Automatic concrete curing device and method
By using a level controller to automatically control the water pump and solenoid valve, automatic spray curing of concrete is achieved, which solves the problems of instability and high strength of manual curing, improves efficiency and quality, and saves resources.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ENG CO LTD OF CREC SHANGHAI GRP
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-02
Smart Images

Figure CN2025113444_02072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
An automatic concrete curing device and method Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of concrete curing technology, and in particular to an automatic concrete curing device and method. Background Technology
[0002] After concrete is poured, in hot or dry weather, the moisture in the concrete may evaporate too quickly, leading to dehydration. Cement particles that have already formed a gel cannot fully hydrate under dehydration conditions, failing to transform into stable crystals and lacking sufficient binding force. This results in flaking or powdering on the concrete surface. Furthermore, premature moisture evaporation before the concrete has reached sufficient strength can cause significant shrinkage deformation, leading to drying shrinkage cracks.
[0003] Therefore, curing in the initial stage after concrete pouring is crucial, and curing should begin immediately after the concrete has set. Commonly used curing methods include natural curing, steam curing, wet and dry heat curing, autoclaving, electric heating curing, infrared curing, and solar curing.
[0004] Construction sites commonly employ natural curing, using manual watering to keep the concrete surface moist, thus ensuring smooth cement hardening. Manual curing of concrete offers advantages such as high flexibility, adaptability, low cost, and simple maintenance. However, it is also affected by various factors, including the skill level of the curing personnel, their work ethic, and weather conditions, resulting in inconsistent curing effectiveness and difficulty in guaranteeing the quality and strength of the concrete. Furthermore, manual curing requires personnel to perform watering and covering tasks for extended periods, leading to high labor intensity, low efficiency, and difficulty in ensuring comprehensive curing. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic concrete curing device and method. Addressing the problems of unstable curing effects, high labor intensity, low efficiency, and difficulty in ensuring comprehensive curing in current manual concrete curing methods, this invention automates the curing of concrete by incorporating a level controller to control the motor unit of the water pump and the solenoid valve of the inlet pipe. This saves labor costs. The control logic is simple and effective, ensuring concrete curing quality while conserving water and electricity, resulting in high efficiency and facilitating large-scale application to guarantee comprehensive concrete curing.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides an automatic concrete curing device, comprising:
[0007] A spraying mechanism, used for spraying concrete requiring curing; and
[0008] A water supply mechanism, used to supply water to the sprinkler system, includes:
[0009] A water bucket, the water bucket being used for storing water;
[0010] A water inlet pipe is connected to the water tank for supplying water to the water tank. A water inlet solenoid valve is installed in the water inlet pipe for controlling the opening and closing of the water inlet pipe.
[0011] A water pump, connected to the water tank and the spray mechanism, is used to draw water from the water tank and supply it to the spray mechanism; and
[0012] A level controller is provided, which is used to detect the water level in the water tank and is connected to the water pump and the water inlet solenoid valve. When the level controller detects that the water level is lower than a first preset water level, it controls the water pump to stop working; when the level controller detects that the water level is higher than a second preset water level, it closes the water inlet solenoid valve, wherein the second preset water level is higher than the first preset water level.
[0013] Optionally, the capacity of the water tank is 5-10 tons.
[0014] Optionally, the first preset water level is 1 / 10 of the water level when the bucket is full.
[0015] Optionally, the second preset water level is 9 / 10 of the water level when the bucket is full.
[0016] Optionally, the water pump is provided with a base at its bottom, and the base is provided with a spring shock absorber.
[0017] Optionally, the spraying mechanism includes a first water distribution pipe, a second water distribution pipe, a first water outlet pipe, and a second water outlet pipe;
[0018] The first water distribution pipe is connected to the water pump, and the first water distribution pipe is connected to at least one first water outlet pipe; each first water outlet pipe is equipped with at least one nozzle for spraying concrete that needs to be cured.
[0019] The second water distribution pipe is connected to the water pump, and the second water distribution pipe is connected to at least one second water outlet pipe; each second water outlet pipe is equipped with at least one nozzle for spraying the concrete that needs curing.
[0020] Optionally, a first outlet solenoid valve is provided between the first water distribution pipe and the water pump to control the opening and closing of the first water distribution pipe;
[0021] A second outlet solenoid valve is provided between the second water distribution pipe and the water pump to control the opening and closing of the second water distribution pipe.
[0022] Optionally, the nozzle is configured as a spray nozzle with a spray diameter of 2-7 meters.
[0023] Optionally, one end of the first water outlet pipe is connected to the first water distribution pipe, and the other end is detachably provided with a plug;
[0024] One end of the second water outlet pipe is connected to the second water distribution pipe, and the other end is detachably equipped with the plug;
[0025] The plug is used to seal the first water outlet pipe and the second water outlet pipe.
[0026] The second aspect of the present invention provides an automatic concrete curing method for use with an automatic concrete curing device as described in any one of the first aspects above, comprising: opening the water inlet solenoid valve, controlling the water pump to start working, supplying water to the spraying mechanism, so as to spray the concrete to be cured;
[0027] When the level controller detects that the water level is lower than the first preset water level, it controls the water pump to stop working.
[0028] When the level controller detects that the water level is higher than the second preset water level, the inlet solenoid valve is closed.
[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following technical effects:
[0030] By setting up a liquid level controller, the motor unit of the water pump and the solenoid valve of the inlet pipe are automatically controlled, thereby achieving automatic curing of concrete and saving labor costs. The control logic is simple and effective, ensuring the quality of concrete curing while saving water and electricity, with high efficiency, and is suitable for large-scale use to ensure comprehensive curing of concrete. The automatic concrete curing device provided by this invention has a simple structure, effectively saves human resources, and is rationally designed and highly practical. Attached Figure Description
[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are one embodiment of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort:
[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the water supply mechanism of an automatic concrete curing device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the spraying mechanism of an automatic concrete curing device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0035] 10: Water supply organizations
[0036] 11: Bucket
[0037] 12: Water inlet pipe
[0038] 13: Inlet solenoid valve
[0039] 14: Water pump
[0040] 15: Base
[0041] 16: Liquid level controller
[0042] 17: First connecting pipe
[0043] 18: Second connecting pipe
[0044] 20: Spraying mechanism
[0045] 21: First water distribution pipe
[0046] 22: Second water distribution pipe
[0047] 23: First water outlet pipe
[0048] 24: Second water outlet pipe
[0049] 25: First outlet solenoid valve
[0050] 26: Second outlet solenoid valve
[0051] 27: Sprayer Head
[0052] 28: End cap Detailed Implementation
[0053] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the automatic concrete curing device and method proposed in this invention. The advantages and features of this invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, used only to facilitate and clearly illustrate the embodiments of this invention. Please refer to the drawings to make the objectives, features, and advantages of this invention more apparent and understandable. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives achieved by this invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention.
[0054] This embodiment provides an automatic concrete curing device, including a spraying mechanism 20 and a water supply mechanism 10. The spraying mechanism 20 is used to spray the concrete requiring curing, and the water supply mechanism 10 is used to supply water to the spraying mechanism 20.
[0055] As shown in Figure 1, the water supply mechanism 10 includes a water tank 11, a water inlet pipe 12, a water pump 14, and a level controller 16. The water tank 11 is used for storing water. The water inlet pipe 12 is connected to the water tank 11 and supplies water to it. An inlet solenoid valve 13 is installed inside the inlet pipe 12 to control its opening and closing. The water pump 14 is connected to the water tank 11 and the spray mechanism 20, and draws water from the water tank 11 and sends it to the spray mechanism 20. The level controller 16 detects the water level in the water tank 11 and is connected to the water pump 14 and the inlet solenoid valve 13. When the level controller 16 detects that the water level is lower than a first preset level, it controls the water pump 14 to stop working; when the level controller 16 detects that the water level is higher than a second preset level, it closes the inlet solenoid valve 13. The second preset level is higher than the first preset level.
[0056] Specifically, the capacity of the water tank 11 can be, for example, 5-10 tons. The water inlet pipe 12 is, for example, a DN50 PVC pipe with a length of, for example, 40 meters. The water inlet solenoid valve 13 is, for example, a two-position three-way solenoid valve with a rated voltage of 24V and a rated power of 2.8W, and the water inlet solenoid valve 13 uses, for example, an RVV3*1.5 cable. The water pump 14 is, for example, an 80ZX40-22 self-priming pump with a rated power of 5.5KW. The automatic concrete curing device and the power supply are connected, for example, via a YJV-5*4 cable, the length of which can be adjusted according to the site location, for example, up to 100 meters.
[0057] The water tank 11 and the water pump 14 can be connected by a first connecting pipe 17, which is, for example, a DN80 PVC pipe with a length of 2 meters. The water pump 14 and the spraying mechanism 20 can be connected by a second connecting pipe 18, which is, for example, a DN65 PVC pipe with a length of 70 meters.
[0058] The level controller 16 can be a rod-type level gauge, or more specifically, a guided wave radar level gauge, a hydrostatic level gauge, a magnetostrictive level gauge, or a float level gauge. The level controller 16 can measure the water level information in the water tank 11 and feed it back to the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the motor of the water pump 14. The level controller 16 can, for example, be electrically connected to the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the water pump 14. Alternatively, the level controller 16 can be equipped with a wireless transmitter, and the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the water pump 14 can be equipped with wireless receivers, so that the level controller 16 can wirelessly feed back the water level information to the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the water pump 14.
[0059] The level controller 16 can control the water pump 14 to stop working when it detects that the water level is lower than the first preset water level, that is, control the motor of the water pump 14 to stop working; the level controller 16 can also close the inlet solenoid valve 13 when it detects that the water level is higher than the second preset water level. Correspondingly, the level controller 16 can also control the water pump 14 to restart working when it detects that the water level is higher than the first preset water level, that is, control the motor of the water pump 14 to restart working; the level controller 16 can also reopen the inlet solenoid valve 13 when it detects that the water level is lower than the second preset water level. Specifically, the first preset water level can be 1 / 10 of the water level when the water tank 11 is full, and the second preset water level can be 9 / 10 of the water level when the water tank 11 is full.
[0060] The water pump 14 has a base 15 at its bottom, which is made of, for example, 10# channel steel. The base 15 may be equipped with a spring vibration damper, which uses its elastic element (such as a spring) to absorb and isolate vibrations generated during equipment operation, effectively attenuating vibration energy and preventing excessive vibration amplification, thereby effectively reducing solid-borne noise. The base 15 effectively reduces vibration and improves the stability of the water pump 14 during operation. The water pump 14 may also include a control box. When the motor of the water pump 14 fails, the control box automatically performs power-off protection to ensure the safe operation of the automatic concrete curing device.
[0061] As shown in Figure 2, the spraying mechanism 20 includes a first water distribution pipe 21, a second water distribution pipe 22, a first water outlet pipe 23, and a second water outlet pipe 24. The first water distribution pipe 21 is connected to the water pump 14, for example, via the second connecting pipe 18. The first water distribution pipe 21 is also connected to at least one of the first water outlet pipes 23, and each first water outlet pipe 23 is equipped with at least one nozzle 27 for spraying the concrete that needs curing. The second water distribution pipe 22 is connected to the water pump 14, for example, via the second connecting pipe 18. The second water distribution pipe 22 is also connected to at least one of the second water outlet pipes 24. Each second water outlet pipe 24 is equipped with at least one nozzle 27 for spraying the concrete that needs curing.
[0062] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the first water distribution pipe 21 is connected to, for example, five first water outlet pipes 23 simultaneously, and eight nozzles 27 can be evenly arranged on the first water outlet pipes 23. The second water distribution pipe 22 is connected to, for example, five second water outlet pipes 24 simultaneously, and eight nozzles 27 can be evenly arranged on the second water outlet pipes 24. The total number of nozzles 27 can be, for example, 80. The number of the first water outlet pipes 23, the second water outlet pipes 24, and the nozzles 27 can all be adaptively adjusted as needed, and the present invention does not impose any limitations on this.
[0063] The nozzle 27 can be configured as a 4-point spray nozzle with a spray diameter of 2-7 meters. Through the efficient atomization effect of the nozzle 27, large-area coverage and efficient cooling and humidification effects can be achieved. Since manual curing is difficult to achieve complete coverage and uniform curing for large concrete structures or complex-shaped structural components, it may lead to insufficient curing in some areas. Therefore, this embodiment uses multiple first water outlet pipes 23 and second water outlet pipes 24, and evenly distributes multiple nozzles 27 on each of the first water outlet pipes 23 and second water outlet pipes 24, enabling uniform and effective curing of large areas of concrete.
[0064] The first water outlet pipe 23 and the second water outlet pipe 24 are, for example, DN80 PVC pipes, and their total length is, for example, 500 meters. A first water outlet solenoid valve 25 is provided between the first water distribution pipe 21 and the water pump 14 to control the opening and closing of the first water distribution pipe 21. Correspondingly, a second water outlet solenoid valve 26 is provided between the second water distribution pipe 22 and the water pump 14 to control the opening and closing of the second water distribution pipe 22. The first water outlet solenoid valve 25 and the second water outlet solenoid valve 26 are, for example, two-position three-way solenoid valves with a rated voltage of 24V and a rated power of 2.8W. The water inlet solenoid valve 13 uses, for example, an RVV3*1.5 cable. The first water outlet solenoid valve 25 and the second water outlet solenoid valve 26 can be configured to control the start and stop of water output from the sprinkler heads 27 in different areas at different times.
[0065] The first outlet pipe 23 is connected at one end to the first branch pipe 21, and the other end is detachably equipped with a plug 28; the second outlet pipe 24 is connected at one end to the second branch pipe 22, and the other end is detachably equipped with the plug 28; the plug 28 is used to seal the first outlet pipe 23 and the second outlet pipe 24. The plug 28 is made of, for example, rubber, and can be installed and removed manually. The plug 28 can tightly seal the pipe openings, prevent liquid leakage, and ensure the airtightness of the pipeline system.
[0066] Based on the aforementioned automatic concrete curing device, this embodiment also provides an automatic concrete curing method, comprising: opening the inlet solenoid valve 13 to control the water pump 14 to start working, supplying water to the spraying mechanism 20 for spraying the concrete to be cured. When the level controller 16 detects that the water level is lower than the first preset water level, it controls the water pump 14 to stop working; when the level controller 16 detects that the water level is higher than the second preset water level, it closes the inlet solenoid valve 13.
[0067] Correspondingly, the automatic concrete curing method may further include: when the water level is detected by the level controller 16 to be higher than the first preset water level, controlling the water pump 14 to start working again; when the water level is detected by the level controller 16 to be lower than the second preset water level, reopening the water inlet solenoid valve 13.
[0068] Based on the structure of the spraying mechanism 20, the curing of concrete can be carried out, for example, through the following steps:
[0069] Step S1: Open the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the first outlet solenoid valve 25, close the second outlet solenoid valve 26, and control the water pump 14 to start working to cure the concrete covered by the nozzle 27 set on the first outlet pipe 23. For example, the concrete of the five corridors corresponding to the five first outlet pipes 23 set at the top in Figure 2 can be cured.
[0070] Step S2: After the maintenance time reaches the first preset duration, control the water pump 14 to stop working and close the first outlet solenoid valve 25, and wait for a period of time.
[0071] Step S3: After the waiting time reaches the second preset duration, open the second water outlet solenoid valve 26 and control the water pump 14 to start working to cure the concrete covered by the nozzle 27 installed on the second water outlet pipe 24.
[0072] Step S4: After the maintenance time reaches the first preset duration, control the water pump 14 to stop working, close the second water outlet solenoid valve 26, and wait for a period of time;
[0073] Step S5: After the waiting time reaches the second preset time, open the first water outlet solenoid valve 25 and control the water pump 14 to start working to cure the concrete covered by the nozzle 27 set on the first water outlet pipe 23. For example, the concrete of the five corridors corresponding to the five second water outlet pipes 24 set at the bottom in Figure 2 can be cured.
[0074] Step S6: Repeat steps S2-S5 continuously until the concrete is properly cured. During this process, the inlet solenoid valve 13 can be kept normally open. Alternatively, the level controller 16 can be used to control the opening and closing of the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the operating status of the water pump 14 based on the water level in the bucket 11. For example, the curing process can begin when the water level in the bucket 11 is between the first preset water level and the second preset water level.
[0075] The first and second preset durations can be adaptively set according to curing conditions and needs. For example, the first preset duration can be 5-10 minutes; the second preset duration can also be 5-10 minutes. Since manual curing makes it difficult to precisely control parameters such as temperature, humidity, and time during the curing process, it may lead to insufficient or excessive curing of the concrete. Therefore, this embodiment achieves precise control of the curing effect by setting the first and second preset durations to sequentially cure concrete in different areas.
[0076] It is understandable that in step S1, the inlet solenoid valve 13 and the second outlet solenoid valve 26 can be opened first, the first outlet solenoid valve 25 can be closed, and the water pump 14 can be controlled to start working, thereby first curing the concrete covered by the nozzle 27 installed on the second outlet pipe 24. Steps S2-S5 can then be adjusted accordingly.
[0077] This invention automates the curing of concrete by setting up a liquid level controller to control the motor unit of the water pump and the solenoid valve of the inlet pipe, thereby saving labor costs. The control logic is simple and effective, ensuring the quality of concrete curing while saving water and electricity, resulting in high efficiency and facilitating large-scale application to guarantee comprehensive concrete curing. The automatic concrete curing device provided by this invention has a simple structure, effectively saves human resources, is rationally designed and highly practical, and represents a significant improvement over existing technologies.
[0078] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0079] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "height," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.
[0080] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.
[0081] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0082] Although the present invention has been described in detail through the preferred embodiments above, it should be understood that the above description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention. Various modifications and substitutions to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An automatic concrete curing apparatus characterized by comprising: include: A spraying mechanism, which is used to spray concrete that needs curing; and A water supply mechanism, used to supply water to the sprinkler system, includes: A water bucket, the water bucket being used for storing water; A water inlet pipe is connected to the water tank for supplying water to the water tank. A water inlet solenoid valve is installed in the water inlet pipe for controlling the opening and closing of the water inlet pipe. A water pump, connected to the water tank and the spray mechanism, is used to draw water from the water tank and supply it to the spray mechanism; and A level controller is provided, which is used to detect the water level in the water tank and is connected to the water pump and the water inlet solenoid valve. When the level controller detects that the water level is lower than a first preset water level, it controls the water pump to stop working; when the level controller detects that the water level is higher than a second preset water level, it closes the water inlet solenoid valve, wherein the second preset water level is higher than the first preset water level.
2. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The capacity of the water bucket is 5-10 tons.
3. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The first preset water level is 1 / 10 of the water level when the bucket is full.
4. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The second preset water level is 9 / 10 of the water level when the bucket is full.
5. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by The water pump is equipped with a base at its bottom, and the base is equipped with a spring shock absorber.
6. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized by The spraying mechanism includes a first water distribution pipe, a second water distribution pipe, a first water outlet pipe, and a second water outlet pipe; The first water distribution pipe is connected to the water pump, and the first water distribution pipe is connected to at least one first water outlet pipe; each first water outlet pipe is equipped with at least one nozzle for spraying concrete that needs to be cured. The second water distribution pipe is connected to the water pump, and the second water distribution pipe is connected to at least one second water outlet pipe; each second water outlet pipe is equipped with at least one nozzle for spraying the concrete that needs curing.
7. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by A first outlet solenoid valve is provided between the first water distribution pipe and the water pump to control the opening and closing of the first water distribution pipe; A second outlet solenoid valve is provided between the second water distribution pipe and the water pump to control the opening and closing of the second water distribution pipe.
8. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by The nozzle is a spray nozzle with a spray diameter of 2-7 meters.
9. The concrete automatic curing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by One end of the first outlet pipe is connected to the first branch pipe, and the other end is detachably equipped with a plug; One end of the second water outlet pipe is connected to the second water distribution pipe, and the other end is detachably equipped with the plug; The plug is used to seal the first water outlet pipe and the second water outlet pipe.
10. A method for automatic curing of concrete, for use in the automatic curing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: Open the water inlet solenoid valve to control the water pump to start working and supply water to the spraying mechanism to spray the concrete that needs to be cured. When the level controller detects that the water level is lower than the first preset water level, it controls the water pump to stop working. When the level controller detects that the water level is higher than the second preset water level, the inlet solenoid valve is closed.