A Mortar Delivery System is described. The Mortar Delivery System provides precise control of the delivery and application of mortar in addition to the mixing and tempering of mortar. Such control eliminates the use of a hand trowel in brick, block and stone laying applications. Sensing and control are integrated with the Mortar Delivery System to make it an important element of a robotic brick laying system. The Mortar Delivery System contains sensors to measure mortar viscosity and workability, mortar flow rate, and mortar nozzle pressure. The data from the Mortar Delivery System sensors can be used to change the rotational speed of the shear blades, change the amount of water being used for mixing or tempering, and change the delivery speed of the mortar. Such changes result in precise control of mortar that is in turn suitable for automated or semi-automated building processes.

A method for the application of hydrous mineral binder compositions which contain fibres. An aqueous accelerator is mixed with the aqueous binder composition in a mixer shortly before the application. The method is very robust and makes it possible to quickly produce even large moulded bodies having a uniform surface and very good strength development properties.

In a method for the 3D-printing of hydrous mineral binder compositions, an aqueous accelerator is mixed with the binder composition in a continuous mixer. The method is very robust and makes it possible to quickly print even large moulded bodies having a uniform aesthetic surface and very good strength development properties.

A system for delivering and applying a flowable mixture to an article (311-313) is disclosed. The system includes a mixture delivery system (200) and a skinning system (300). The mixture delivery system (200) includes a mixer (220) configured to mix a dry material and a fluid to produce the flowable mixture, and a pump (235) configured to pump the flowable mixture to a delivery line. The skinning system (300) receives the flowable mixture from the mixture delivery system (200) through the delivery line. The skinning system (300) includes a skinning pipe (310) configured to apply the flowable mixture to the article (311-313) and a manifold (305) that supports the skinning pipe (310). The skinning system (300) also includes an article feeding mechanism (315) configured to push the article (311-313) into the skinning pipe (310). The skinning system (300) includes a transfer system (320) configured to hold the article (311-313) and move the article (311-313) out of the skinning pipe (310).

A portable concrete mixer includes a frame, a hopper, coupled to the frame, for receiving therein dry commercially available prepackaged concrete mixes containing gravel aggregates, a chute coupled to the hopper, a water supply system that supplies water to the chute, a motor, and an auger coupled to and rotated by the motor. The auger includes a shaftless helical auger body extending from the hopper into the chute via an aperture in the hopper. The shaftless helical auger body has an interior volume and a plurality of fingers extending from the auger body into the interior volume. The shaftless helical auger body has an uneven pitch such that a second portion of the helical auger body in the chute has a greater pitch than a first portion of the helical auger body in the hopper.

Provided herein are methods and compositions utilizing one or more cementitious replacement materials, one or more alkaline activating materials, and, optionally one or more bonding materials and/or one or more setting time enhancer materials.

A microfluidic printing nozzle for 3D printing may include a mixing chamber, a first inlet for connecting with a first ink source, the first inlet located at a first end of the mixing chamber, and a second inlet for connecting with a second ink source, the second inlet located at the first end of the mixing chamber. An outlet may be located at a second end of the mixing chamber, and a generally cylindrical impeller may be rotatably disposed in the mixing chamber between the first end and the second end. The cylindrical impeller may include an outer surface, and the outer surface of the impeller includes a groove, a protrusion, or both, to facilitate mixing of fluidic inks flowing from the first end to the second end of the mixing chamber.

Provided herein are methods and compositions utilizing one or more cementitious replacement materials, one or more alkaline activating materials, and, optionally one or more bonding materials and/or one or more setting time enhancer materials. The one or more cement precursors comprises one or more of non-radioactive nuclear waste; swarf, insoluble hydroxide of carbonate salts, radioactive wastes, petroleum coke, spent solvent wastes, electroporating and other metal finishing wastes, dioxin-bearing wastes, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons production, wood preserving wastes, petroleum refinery wastewater treatment sludges, multisource leachate, organic chemicals manufacturing waste, pesticide manufacturing waste, petroleum refining waste, human pharmaceuticals manufacturing waste; veterinary pharmaceuticals manufacturing waste; inorganic pigment manufacturing waste; inorganic chemicals manufacturing waste; explosives manufacturing waste; iron and/or steel production waste; primary aluminum production waste; secondary lead processing waste; ink formulation waste; coking waste; or a combination thereof. The one or more alkaline activating agents comprises potassium silicate, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, reactive magnesium oxide, calcium chloride, sodium carbonate, silicone dioxide, sodium aluminate, calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, or dolomite, or a combination thereof. The system comprises a vertical impact mill.

Provided herein are methods and compositions utilizing one or more cementitious replacement materials, one or more alkaline activating materials, and, optionally one or more bonding materials and/or one or more setting time enhancer materials. The one or more cement precursors comprises one or more of calcareous sludge; paper pulp, biomass flyash; bag house dust; biomass sludge; filter cakes from bio industry's and wastewater treatment; bio ash; biomedical ash; agricultural ash; sugar cane bagasse; rice husk ash; palm oil fuel ash; oxygen furnace slags; plant stalks; bio char; starch; pyrophyllite; or a combination thereof. The one or more alkaline activating agents comprises potassium silicate, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, reactive magnesium oxide, calcium chloride, sodium carbonate, silicone dioxide, sodium aluminate, calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, or dolomite, or a combination thereof. The system comprises a vertical impact mixer.

A portable concrete mixer includes a frame, a hopper, coupled to the frame, for receiving therein dry commercially available prepackaged concrete mixes containing gravel aggregates, a chute coupled to the hopper, a water supply system that supplies water to the chute, a motor, and an auger coupled to and rotated by the motor. The auger includes a shaftless helical auger body extending from the hopper into the chute via an aperture in the hopper. The shaftless helical auger body has an interior volume and a plurality of fingers extending from the auger body into the interior volume. The shaftless helical auger body has an uneven pitch such that a second portion of the helical auger body in the chute has a greater pitch than a first portion of the helical auger body in the hopper.