Ambient Cured Foamed Concrete Granulate Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing pore-containing granulates for artificial stone, such as expanded clay and shale, are energy-intensive and costly, and natural alternatives like pumice are expensive and variable in bulk density, while foamed concrete granulates require costly coating and produce significant fine grains as waste.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage process involving the production of a foamed mass with sand, hydraulic binder, and foaming agent, partial curing, demoulding, splitting into sub-blocks for further curing, and breaking into granulate form, which reduces fine grain production and eliminates the need for coating, using naturally occurring sands and avoiding thermal energy and CO2 emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If expanded clay or shale is used to produce pore-containing granulate, then the granulate has good insulating properties, but the production is energy-intensive and costly due to burning at temperatures above 1000°C
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the production parameters from high-temperature thermal processing (>1000°C) to ambient temperature curing. The foamed concrete granulate is produced by mixing foamed concrete with sand and curing it at ambient conditions, completely eliminating the energy-intensive burning step while maintaining the pore structure and insulating properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal processing system (burning at high temperatures) with a mechanical mixing and ambient curing system. The pore structure is created through mechanical foam incorporation rather than thermal expansion, and hardening occurs through chemical curing at ambient temperature instead of thermal processing.
2Strength
If foamed concrete is broken into granules, then a light pore-containing granulate is obtained, but a considerable proportion of fine grains is produced that cannot be used further, increasing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-hardening the foamed concrete granulate to reach a target strength of 5-15 N/mm² before breaking. This pre-hardening creates a more robust structure that resists excessive fragmentation during the breaking process, thereby reducing fine grain waste and improving overall material utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The breaking process is optimized by segmenting the granulate into controlled size fractions. By controlling the breaking process and utilizing oversize grain return, the invention segments the material into usable size ranges while minimizing the production of unusable fine grains, thereby reducing waste.
3Ease of manufacture
If foamed concrete granulate is produced without coating, then production costs are reduced, but the external pores remain open which may affect bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies homogeneity by mixing foamed concrete with sand in a homogeneous mixture. The sand particles distribute uniformly throughout the foamed concrete matrix, creating a consistent granulate structure where the pore distribution and bonding characteristics are homogeneous throughout, eliminating the need for separate coating operations.
4Stability of the object's composition
If pumice is used as a pore-containing additive, then natural expansion properties are utilized, but bulk density varies due to natural expansion which is problematic for products complying with standards
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the granulate by controlling the foam-to-sand ratio and curing conditions. This allows precise control over bulk density and other physical properties, ensuring consistency and compliance with standards while eliminating the variability inherent in natural pumice.
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 process produces a cost-effective, insulating granulate with reduced fine grain waste, suitable for large-scale prefabricated elements, and reduces environmental impact by eliminating thermal production and mining needs, offering improved bonding and energy savings in building materials.
Implementation Method 1
producing a foamed mass using sand, hydraulic binder, foaming agent and water
Implementation Method 2
producing a foamed mass using sand, hydraulic binder, foaming agent and water
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for producing a pore-containing granulate, comprising the following steps: a) producing a foamed mass using sand, hydraulic binder, foaming agent and water, b) pouring the foamed mass into a filling mould, c) partially curing the mass over a first period of time at ambient pressure to form a green block having a first target strength, and d) demoulding the green block, the process comprising the further steps e) splitting the green block into at least two sub-blocks, l) further curing the sub-blocks over a second period of time at ambient pressure until a second target strength is reached and g) breaking the sub-blocks to form pore-containing granulate with a desired particle size distribution. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for the production of a pore-containing artificial stone which contains the granulate as an additive.