Vacuum Concrete Cooling With Condensate Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concrete cooling methods are inefficient, costly, and unable to achieve desired temperature levels quickly, particularly for pumpable concrete, while maintaining the water/cement ratio and causing micro-cracks due to thermal stress.
Innovation Solution
An installation and method using an airtight casing with a vacuum pump and condenser to evaporate water from concrete, condensing it back into the mixture to maintain the water/cement ratio and achieve rapid cooling to temperatures below 10°C.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ice and cold water are used to cool concrete, then the concrete temperature is reduced, but the cooling capacity is limited to approximately 28°C and substantial energy is expended to maintain reserves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses evaporation (liquid to gas phase transition) of water from concrete surface to achieve cooling. The water evaporates absorbing latent heat from the concrete, effectively reducing temperature below what ice and cold water alone can achieve. This phase transition mechanism provides superior cooling capacity without being limited by the 28°C threshold of ice-water systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical ice-making and cold water storage system with an evaporation-based cooling system. Instead of maintaining substantial reserves of ice and cold water requiring energy for thermal compensation, the system uses controlled evaporation of water from concrete, significantly reducing energy expenditure while achieving lower temperatures.
2Temperature
If cold air is blown through refrigerating silos to pre-cool aggregates, then coarse aggregates are cooled, but fine aggregates and sand-cement mixture cannot be pre-cooled and high electrical power is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces high-power mechanical fan systems with a passive evaporation-based cooling approach. Instead of forcing cold air through aggregates using energy-intensive fans, the system allows water to evaporate naturally from the concrete mixture, cooling all components including fine aggregates and sand-cement mixture that cannot be cooled by air flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporation cooling mechanism applies universally to all concrete components simultaneously - coarse aggregates, fine aggregates, sand, and cement mixture - whereas cold air systems can only effectively cool coarse aggregates with sufficient porosity. This universal application eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for different aggregate sizes.
3Temperature
If sophisticated cooling systems with conveyor belts and rotating cylinders are used, then coarser aggregates can be cooled with cold water jets and cold air, but the system complexity and cost increase and cooling to below 12°C is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential cooling function from complex mechanical systems (conveyor belts, rotating cylinders, jet systems) and implements it through a simple evaporation process. By removing unnecessary mechanical components and relying on the natural phase transition of water, the system achieves superior cooling (below 12°C) with minimal device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent relies on the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor during evaporation to achieve rapid and profound cooling. This natural thermodynamic process eliminates the need for complex mechanical cooling apparatus, providing a simple yet effective solution that can cool concrete to temperatures below 12°C.
4Temperature
If water and air cooling methods are used, then some aggregates are cooled, but the finest particles are washed away or blown away varying the properties of the cooled material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical water spraying and air blowing systems with a controlled evaporation process. Instead of forcing water or air through the aggregate mixture (which causes particle displacement and property variation), the system allows water to evaporate in situ from the concrete, maintaining the original material composition and particle distribution while achieving cooling.
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
Achieves continuous, efficient cooling of concrete to desired temperatures with minimal energy consumption and no downtime, ensuring consistent water/cement ratio and preventing thermal stress.
Implementation Method 1
adjusting a pressure in the chamber less than atmospheric pressure so as to bring about at least a partial evaporation of the water from the concrete with a resultant cooling of the concrete
Implementation Method 2
the increase of the temperature produced by the hydration process of the cement material can generate micro-cracks... advantageously using the latent evaporation heat of the water
Implementation Method 3
a condenser arranged inside the chamber to condense the evaporated water
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
An installation for cooling concrete which contains a predetermined quantity of water comprises an airtight casing (20), in which there are defined a chamber (1) which is intended to contain a desired quantity of concrete, an inlet opening (2) for the concrete into the chamber (1) and a pipe (3) which communicates with the chamber (1) and which extends from the chamber (1) to an outlet opening (5) for the concrete which is defined in the casing (20) at one end of the pipe (3) at the side opposite the chamber (1). The pipe (3) is configured to convey the concrete from the chamber (1) towards the outlet opening (5). The installation further comprises a vacuum pump (10) which is connected to the chamber (1) in order to adjust a degree of reduced pressure therein so as to bring about at least a partial evaporation of the water from the concrete, and a condenser (12) which is arranged inside the chamber (1) in order to condense the evaporated water. The condenser (12) is configured in such a manner that the condensed water flows into the concrete inside the chamber (1) and/or pipe (3).