| 摘要 |
The invention relates to a method and system for monitoring and adjusting both air content and rheology (e.g., slump, slump flow) properties of a hydratable concrete mix contained within a concrete mixer. The system simultaneously tracks dosage of both rheology-modifying admixture (e.g., polycarboxylate polymer cement dispersant) and air control agent or “ACA” (e.g., air entraining agent) by reference to at least four nominal dose response (“NDR”) curves or profiles, which at least four NDR profiles are based on the respective behaviors of each of the ACA and rheology-modifying agent on air content and rheology. |
| 主权项 |
1. A mixing apparatus for monitoring and adjusting slump and air content in a cementitious mix, comprising:
(a) a concrete mixer drum for containing a concrete mix comprising hydratable cement, aggregates, and water for hydrating said cement, the concrete mix having a total volume, when mixed uniformly within the concrete mixer drum, of 1.0 to 15.0 cubic yards; (b) a computer processing unit and computer-processing unit-accessible memory, the computer processing unit programmed for inputting and storing into the computer processing unit-accessible memory concrete performance ranges relative to:
a target slump or target slump range; anda target air content or target air content range wherein a concrete air content or air content range is within a range of 1% to 10%; (c) the computer processing unit being further programmed for mixing a concrete mix contained in the concrete mixer drum and for obtaining at least one slump value in current time and at least one air content value in current time; (d) the computer processing unit being further programmed for comparing the at least one slump value in current time against the slump target or slump target range and the at least one air content value in current time against the target air content or target air content range until detection of a non-conformance event, wherein the at least one slump value in current time does not conform with the target slump or target slump range and/or the at least one air content value in current time does not conform with the target air content or target air content range; and (e) the computer processing unit being further programmed for introducing into the concrete mix contained in said concrete mixer drum, one of at least two compositionally different additives comprising:
at least one chemical admixture for modifying air content in the concrete mix, wherein the at least one chemical admixture for modifying air content in the concrete mix comprises at least one air entraining admixture, at least one air detraining admixture, or mixture of at least one air entraining admixture and at least one air detraining admixture; andat least one cement dispersant for modifying slump of the concrete mix, said at least one cement dispersant comprising at least one polymeric dispersant, water, or a mixture of said at least one polymeric dispersant and water;the computer processing unit being further programmed for introducing of the at least one chemical admixture for modifying air content in the concrete mix and/or at least one cement dispersant being achieved by computer processor unit-controlled valve system in accordance with the computer processor unit-accessed memory, the aforementioned memory having at least four sets of data correlations comprising the effect of:
(i) the cement dispersant on slump of the concrete mix; (ii) the at least one chemical admixture for modifying air content in the concrete mix on air content; (iii) the at least one chemical admixture for modifying air content in the concrete mix on the slump of the concrete mix; and (iv) the cement dispersant on air content of the concrete mix. |
