Curing device and curing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a protective device that can be easily installed and dismantled, offers excellent airtightness, and prevents internal gases from leaking to the outside. [Solution] A curing device 1 for curing an unhardened material made of a cement-containing composition, comprising: a frame 2 for forming a space for containing the unhardened material; a sheet 3 covering the upper surface and all sides of the frame 2 for containing the unhardened material; and a sheet containing member 4 for containing the entire lower end of the sheet 3, which has a groove-shaped portion for containing liquid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a curing device and a method for curing an uncured body composed of a cement-containing composition using the curing device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a method for carbonation curing of concrete products, there are methods such as covering the product with a highly airtight curing sheet and fixing the lower part of the curing sheet with weights or the like to prevent gas leakage, or installing a metal curing device provided with a highly airtight opening and closing port, carrying the concrete product into the curing device, and sealing it. For example, in Patent Document 1, a method for carbonation curing of a cement hardened body is described, which comprises covering the cement hardened body with an airtight curing sheet and blowing a gas containing carbon dioxide into the curing sheet to generate calcium carbonate in the cement hardened body and immobilize carbon dioxide.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since a curing device (for example, a carbonation curing device) must be continuously installed even during a period when curing is not performed, there is a problem of taking up space. An object of the present invention is to provide a curing device that can be easily installed and disassembled, has excellent airtightness, and can prevent internal gas from leaking to the outside.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have found that the above objectives can be achieved by a curing device comprising a frame for forming a space for containing an unhardened material made of a cement-containing composition, a sheet covering the upper surface and all sides of the frame for containing the unhardened material, and a sheet containing member for containing the entire lower end of the sheet, which has a groove-shaped portion for containing liquid and the lower end of the sheet, and have completed the present invention. In other words, the present invention provides the following [1] to [7]. [1] A curing device for curing an unhardened material made of a cement-containing composition, comprising: a frame for forming a space for containing the unhardened material; a sheet covering the upper surface and all sides of the frame for containing the unhardened material; and a sheet containing member for containing the entire lower end of the sheet, having a groove-shaped portion for containing liquid and the lower end of the sheet.

[0006] [2] The protective device according to [1], wherein the sheet has a length such that the lower end of the sheet can contact the bottom surface of the groove-shaped portion of the sheet receiving member. [3] The curing device according to [1] or [2], wherein the width of the groove-shaped portion is three times or more the thickness of the sheet. [4] A curing device according to any one of [1] to [3] above, having a dehumidifying means for dehumidifying the space containing the uncured material. [5] A curing apparatus according to any one of the above [1] to [4], having a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature in the containment space of the uncured material. [6] The curing device according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the height of the inner wall of the sheet storage member is greater than the height of the outer wall of the sheet storage material. [7] A method for curing an unhardened body using the curing apparatus described in any of [1] to [6] above, comprising: a liquid containment step of containing liquid in the groove-shaped portion of the sheet containment member; and a sheet immersion step of containing at least the portion of the sheet including the lower end in the groove-shaped portion of the sheet containment member such that the lower end of the sheet is immersed in the liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the curing device of the present invention, it can be easily installed and dismantled, has excellent airtightness, and can prevent internal gases from leaking to the outside. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a top view of the curing device of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the curing device shown in Figure 1, cut vertically at the position of line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the protective device shown in Figure 1, cut vertically at the position indicated by line BB in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the protective device shown in Figure 1, cut vertically at the position of line AA in Figure 1, and showing a state in which a sheet storage member, a bottom sheet, and a bottom plate with different heights for the inner and outer walls are arranged. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The curing apparatus of the present invention is a curing apparatus for curing an unhardened material made of a cement-containing composition, and includes a frame for forming a space for containing the unhardened material, a sheet covering the upper surface and all sides of the frame for containing the unhardened material, and a sheet containing member for containing the entire lower end of the sheet, which has a groove-shaped portion for containing the lower end of the sheet and a liquid. The cement-containing composition is not particularly limited and includes pastes, mortars, concretes, etc., that contain at least cement and water. In this specification, "unhardened material" refers to a cement mixture that has not yet reached the strength required for shipment as a product, and this concept includes, for example, test specimens after demolding. Cement-containing compositions are typically poured into formwork after mixing the constituent materials, and then stored and cured in a storage space within a curing device while still unhardened. Alternatively, the unhardened cement-containing composition after demolding may be stored and cured in a storage space within the curing device. The curing apparatus 1 of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 4 shows a part of a protective device that uses sheet storage members with different heights for the inner and outer walls, and has a bottom sheet and bottom plate installed.

[0010] The frame 2, which forms the containment space for the uncured material, supports the sheet 3, thereby forming the containment space for the uncured material within the substantially internal space of the frame 2. The containment space is a space isolated from the outside, formed by the sheet 3 covering the top surface and all sides of the frame 2, and the bottom surface on which the frame 2 is installed. The frame 2 supports the sheet 3, thereby maintaining the shape of the containment space for the uncured material. Furthermore, because the frame 2 supports the sheet 3, even if the pressure inside the containment space for the uncured material is reduced due to CO2 absorption by the uncured material, the shape of the containment space can be maintained, and contact between the sheet 3 and the uncured material can be prevented. If the sheet 3 comes into contact with the uncured material, it will not only hinder the CO2 absorption of the uncured material but may also cause damage to the sheet 3. The shape of the containment space is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate the uncured material inside, but it is usually a rectangular parallelepiped from the viewpoint of ease of loading and unloading the uncured material and ease of installing the curing device. The frame 2 may support (fix) the sheet 3 using locking members (not shown), and the frame 2 may be assembled to form a rectangular parallelepiped so as to carry the sheet 3, and the frame 2 may be covered by the sheet 3. The entire frame 2 may be covered by the sheet 3, or at least a part of the frame may be positioned outside the sheet 3.

[0011] The sheet 3 forms the upper surface and the entire peripheral surface of the accommodation space formed by the frame body 2. The sheet 3 is usually arranged along the framework constituting the frame body. The sheet 3 is not particularly limited as long as it has airtightness, and a general curing sheet used for curing concrete, such as a synthetic resin sheet like a polyethylene sheet or a synthetic rubber sheet like a polyurethane sheet, can be used. Also, a sheet material with a three-layer structure in which polyvinyl chloride or the like is laminated on both sides of a base fabric such as polyester or nylon, or polyvinyl chloride is coated, such as a tarp, may be used. Since the sheet 3 has flexibility, by lifting the sheet 3 upward, an opening for accommodating and carrying out the uncured body in the curing device 1 can be easily formed. The thickness of the sheet 3 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in airtightness due to damage, etc., it is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1.0 mm or more. Also, from the viewpoint of reducing the mass of the sheet 3 and reducing the labor for installation, etc., it is preferably 20 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less. The sheet 3 preferably has a length such that the lower end of the sheet 3 can contact the bottom surface of the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet housing member 4 (when the groove-shaped portion 4c is covered with the bottom sheet 5, the bottom surface covered with the bottom sheet 5). If the sheet 3 has the above length, even when the position of the lower end of the sheet 3 moves up and down in the vertical direction due to the shrinkage caused by the decompression of the accommodation space or the expansion caused by the pressurization, it is less likely that the lower end of the sheet 3 will be located above the liquid level of the liquid 8 accommodated in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet housing member 4, so the airtightness within the accommodation space can be maintained. For the purpose of stabilizing the state where the lower end of the sheet 3 is located below the liquid level of the liquid accommodated in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet housing member 4, a weight may be disposed at the lower end of the sheet 3. The weight may be, for example, a rod-shaped weight disposed along the edge portion of the lower end of the sheet 3, or a plurality of weights may be disposed at the lower end of the sheet 3 at regular intervals.

[0012] The sheet accommodating member 4 has a groove-shaped portion 4c for accommodating the lower end of the sheet 3 and the liquid 8, and is for accommodating the entire lower end of the sheet 3. The sheet accommodating member 4 is disposed so as to surround the bottom surface of the accommodating space of the uncured body. The groove-shaped portion 4c (recess) of the sheet accommodating member 4 may have any shape that can accommodate the vertical lower end (edge portion) of the sheet 3 forming the accommodating space. The height of the outer wall 4b (the portion located outside the accommodating space formed by the sheet 3) and the inner wall 4a (the portion located inside the accommodating space formed by the sheet 3) of the sheet accommodating member 4 may be the same, but from the viewpoint of preventing the liquid accommodated in the groove-shaped portion 4c from flowing into the accommodating space side, it is preferable that the inner wall 4a is higher than the outer wall 4b. More specifically described, the curing device of the present invention is a device that can be used outdoors, but when used outdoors, it may be installed in a place where the installation surface is not necessarily horizontal. Also, outdoors, due to the influence of wind, the sheet 3 may sway and the liquid level in the groove-shaped portion 4c may fluctuate. Therefore, also for the purpose of preventing the accommodated liquid 8 from flowing into the accommodating space side due to the fluctuation of the liquid level caused by these, it is desirable to make the height of the inner wall 4a preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more greater than the height of the outer wall 4b. Although the curing device 1 may be installed in a place where the installation surface is not horizontal, it is difficult to assume that the curing device 1 is installed on an installation surface having an inclination such that the liquid 8 flows into the accommodating space side beyond the inner wall 4a that is 10% or more higher than the height of the outer wall 4b during normal times (when there is no wind). Regarding the fluctuation of the liquid level in the groove-shaped portion 4c due to the influence of wind, if the height of the inner wall 4a is 10% or more greater than the height of the outer wall 4b, it is also possible to cope with the influence of the liquid level fluctuation caused by a temporary gust of wind or the like. Also, on the outer wall 4b side, a drain port for discharging the liquid exceeding the desired liquid level to the outside may be provided at a position lower than the height of the inner wall 4a.

[0013] The width of the groove-shaped portion 4c is preferably 3 times or more, more preferably 5 times or more, and particularly preferably 10 times or more, the thickness of the sheet 3, from the viewpoint of facilitating the accommodation of the lower end of the sheet 3 and maintaining the state in which the lower end of the sheet 3 is accommodated in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet accommodation member 4 even when the sheet 3 moves horizontally due to contraction due to depressurization or expansion due to pressurization of the accommodation space. The above width is preferably 50 times or less, more preferably 30 times or less, and particularly preferably 20 times or less, the thickness of the sheet 3, from the viewpoint of preventing the humidity inside the curing device from increasing due to the evaporation of the liquid contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c and providing a larger space for accommodating the uncured material.

[0014] The width of the groove-shaped portion 4c is preferably 2 cm or more, more preferably 3 cm or more, even more preferably 5 cm or more, and particularly preferably 10 cm or more, from the viewpoint that even if the sheet 3 moves horizontally due to contraction due to depressurization or expansion due to pressurization of the containment space, the lower end of the sheet 3 will remain contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet containment member 4, and even if a weight is placed at the lower end of the sheet 3, the lower end of the sheet 3 will remain contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet containment member 4. The width is preferably 50 cm or less, more preferably 40 cm or less, even more preferably 30 cm or less, and particularly preferably 20 cm or less, from the viewpoint that the humidity inside the curing device will not increase due to the evaporation of the liquid contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c, and that the containment space for the uncured material will be wider.

[0015] To seal the containment space of the curing device 1, liquid is contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet containment member 4. The liquid is not particularly limited as long as it is fluid, but from the viewpoint of ease of availability, etc., it is usually water. The depth of the liquid contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet storage member 4 (the depth from the liquid surface to the bottom surface of the groove-shaped portion 4c) is preferably 5 to 25 cm, more preferably 10 to 20 cm. If the water depth is 5 cm or more, it is easier to maintain the lower end of the sheet 3 below the liquid surface. If the water depth is 25 cm or less, the height of the sheet storage member 4 becomes too large, which could lead to a decrease in work efficiency during storage and unloading, such as the possibility of the uncured material transport means (e.g., a forklift) colliding with the sheet storage member when storing and unloading the uncured material into and out of the storage space of the curing device 1.

[0016] The height from the upper surface of the sheet storage member 4 (or the lower upper surface if the heights of the inner wall 4a and outer wall 4b of the sheet storage member 4 are different) to the water level of the liquid stored in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet storage member 4 is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 8 cm or more. If the above height is 5 cm or more, it is possible to prevent the liquid stored in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet storage member 4 from overflowing to the outside or into the storage space when the liquid level rises due to the lower end of the sheet 3 being immersed in the liquid, or when the sheet storage member 4 is installed on a surface that is not horizontal. The thickness of the bottom of the sheet storage member 4 (the thickness from the bottom surface of the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet storage member 4 to the bottom surface of the sheet storage member 4) is preferably 1 to 5 cm, more preferably 2 to 4 cm. If the above thickness is 1 cm or more, the durability of the sheet storage member 4 is improved. If the above thickness is 5 cm or less, the mass of the sheet storage member 4 can be reduced, and the decrease in workability during storage and unloading of the uncured material due to the large height of the sheet storage member 4 can be prevented.

[0017] The height of the sheet storage member 4 (the height from the top surface of the sheet storage member 4 to the bottom of the sheet storage member 4) is preferably 10 to 50 cm, more preferably 15 to 40 cm. If the height is 10 cm or more, the lower end of the sheet 3 can be accommodated more securely. If the height is 50 cm or less, a decrease in workability during the storage and removal of the uncured material due to the large height of the sheet storage member 4 can be prevented. The material of the sheet storage member 4 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a material that has a certain degree of strength and a mass sufficient to allow the sheet storage member 4 to stand on its own. Examples include wood, metal, and heat-resistant plastic.

[0018] From the viewpoint of further sealing the storage space, a bottom sheet 5 that forms the bottom surface of the storage space may be provided. For example, in Figure 4, sheet 3 forms the top surface and the entire perimeter surface of the storage space, and at least a portion of the bottom sheet 5 forms the bottom surface of the storage space. The bottom sheet 5 is arranged to cover the surface of the grooved portion of the sheet storage member 4. The grooved portion 4c of the sheet storage member 4 contains liquid 8, but the liquid 8 is contained above the bottom sheet 5 that covers the sheet storage member 4. A bottom plate 6 may be provided in the area enclosed by the sheet storage member 4, at the bottom of the storage space and on top of the bottom sheet 5. By providing the bottom plate 6, damage to the bottom sheet 5 caused by placing the uncured material directly on the bottom sheet 5 can be prevented. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the workability of storing the uncured material in the storage space using transport means such as forklifts, shelves 9 for placing the uncured material may be provided within the storage space. The bottom sheet 5 can be made of the same material as sheet 3 described above.

[0019] The curing device 1 may have a dehumidifying means (not shown) for dehumidifying the space containing the uncured material. Because the curing device 1 has a highly airtight structure, if the humidity inside the curing device 1 rises due to the evaporation of the liquid 8 contained in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet containment member 4, the humidity can be adjusted using the dehumidifying means. The curing device 1 may have temperature control means (not shown) for adjusting the temperature inside the uncured material containment space. Since the curing device 1 is structured to be less susceptible to heat supply from the outside, temperature control means such as a heater may be provided as needed to adjust the temperature inside the curing device 1.

[0020] The curing device 1 may have an air supply means 7 to supply gas into the containment space from the outside. The air supply means 7 is usually located below the curing device 1. For example, in Figure 4, the air supply means 7 has a recessed shape that matches the shape of the grooved portion of the sheet containment member 4. Furthermore, a portion of the air supply means 7 passes through the liquid 8 contained in the grooved portion of the sheet containment member 4 and is located below the lower end of the sheet 3 so as not to affect the airtightness of the containment space. The curing device 1 may have an exhaust means (not shown) for exhausting gas from the containment space. The exhaust means is usually located at the top of the curing device. Depending on the type of curing method, the supply and exhaust of gases within the containment space can be performed using supply and exhaust means. Curing methods for uncured material using curing device 1 include humid air curing, steam curing, and carbonation curing. Each component of the protective covering device 1 is independent and not fixed in place. Therefore, each component can be transported and installed at the desired location. Furthermore, after protective covering has been applied, each component can be easily disassembled and removed. Furthermore, the liquid contained in the groove-shaped portion of the sheet storage member 4 can be prepared at the installation site and can be easily removed after curing, thus the curing device 1 of the present invention can be easily installed and dismantled.

[0021] An example of a method for curing an unhardened material made of a cement-containing composition using the curing device 1 is a method that includes a liquid containment step of containing liquid in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet containment member 4, and a sheet immersion step of containing at least the portion of the sheet 3 including its lower end in the groove-shaped portion 4c of the sheet containment member 4 so that the lower end of the sheet 3 is immersed in the liquid. A containment step may be provided before or after the sheet immersion step, in which the unhardened material consisting of the cement-containing composition is contained within the containment space. By lifting the sheet 3, an opening is formed in the curing device 1, and the unhardened material can be contained within the containment space through this opening. Furthermore, a curing step is provided after the sheet immersion step to allow the uncured material to cure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0022] 1 Curing device 2 frame 3 sheets 4 Sheet storage member 4a inner wall 4b Exterior wall 4c grooved part 5. Bottom sheet 6 Bottom plate 7. Air supply means 8 liquid 9. Shelf for holding uncured material

Claims

1. A curing apparatus for curing an unhardened material made of a cement-containing composition, A frame for forming a containment space for the unhardened material, A sheet covering the top surface and all sides of the above frame to contain the uncured material, A sheet receiving member for receiving the entire lower end of the sheet, having the lower end of the sheet and a groove-shaped portion for receiving liquid, A curing device characterized by including the following.

2. The protective device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a length such that the lower end of the sheet can contact the bottom surface of the groove-shaped portion of the sheet receiving member.

3. The curing device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the groove-shaped portion is three times or more the thickness of the sheet.

4. The curing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a dehumidifying means for dehumidifying the containment space of the uncured material.

5. The curing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature within the containment space of the uncured material.

6. The curing device according to claim 1, wherein the height of the inner wall of the sheet storage member is greater than the height of the outer wall of the sheet storage material.

7. A method for curing the uncured material using the curing apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 6, A liquid storage step in which liquid is stored in the groove-shaped portion of the sheet storage member, A sheet immersion step in which at least the portion of the sheet including its lower end is placed in the groove-shaped portion of the sheet receiving member so that the lower end of the sheet is immersed in the liquid, A method for curing an unhardened material comprising a cement-containing composition containing the above.

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