Systems, mixtures and methods of producing paving products using same

Abstract

A mixture formed from desired proportions of recycled asphalt shingle and recycled asphalt pavement is disclosed. The methods of molding the mixture into paving blocks, which exhibit properties of high compressive strength and low water absorption, are described. The paving blocks may be used to construct roads, parking lots, driveways, etc. A heated auger system for transferring the mixture to a molding system. The heated auger system can include concentric bodies to form separate concentric chambers, with one chamber receiving a heated fluid therethrough, and the other chamber for transporting the mixture through the auger system for heating by the heated fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing one or more paving blocks using a mixture, the method comprising the following steps:
 (a) mixing recycled asphalt shingle particles and recycled asphalt pavement particles to produce a homogenous mixture thereof;   (b) heating the homogenous mixture of step (a) to a temperature from 200 degrees F. to 425 degrees F. to form a heated mixture;   (c) distributing the heated mixture into a molding system; and   (d) applying pressure using the molding system to form the paving blocks.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure in step (d) is at or above 800 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of mixing rock-like material that is not recycled asphalt pavement in with the recycled asphalt shingle particles and recycled asphalt pavement particles to produce the homogenous mixture in step (a). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of placing hard surfacing material into the molding system prior to step (c). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating of the homogenous mixture in step (b) is conducted in a transfer device that performs step (c). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the transfer device is an auger system configured to heat the mixture traveling therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the auger system comprising:
 an inner body defining an inner chamber configured to receive the homogenous mixture of step (a) and transport the homogenous mixture to the molding system; and   an outer body outwardly concentric with the inner body, the outer body defining an outer chamber configured to heat the homogenous mixture traveling through the inner chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the auger system further includes an auger rotatably received in the inner chamber and configured to advance the homogenous mixture along a longitudinal length of the auger system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the auger system further comprising one or more vents extending through the outer chamber to fluidly communicate the inner chamber with an outside of the outer body. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the outer chamber is configured to receive a heated fluid to heat the homogenous mixture traveling through the inner chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the outer chamber further comprising a helical baffle located between the outer body and the inner body, the helical baffle is configured to circulate the heated fluid as it travels through the outer chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the outer chamber is separated into a first outer chamber and a second outer chamber, wherein the first outer chamber receives a first heated fluid at a first temperature, and the second outer chamber receives a second heated fluid at a second temperature greater than the first temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of distributing the heated mixture into compartments of the molding system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molding system includes an actuator configured to move the paving blocks out from the molding system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molding system is an extruder configured to produce a continuous paving block, and further comprising the step of cutting the continuous paving block into the paving blocks. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing one or more paving blocks using a mixture, the method comprising the following steps:
 (a) mixing recycled asphalt shingle particles and recycled asphalt pavement particles to produce a homogenous mixture thereof;   (b) transferring the homogenous mixture of step (a) to a molding system using a heated auger and heating the homogenous mixture to a temperature from 200 degrees F. to 425 degrees F. while traveling through the heated auger; and   (c) applying pressure using the molding system to form the paving blocks.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (b) is conducted utilizing an auger system comprising:
 an inner body defining an inner chamber configured to receive the homogenous mixture of step (a) and transport the homogenous mixture to the molding system;   an outer body outwardly concentric with the inner body, the outer body defining an outer chamber configured to heat the homogenous mixture traveling through the inner chamber; and   an auger rotatably received in the inner chamber and configured to advance the homogenous mixture along a longitudinal length of the auger system.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the auger system further comprising one or more vents extending through the outer chamber to fluidly communicate the inner chamber with an outside of the outer body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the outer chamber is configured to receive a heated fluid to heat the homogenous mixture traveling through the inner chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the outer chamber further comprising a helical baffle located between the outer body and the inner body, the helical baffle is configured to circulate the heated fluid as it travels through the outer chamber.