Concrete Coating Machine Pneumatic Atomization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating concrete infrastructure like sewerage pipes and manholes are inefficient due to high costs, lack of adhesion, and irregular application of resins, which fail to provide lasting protection against environmental aggressors and chemical attacks.
Innovation Solution
A machine using air jets and plungers to atomize and mix a two-component epoxy resin with microspheres at low pressure, ensuring precise application and adhesion, and incorporating a solvent system for easy cleaning, allowing for continuous dosing and mixing of the resin during application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-pressure pumps are used to expel and atomize the resin, then the resin can be sprayed onto the concrete surface, but the adhesion and uniformity of the resin coating deteriorates due to violent spraying that draws air and causes resin to bounce off pores
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional high-pressure pump mechanical system with a pneumatic system using compressed air jets for atomization and a plunger mechanism for resin expulsion. This substitution eliminates the violent high-pressure spraying that causes air entrapment and resin bouncing, while maintaining effective coating application through controlled low-pressure delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes compressed air jets to atomize the resin and a plunger mechanism driven by pneumatic pressure to expel the resin from the dosing tank. This pneumatic system provides controlled, gentle pressure (around 10 atmospheres) that ensures uniform resin delivery and proper penetration into concrete pores without causing the coating defects associated with high-pressure mechanical pumping
2Speed
If high-pressure spraying (200-300 atmospheres) is used to apply resin, then the resin can reach the concrete surface quickly, but the resin fails to adhere properly and resist chemicals due to air entrapment and bouncing off pores
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-pressure mechanical pump system with a pneumatic plunger and air jet system that delivers resin at much lower pressure (10 atmospheres). This substitution maintains application speed through efficient low-pressure atomization while eliminating the harmful effects of high-pressure spraying that cause air entrapment and poor adhesion
Solution Approach 2:
The invention fundamentally changes the pressure parameter from 200-300 atmospheres to approximately 10 atmospheres. This parameter change transforms the spraying mechanism from violent high-pressure injection to gentle controlled atomization, allowing resin to properly penetrate and adhere to concrete pores while maintaining effective coating application
3Reliability
If expensive ad hoc equipment is used for producing coatings, then protective coatings can be applied to concrete, but the production cost increases and economic feasibility is limited to certain sale orders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dosing tank system that divides the resin into two separate components stored in individual tanks, which are then mixed in precise proportions during application. This segmentation allows for precise dosing control and eliminates the need for expensive centralized coating production equipment, making the system economically viable for various order sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the concrete article itself as the mixing chamber, with the two resin components being mixed in-situ during the spraying process rather than requiring separate mixing equipment. This self-service approach eliminates the need for expensive ad hoc coating production equipment and makes the process economically feasible for diverse application scenarios
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine provides a uniform, long-lasting coating with improved adhesion and resistance to chemicals, reducing production costs and maintaining the integrity of the concrete surface without altering the production process.
Implementation Method 1
it uses jets of air to atomize the resin and plungers to expel it, so the machine can apply a low pressure to the resin during the dosing and the mixing
Implementation Method 2
The effect is, during spraying of the resin, of bombarding the air bubbles formed on the porosity of the concrete, obtaining a well-uniform layer of resin
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A machine is described for coating concrete articles (T), in particular tubes or manholes, with a two-component epoxy resin. It comprises a storage tank (10, 12) for each component of the resin, a piston (50, 52) for (i) sucking a quantity of a component from each tank inside a relative dosing tank (26, 28) and (ii) pumping the sucked quantity into a static mixer (80) connected downstream the dosing tanks, a spraying head (H) located downstream the static mixer and equipped with jets of compressed air (84) adapted - in use - to atomize the resin out of the spraying head. The machine has the advantage of working at low pressure and can exploit resins with microspheres inside.