Cutting-edge Technologies for EPS Concrete and Aerated Concrete Production

Load-bearing structural insulating materials have been playing a major role in modern-day construction. Aerated concrete and EPS concrete are in a class of their own. Being lightweight and durable, these materials are used for erecting load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls, partitions, floors, as well as for insulating the roof. Nowadays, such materials are getting more and more popular thanks to their eco-friendliness, high energy efficiency, and excellent technical performance.

Specialized equipment is required for manufacturing EPS concrete and aerated concrete. Such equipment can ensure high quality of products and manufacturing efficiency. Cutting-edge technologies and equipment enable us to manufacture these materials in automated and semi-automated modes with minimal human participation which results in increased throughput and improved quality of products.

One of the key elements in a production line for EPS concrete and aerated concrete is the specialized mixers which ensure high-quality mixing of components. The production equipment encompasses machinery for automated raw material batching, thermal treatment chambers, equipment for cutting large blocks into bricks and panels, as well as automation and quality control systems.

There are numerous manufacturers of EPS and aerated concrete production equipment, who offer varied solutions depending on needs and means of customers, on the market now. Siberian Constructing Technologies, a Russian company, is one of the leaders among manufacturers of such equipment and has had a vast experience in supplying it all over the world (countries of Asia-Pacific Region, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, and Europe). Besides, the Company renders services on designing and launching production lines which allows to streamline the process and reach the maximum manufacturing efficiency.

The technology for EPS concrete manufacturing provides means to make a composite material which includes Portland cement and its varieties, siliceous carrier (silica sand or fly ash from a thermal power plant which are used to produce high-density EPS concrete), expanded aggregate which is expanded polystyrene beads, as well as some modifying and air-entraining agents. In general, EPS concrete density ranges between 150 kg per cu.m (when used as a thermal insulation material) and 600 kg per cu.m (for building blocks).  

EPS concrete belongs to the class of lightweight concretes, though it has a number of distinguishing features which include, first of all, high structural performance at low density, high cold endurance, and low thermal conductivity. EPS concrete can be made in a wide range of densities, which would make EPS concrete both building and thermal insulation material.

EPS concrete production technology makes it possible to get a porous material which has all the properties of concrete but at the same time is lightweight and power efficient. Aerated concrete is a kind of cellular concrete. Aerated concrete is made from a technological mix of siliceous, cementing, modifying and gas-forming agents, and water. Portland cement and gas silicate (calcium carbonate) can serve as cementing components in aerated concrete block production. The siliceous components of aerated concrete encompass silica sand, CPP ashes or granulated blast furnace snag.

Aerated concrete blocks develop gas thanks to gas-forming agent added to the technological mix. Structuring stabilizers, plasticizing agents, regulators of strength, curing and other performance characteristics serve as modifying components when manufacturing aerated concrete blocks.

It should be noted that investment into EPS and aerated concrete production lines can be significant, while high demand for energy-efficient construction materials allows drastically reduce payback period for such projects, so manufacturing of such materials is attractive for the construction companies which are ready to invest into equipment and technologies.