Concrete Pump Flow Compensator for Automated Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Piston concrete pumps experience abrupt cyclical flow fluctuations due to switching cylinders, which disrupt continuous flow rates, making automated concrete placement challenging, especially in applications like additive manufacturing and shotcrete, where pulsations weaken the concrete and cause vibrational issues in boom systems.
Innovation Solution
A compensator device is integrated into the concrete pump line to absorb and discharge concrete at optimal rates, using a combination of passive and active control systems to stabilize flow rates, featuring a wye junction and spring-damping mechanisms that compensate for pressure and flow variations, ensuring consistent output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a piston pump is used for concrete pumping, then high pumping pressure and power are achieved, but abrupt cyclical flow fluctuations occur due to cylinder switching
Solution Approach 1:
The compensator chamber pre-stores concrete before flow interruptions occur. During normal flow periods, concrete accumulates in the compensator chamber, preparing a reserve that can be quickly discharged when the piston pump switches cylinders and flow stops, thereby maintaining continuous flow to the concrete receiver.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensator chamber acts as a cushion by storing excess concrete during periods of high flow and releasing it during flow interruptions. This cushioning effect absorbs the cyclical fluctuations caused by piston pump operation, smoothing out the flow variations before they reach the concrete receiver.
2Manufacturing precision
If automated concrete placement is implemented, then placement precision and consistency are improved, but flow interruptions from piston pumping disrupt the automated process
Solution Approach 1:
The compensator chamber serves as an intermediary between the piston pump and the concrete receiver. It decouples the cyclical flow output of the piston pump from the continuous flow requirement of automated placement equipment, allowing the automated system to operate smoothly without directly experiencing the pump's flow interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensator chamber pre-stores concrete in advance of flow interruptions, ensuring that a continuous supply is available to the automated placement equipment. This preliminary storage action enables the automated system to maintain consistent placement operations without being disrupted by the piston pump's cyclical flow variations.
3Ease of manufacture
If swing-tube cylinder switching is used, then pump maintenance and cleaning are simplified, but abrupt flow interruptions occur between strokes
Solution Approach 1:
The compensator chamber pre-stores concrete during normal flow periods, creating a buffer that compensates for the flow interruptions inherent in swing-tube cylinder switching. This cushioning effect maintains continuous flow to the receiver despite the pump's cyclical operation, preserving both the maintenance simplicity and the flow continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensator chamber accumulates concrete in advance before cylinder switching occurs, ensuring that flow interruptions do not propagate to the discharge end. This preliminary storage action allows the pump to benefit from simplified maintenance while the receiver receives continuous flow.
4Stability of the object's composition
If flow rate compensation is implemented, then continuous flow to the receiver is achieved, but additional devices and control systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The compensator chamber is a passive device that automatically compensates for flow variations without requiring external control systems. It uses the natural pressure differentials created by the piston pump's operation to fill and discharge concrete, eliminating the need for sensors, actuators, or control electronics while maintaining flow stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensator chamber utilizes hydraulic principles, specifically the incompressibility of concrete and pressure differential, to automatically regulate flow. The chamber passively responds to pressure changes from the piston pump, filling during high-pressure periods and discharging during low-pressure periods, achieving flow compensation through purely hydraulic means without mechanical complexity.
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 solution effectively mitigates flow interruptions, allowing for consistent concrete placement and reducing vibrational issues in boom systems, enabling practical automated placement methods with conventional piston pumps by maintaining a steady net flow rate.
Implementation Method 1
spring-damping mechanisms that compensate for pressure and flow variations
Implementation Method 2
spring-damping mechanisms that compensate for pressure and flow variations
Implementation Method 3
wye junction and spring-damping mechanisms that compensate for pressure and flow variations, ensuring consistent output
Data Source
AI summary
A device that compensates for abrupt variations in fluid flow rate for a pump line is described. One or more aspects pertain to a system to accomplish automated in-situ placement of a concrete wall or embankment, where a fluid concrete is pumped into place, consolidated, and screeded to a finished surface, with remotely controlled or automated equipment.