cycle when the comparison result indicates non-equivalence.

32:

• The system of claim 29, wherein the detector includes:
• a water flow sensor configured to detect the actual water flow rate at the spray system,
• an air pressure sensor configured to detect the presence of a pressure suitable for producing atomizing air droplets at the spray system, and
• an air flow sensor configured to detect the actual air flow rate at the aspiration system.

35:

• The system of claim 29, further comprising an evacuation station that includes:
• at least one evacuation spray rail for spraying the continuous sheet with water, and
• at least one evacuation aspiration hood located downstream of each evacuation spray rail, for evacuating air containing evaporated water from the spraying,
• wherein the transporter is structured to transport the continuous sheet to a region proximate the evacuation station, and to unload the continuous sheet.