Manufacturing Reinforced Concrete
Concrete is a hardened building material obtained by combining chemically inert mineral aggregates such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone, a binder (natural or synthetic), chemical additives, and water.
The Process
The limestone, silica, and alumina that make up cement are dry ground into a very fine powder mixed in predetermined proportions, preheated, and calcined. The cement is then mixed with the other ingredients: aggregates (sand, gravel, or crushed stone), admixtures, fibers, and water. Aggregates are pre-blended or added at the ready-mix concrete plant under normal operating conditions.
The Problem
For smooth grinding operation a narrow and optimum range of size should be fed constantly and consistently which requires lot of constant monitoring.
Periodic variation in composition and size of material like limestone, silica stone occurs due to size segregation in feeding hoppers during feeding which in turn affects kiln stability.
The Solution
An ultrafine dispersion of cement and fillers in water could be obtained with the employment of UADA that could help in faster setting of concrete aggregates without lump formations.
The Advantages
The cavitation shear in the UADA yields better contact between water, cement and fillers leading to increased compressional strength of the agglomerates with better stability.