AUTOMATED PRODUCTION LINE
FOR FOAMED CONCRETE BLOCKS WITH SAND AGGREGATE
capacity 50 m³/shift

Line Specifications

Capacity	50 m3/shift (100 m3/day)
Power consumption	56 kW/h (w/o water heating)
Water utilisation	~11 tonnes/shift
Cement utilisation	~17,5 tonnes/shift
Sand utilisation	~10 tonnes/shift
Productions	small wall blocks according to GOST 21520-89
Required production facility area	500-1000 m2
The ceiling height at the mixing area	not less than 6 m*
The ceiling height at the production area	not less than 3 m*
Ambient temperature	not be less than +15oС
Required personnel	6 workers, 1 production manager/foreman

     

ADVANTAGES

The production lines employ electronic systems to control raw materials loading and dosing in the mixing area. The control systems provide functions for registration and control of raw materials. The mixing area is controlled by one operator. The cutting area has a cutting machine, which is also controlled by one operator. The mould dismantling and block stacking process is automated.

Raw materials are fed to a weigher with strain gauges and a weight controller that allows for accurate dosing.

The high capacity is ensured by an automated system for raw materials loading and dosing as well as by the high rate of mixer filling with water and raw materials. The high-capacity cutting machine ensures high rate of monolith cutting into blocks of a predefined size.

The process automation system ensures high quality of products and guarantees dosing accuracy as well as stable and uniform composition, which allows us to provide high-quality and competitive products.

       

RAW MATERIALS FOR FOAMED CONCRETE PRODUCTION

• Binder. Portland cement PTs-500 D0, PTs-400 D20 GOST30515 and GOST 10178 is used as a binding agent for foamed concrete products.
   

• Silica component. The sand to be used complies to GOST 8736 and contains not less than 90% SiO2 or not less than 75% silica, not more than 0.5% mica, and not more than 3% slit and clay.
   

• Mixing water. The water meets requirements of GOST 23732.
   

• Mould release agent. SDF mould release agents or other antiadhesive agents are used to ensure efficient mould removal.
   

• Reinforcement agents. 12 mm polypropylene fibres are used as a reinforcement agent.
   

• Modifying agents . GOST 24211
   

• Foaming agent. A protein or synthetic foaming agent is used. 

 

PROCESS OVERVIEW

1. Production of Foamed Concrete Mixture

Filling Mixer with Water

An electronic water meter is used for water dosing. Operator of the mixing area enters the required amount of water and starts the mixer loading cycle.

Loading Raw Materials to the Mixer

A weight controller is used to load raw materials (cement, sand) to weight batchers. Cement are transported by screw conveyors, while sand is loaded by a belt conveyor. The cement and sand are now unloaded from the weighers to the mixer. The mortar is stirred for 2–3 minutes to reach homogeneity. When the mortar is ready, admixtures are unloaded to the mixer. After that, the operator turns on the foam generator and the foam enters the mixer. After filling the mixer with foam, the operator turns off the foam generator and the foamed concrete mixture is mixed again for 1–2 minutes.

Operator controls all processes at the mixing area in real time. The operator can use control panel to correct or modify the recipe, the mixing time, and other process parameters.

The equipment supports both manual and automatic modes.

2. Monolith Moulding

When ready, the foamed concrete mixture is unloaded to a 0.85 m³ mould through the mixer valve. The mould is filled at one go. It consists of a foundation and detachable interchangeable sides. Prior to filling, the mould is lubricated and transported to the mixing area to be filled.

     

3. Curing the Foamed Concrete Monolith

The filled mould is transported by railings to the curing area (to the heat treatment chamber) where the monolith reaches its stripping strength. Its is recommended for the customer to arrange for sealed tunnel chambers with full heat insulation along all surfaces. The temperature in the chamber should be +30... +40 оС. Achieving the stripping strength may take from 3 to 5 hours and depends on the foamed concrete density, activity, silica type, temperature, etc.

4. Dismantling moulds and cutting massives

After the massif has gained the required strength, the mould containing the massif is transferred to the dismantling machine along the railways, the mould base is held fixed on the railway. Then, the four mould walls are removed and lifted with the gripple. After mould dismantling, the mould base and the massif are transferred to the cutting section. The free walls are then mantled onto a free base, which is on the adjacent railway. The mantled mould is sent to the pouring section. The massif is cut into blocks of pre-set dimensions with АRК-004 cutting unit. At the cutting section, there are two separate consecutive modules for vertical and horizontal cutting of the massif.

The mould base is held fixed with a gripple at the vertical module, while the operator launches the vertical module. Moving along the guides, the module cuts the massif in a vertical plane and trims it on both ends. After vertical cutting, the mould base with the massif is transferred to the horizontal module area, is held fixed with a gripple, after which it is cut in a horizontal plane into the blocks of pre-set dimensions, as well as the bottom layer and the top are cut away. While the horizontal module is in action, the next massif is fed into the vertical module area. So, two massifs are being cut at the same time, which ensures the line high throughput.

     

5. Stacking blocks onto pallets, packing, and storing

The mould base with the massif cut is transferred to the block stacking unit. The mould base is held fixed on the railway. Then, half of the massif cut is stacked on a pallet with the help of a gripple. In order to complete the pallet, eight blocks are placed manually. Then, the second half of the massif is stacked, as well as the eight blocks manually (depending on their dimensions). The pallet with blocks is wrapped with a stretching film.

     

6. Block heat and moisture treatmen

Depending on the climatic zone and type of the material manufactured, the blocks stacked onto pallets can gain the grade strength at the final product warehouse or during heat and moisture treatment. Block heat and moisture treatment is required for accelerating strength gain in the blocks. The heat and moisture treatment means that the blocks are cured in the chamber over 12 to 15 hours at the temperature of +40 to 60оС. The heat and moisture treatment mode also depends on the material density, cement activity and is defined by the customer for each certain type of products manufactured.

7. Recycling the Cutting Waste

The cutting modules cut out the monolith at both ends, at the top, and at the bottom. An innovative solution is to use DG-1 waste grinder to recycle the cutting waste. It allows the foamed concrete waste to be ground into particles of up to 0–30 mm. The ground material can be used as a loose-fill heat insulation for roofs, attics, floor, etc. The grinder makes concrete production almost waste-free.

LINES SPECIFICATIONS

N	Name	Quantity
The area of raw materials storage, preparation, and loading
1	Cement screw conveyor (L = 6 m*, gear motor (Italy), N = 4 kW)	1
2	VG-1 vibrating screen (N = 2.2kW, from 1 tonne/hour**)	1
3	Sand belt conveyor (L = 7 m*, N = 3 kW)	1
Mixing area
1	Electronic control system (with integrated water meter + booster pump)	1
2	Cement weigher (strain gauges, pneumatic valve)	1
3	Sand weigher (strain gauges, pneumatic valve)	1
4	DKhD-1 chemical admixtures weigher  (N = 0.5 kW)	1
5	RS-2000 foamed concrete mixer (N = 11 kW, V = 2000 m3)	1
6	C270LB75 compressor (950 l/min, 8–10 atm.)	1
Monolith cutting area
1	ARK-004 automated cutting complex (N = 19.5 kW)	1
2	FM-0.91 m3 mould for foamed concrete monolith (V = 0.91 m3).	55
3	Transfer cart	4
4	Complex for dismantling of moulds (N = 2.0 kW)	1
5	Complex for stacking blocks onto pallets (N = 2.5 kW)	1
Cutting waste grinding area
1	DG-1 grinder (N = 4.5 kW)	1

MATERIAL CONSUMPTION* PER 1 m³ OF FOAMED CONCRETE D-600

Material	Quantity
Cement, kg	350
Sand, kg	200
Water, l	210
Foaming agent, kg	0,8-1,0
Fibre, kg	0,6
Chemical admixtures, kg	**

* The recipes are adjusted to take into account the properties of raw materials chosen by the customer.

** The type and amount of the admixtures are determined on the concrete design phase.

GENERAL

To reduce customer’s expenditures, the line is supplied without cement silo, sand hopper, and railings for mould transportation. The customer is provided with drawings for separate manufacturing of these units.

Besides, the customer is also responsible for water heating up to +35... +40 °C and for arrangement of heat and moisture treatment chambers. Operating the line in 2 shifts requires additional mould foundations.

The warranty period for the supplied equipment is 12 months. Components of each piece of equipment are listed in the contract, equipment data sheet, and the Delivery and Acceptance Certificate.

Specialists of Siberian Constructing Technologies (SCT) design the layout of equipment in the customer’s production facility. The equipment is installed according to the layout by and at the expense of the customer. The customer is provided with equipment layout (drawings) for corresponding rooms and detailed illustrated instructions for installation.

After the customer completes equipment installation and connection, SCT performs the following works:

•  equipment commissioning;
•  design of foamed concrete;
•  optimisation of the production technology;
•  customer’s personnel training.

The customer covers all expenses for SCT personnel transportation and allocation for the period of the works. Technology optimisation includes optimisation of concrete composition based on the raw materials provided by the customer. SCT provides support services.

After equipment commissioning the customer is provided with technical documentation, including:

•  technical regulations for productions;
•  process flow diagram;
•  job descriptions;
•  safety instructions;
•  GOSTs.

TERMS OF DELIVERY

The cost is specified for EXW-Novosibirsk (Russia) and does not include the cost of customs clearance and shipment. The equipment manufacture time: from 30 working days from the advance payment receipt.

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Payment 1—70% of the contract value within 5 days from the date the contract is signed.

Payment 2—30% of the contract value within 5 days from the date a confirmation is received that the equipment is ready for shipment.