Concrete Composite Pallet with Foam Core and CO2 Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional wood pallets are prone to breaking, splintering, and harboring invasive insects and plant diseases, making them undesirable for international shipments, while alternative materials like steel and plastic are expensive and have handling issues.
Innovation Solution
A composite pallet made of concrete, which is durable, inexpensive, and can be heat-treated or fumigated, featuring fiber-reinforced concrete, engineered cementitious composite, and microspheres to enhance strength and weight, with optional features like polystyrene foam cores and embedded mesh for reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wood pallets are used, then cost is low and ease of manufacture is good, but durability is poor and they harbor invasive insects and plant diseases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining concrete with reinforcement elements (rebar, wire mesh, fibers) to create a pallet that achieves the durability of metal while maintaining ease of manufacture through form-in-place reinforcement. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by providing both structural integrity and manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If metal pallets are used, then durability is improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using form-in-place reinforcement that is positioned only where structurally necessary within the concrete matrix. This allows the pallet to achieve metal-like durability in critical areas while maintaining overall lightweight characteristics comparable to wood pallets.
3Reliability
If plastic pallets are used, then durability is improved, but flammability increases and damage resistance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the material parameter from organic/plastic to inorganic concrete, which inherently provides non-flammability and superior damage resistance. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by eliminating the harmful flammability property while maintaining high durability through the concrete's inherent strength and toughness.
4Reliability
If concrete pallets are used, then durability is improved and flammability is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding the reinforcement elements (rebar, wire mesh, fibers) into the concrete mixture before casting. This form-in-place approach eliminates the need for separate reinforcement installation steps, reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving the durability benefits of reinforced concrete structures.
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 concrete pallets are durable, cost-effective, and non-flammable, reducing the risk of fire and insect-borne diseases, with weight and cost comparable to traditional wood pallets, and can be easily adapted to existing handling equipment.
Implementation Method 1
The resulting pallet can be cured using carbon dioxide (CO2) curing which reduces the cure time to about an hour or less
Data Source
AI summary
A composite pallet is made of concrete. The concrete material can include various concrete mixtures, such as Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) or an Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC). It also can include microspheres. The concrete material can be cast in a mold or formed via an extrusion process and then cured. The pallet components can include a core material that can form various voids or cavities. The core material can include polystyrene foam, and the foam forms a honeycomb, which is then filled with the concrete material. The concrete material can also be dyed to create different colors to identify the pallets. The pallets can further include plastic and/or rubber bumpers on the corners and/or edges to prevent or minimize chipping. The resulting pallet can be cured using carbon dioxide (CO2) curing which reduces the cure time to about an hour or less.