Abstract

A method and plant for cooling a mixture of concrete, includes: loading in a hermetically sealed tank a given quantity of ingredients to form the concrete, the ingredients including a predetermined quantity of water; regulating the pressure in the tank to obtain a transitory degree of vacuum in the tank; regulating the pressure inside a hermetically sealed condensation chamber to obtain a basic degree of vacuum in the condensation chamber that is greater than the transitory degree of vacuum, such that the pressure in the condensation chamber is lower than the pressure in the tank; operatively connecting the tank and the condensation chamber to substantially equalize the internal pressure in the tank and in the condensation chamber to a resulting degree of vacuum and to cause at least partial evaporation of the water from the tank towards the condensation chamber to lower the temperature of the ingredients in the tank.

IPC Classes  ?

• B28C 5/46 - Arrangements for applying super- or sub-atmospheric pressure during mixingArrangements for cooling or heating during mixing
• F25D 31/00 - Other cooling or freezing apparatus
• B28C 7/00 - Controlling the operation of apparatus for producing mixtures of clay or cement with other substancesSupplying or proportioning the ingredients for mixing clay or cement with other substancesDischarging the mixture

Abstract

Method and corresponding plant (100) for cooling a mixture of concrete, said method comprising: loading in a hermetically sealed tank (1) a given quantity of ingredients intended to form said concrete, said ingredients comprising a predetermined quantity of water; regulating the pressure in said tank (1) so as to obtain a transitory degree of vacuum in the tank (1); regulating the pressure inside a hermetically sealed condensation chamber (4) so as to obtain a basic degree of vacuum in said condensation chamber (4) that is greater than the transitory degree of vacuum, i.e. such that the pressure in the condensation chamber (4) is lower than the pressure in the tank (1); operatively connecting the tank (1) and the condensation chamber (4) so as to substantially equalise the internal pressure in the tank (1) and in the condensation chamber (4) to a resulting degree of vacuum and to cause at least partial evaporation of the water from the tank towards the condensation chamber (4) so as to lower the temperature of said ingredients in the tank (1).

IPC Classes  ?

• B28C 5/46 - Arrangements for applying super- or sub-atmospheric pressure during mixingArrangements for cooling or heating during mixing
• B01F 15/06 - Heating or cooling systems
• F25D 31/00 - Other cooling or freezing apparatus