Method for predetermined temperature profile controlled concrete curing container and apparatus for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10640425-B2
Application number	US-201514734184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2015
Priority date	Jan 19, 1996
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

The invention comprises a method of curing concrete. The method comprises placing a concrete cylinder in an insulated container having a sufficient quantity of water therein so that the concrete cylinder is submerged in and surrounded by the water and selectively adding heat to the quantity of water in an insulated container, so that the temperature of the quantity of water follows a predetermined temperature profile. Apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of curing concrete comprising:
(a) providing a memory device having a predetermined temperature profile stored therein, wherein the predetermined temperature profile continually varies temperature as a function of time and comprises a first period of temperature increase followed by a first period of temperature decrease followed by a second period of temperature increase followed by a second period of temperature decrease, wherein the predetermined temperature profile comprises a plurality of temperatures and each temperature's corresponding elapsed time from initiation of the predetermined temperature profile, and wherein the predetermined temperature profile is stored in the memory device prior to step (d) below;
(b) placing a quantity of concrete in a thermally insulated container having a sufficient quantity of water therein so that the concrete is surrounded by the water;
(c) repeatedly detecting the temperature of the quantity of water;
(d) repeatedly comparing the detected temperature of the quantity of water to the temperature of the predetermined temperature profile corresponding to the time of the detected temperature; and
(e) selectively adding heat to and removing heat from the quantity of water in the insulated container in response to step (d) so that the temperature of the quantity of water follows the predetermined temperature profile during the curing of the quantity of concrete, wherein the heat selectively added to the quantity of water comes from an electrically heated element in thermal contact with the quantity of water, wherein the heat selectively removed from the quantity of water comes from a cooling element in thermal contact with the quantity of water and wherein the selective addition of heat to the quantity of water and the removal of heat from the quantity of water is controlled by a computing device.

2. The method of curing concrete of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature profile covers a period of time from initiation to between 1 and 14 days.

Assignees

• Ciuperca Romeo Ilarian

Inventors

• Ciuperca Romeo Ilarian

Classifications

• B28B11/246 Primary

  Underwater curing · CPC title

• C04B40/0082 Primary

  making use of a rise in temperature, e.g. caused by an exothermic reaction · CPC title

• C04B40/0286

  Hardening under water · CPC title

• C04B40/0075

  making use of a decrease in temperature · CPC title

• C04B28/02

  containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates · CPC title