SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING GROUND OR CONCRETE TEMPERATURE
First Claim
1. A fluid circulating apparatus for adjusting temperature of a material, comprising;
- a fluid source including a pump and a supply line;
a supply manifold in communication with said supply line;
a return manifold in communication with a return line;
a heat transfer hose having a first end in communication with said supply manifold and a second end in communication with said return manifold; and
a controller determining a flow rate and a direction of fluid flow in said heat transfer hose.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus is described for achieving and maintaining concrete temperature during curing in order to improve the compressive strength of the finished concrete. A model to predict ambient conditions during a concrete pour is used to design an equipment layout scheme. A heating apparatus and a control system operate within the system to control concrete curing temperature. The system, method and apparatus are particularly useful for designing concrete pours of elevated slabs because the equipment layout is recommended based on the location of heat sinks such as I-beams, columns and rebar, etc. within a concrete slab. The system, method and apparatus are also useful for ground thawing projects.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A fluid circulating apparatus for adjusting temperature of a material, comprising;
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a fluid source including a pump and a supply line; a supply manifold in communication with said supply line; a return manifold in communication with a return line; a heat transfer hose having a first end in communication with said supply manifold and a second end in communication with said return manifold; and a controller determining a flow rate and a direction of fluid flow in said heat transfer hose. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A fluid circulating apparatus for adjusting temperature of a material, comprising;
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a fluid source including a pump, a supply line and a return line; a supply manifold in communication with said supply line; a return manifold in communication with said return line; a heat transfer hose having a first end in communication with said supply manifold and a second end in communication with said return manifold; a supply fluid chamber in communication with said supply manifold; a return fluid chamber in communication with said return manifold; and a controller determining a fluid flow direction in said supply and return fluid chambers, wherein said direction may be in a forward or a reverse direction while fluid flow through said supply line and said return line remains in a constant direction. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A concrete curing system, comprising:
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a concrete slab having structural characteristics wherein said characteristics vary within said slab, said slab having been placed during a concrete pour; a thermal profile of said structural characteristics wherein said thermal profile provides a prediction of temperature of said structural characteristics over a period of time relative to said pour; and a concrete temperature adjusting apparatus having an arrangement of components on said concrete slab wherein said arrangement is determined by a location of the structural characteristics and said prediction of temperature of structural characteristics over time to maintain a target temperature of said slab. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for optimizing concrete strength, the method comprising:
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identifying an area of the concrete having a structural characteristic; providing a thermal prediction of the concrete in said area over a period of time subsequent to a pour of the concrete; determining a concrete target temperature for the concrete during curing; determining a type and quantity of heat transfer equipment required to maintain said concrete target temperature based on said thermal prediction; pouring the concrete; placing said heat transfer equipment on the concrete wherein a density of equipment is placed on the concrete according the presence of said structural characteristic; monitoring a concrete temperature with a plurality of sensors in the concrete; and adjusting said equipment to maintain said target temperature. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification