Method for electronic temperature controlled curing of concrete and accelerating concrete maturity or equivalent age of precast concrete structures and objects

• US 8,855,803 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Romeo Ilarian Ciuperca
• Original Assignee: Romeo Ilarian Ciuperca
• Inventors: Ciuperca, Romeo Ilarian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US13/968,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20140088756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 700/198, 702/81, 324/637
• US Class Current: 700/198
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/24 for curing, setting or hardening processes for influencing or modifying the setting or hardening ability of mortars, concrete or artificial stone compositions, in general C04B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0081 Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/42 for heating or cooling, e.g. steam jackets , by means of treating agents acting directly on the moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/00 Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor B29C41/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/08 Slag cements
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0096 Provisions for indicating condition of the compositions or the final products, e.g. degree of homogeneous mixing, degree of wear
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0263 Hardening promoted by a rise in temperature C04B40/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/04 Preventing evaporation of the mixing water permanent coverings C04B41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/02 Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 13/00 Falsework, forms, or shutterings for particular parts of buildings, e.g. stairs, steps, cornices, balconies foundations, sills E04G11/365 takes precedence; flat foundations, e.g. with lost forms E02D27/01; removable forms or shutterings for road-building purposes E01C19/50
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/246 specially adapted for curing concrete in situ, e.g. by covering it with protective sheets
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 9/10 with additional peculiarities such as surface shaping, insulating or heating, permeability to water or air
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

The invention comprises a method of forming a concrete structure or object. The method comprises detecting the temperature of a quantity of curing concrete and selectively adding heat to the curing concrete, so that the temperature of the curing concrete follows a predetermined temperature profile during at least a portion of the concrete curing process. Apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A concrete curing system comprising:

a computing device;

a quantity of concrete having a plurality of surfaces, the surfaces having largest surface area a surfaces thereof;

insulating material covering all of the primary surfaces of the quantity of curing concrete, whereby at least a portion of the heat of hydration and moisture of the quantity of curing concrete is retained therein;

a temperature detecting device associated with the quantity of curing concrete for detecting the temperature thereof, wherein the temperature detecting device is operatively associated with the computing device such that a signal corresponding to the temperature of the quantity of curing concrete is provided to the computing device;

an electric heating element for selectively providing heat to the quantity of curing concrete;

a controller operatively connected to the computing device and to the heating element such that the controller variably controls the amount of heat produced by the heating element in response to signals from the computing device; and

control software for the computing device for;

(a) detecting the temperature of the quantity of curing concrete;

(b) comparing the detected temperature to a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the predetermined temperature profile varies temperature as a function of time; and

(c) providing signals to the controller for selectively adding heat to the quantity of curing concrete in response to step (b) when the detected temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature profile, so that the temperature of the quantity of curing concrete follows the predetermined temperature profile for at least the first 24 hours of the concrete curing process.

2. The concrete curing system of claim 1, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 1.5.

3. The concrete curing system of claim 1, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 2.5.

4. The concrete curing system of claim 1, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 5.

5. The concrete curing system of claim 1, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 10.

6. An electrically heated concrete form comprising:

a first concrete forming face panel;

a second concrete forming face panel having a layer of insulating material covering a surface thereof;

an electric heating element in thermal contact with the first concrete forming face panel;

a computing device;

a controller operatively connected to the computing device and to the electric heating element such that the controller variably controls the amount of heat produced by the electric heating element in response to signals from the computing device;

a temperature detecting device associated with the first concrete forming face panel for detecting the temperature thereof, wherein the temperature detecting device is operatively associated with the computing device such that a signal corresponding to the temperature of the first concrete forming face panel is provided to the computing device; and

control software for the computing device for;

(a) detecting the temperature of the first concrete forming face panel;

(b) comparing the detected temperature to a redetermined temperature profile, wherein the predetermined temperature profile varies temperature as a function of time; and

(c) providing signals to the controller for selectively adding heat to the first concrete forming face panel in response to step (b) when the detected temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature profile, so that the temperature of the first concrete forming face panel follows the predetermined temperature profile for at least the first 24 hours of the concrete curing process.

7. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 6, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 1.5.

8. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 6, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 2.5.

9. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 6, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 5.

10. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 6, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 10.

11. An electrically heated concrete form comprising:

a first concrete forming face panel;

a second concrete forming face panel having a layer of insulating material covering a primary surface thereof, the second concrete forming face panel being spaced from the first concrete forming face panel and defining a concrete receiving space therebetween;

an electric heating element in thermal contact with the first concrete forming face panel;

a computing device;

a controller operatively connected to the computing device and to the electric heating element such that the controller variably controls the amount of heat produced by the electric heating element in response to signals from the computing device;

a temperature detecting device associated operative to measure the temperature of concrete within the concrete receiving space, wherein the temperature detecting device is operatively associated with the computing device such that a signal corresponding to the temperature of concrete within the concrete receiving space is provided to the computing device; and

control software for the computing device for;

(a) detecting the temperature of concrete within the concrete receiving space;

(b) comparing the detected temperature to a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the predetermined temperature profile varies temperature as a function of time; and

(c) providing signals to the controller for selectively adding heat to the concrete within the concrete receiving space in response to step (b) when the detected temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature profile, so that the temperature of the concrete within the concrete receiving space follows the predetermined temperature profile for at least the first 24 hours of the concrete curing process.

12. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 11, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 1.5.

13. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 11, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 2.5.

14. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 11, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 5.

15. The electrically heated concrete form of claim 11, wherein the layer of insulating material has an R-value of greater than 10.