APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FOAMED BUILDING MATERIALS

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (110) for producing foamed building materials, comprising a gas supply unit (112), a suspension supply unit (150-156), and a mixing chamber (118), the apparatus (110) further comprising a control and/or regulating unit (136) which has means (116, 124, 130, 134, 146,) for supplying values of a plurality of input parameters, based on which at least a temperature of the dispersion and an air pressure in an environment of the apparatus (110) can be inferred, the control and/or regulating unit (136) being further configured to influence at least one output parameter, by means of which the ratio of the volumes and/or masses and/or densities of gas and suspension supplied per unit of time can be adjusted. The invention further relates to a corresponding method.

Claims

1. An apparatus for production of foamed building materials, comprising: a gas supply unit configured to supply gas to the apparatus; a suspension supply unit configured to supply suspension to the apparatus; and a mixing chamber configured to mix the gas supplied by the gas supply unit and the suspension supplied by the suspension supply unit to form a dispersion; a control unit including means for supplying values of a plurality of input parameters used to infer at least a temperature of the dispersion and an air pressure in an environment of the apparatus, can be inferred, wherein the control unit is further configured, based on the values of the input parameters supplied to it, to influence at least one output parameter to adjust the ratio of one or more of the volumes, masses, or densities of the gas and the suspension supplied per unit of time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for supplying values of the plurality of input parameters are configured to detect the temperature of the dispersion in one or more of a region in which the dispersion leaves the mixing chamber or a region in which the dispersion leaves a conveying unit associated with the mixing chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a foam generating unit upstream of the mixing chamber, wherein the foam generating unit is configured to mix the gas supplied by the gas supply unit with a liquid, resulting in a foam.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber is sealed with respect to an external environment of the mixing chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for supplying values of the plurality of parameters comprise one or more of a temperature sensor or an air pressure sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one further temperature sensor which is configured to detect at least one of (i) a temperature of the suspension supplied by the suspension supply unit, (ii) a temperature of the gas supplied by the gas supply unit, or (iii) a temperature of the foam introduced into the mixing chamber by the foam generating unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory unit operatively coupled to the control unit and configured to output at least one value to the control unit including one or more of a predetermined dispersion temperature, a predetermined gas temperature, a predetermined suspension temperature, or a predetermined air pressure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more pressure sensors configured to detect one or more of a system pressure during a gas input or a pressure in a discharge space of the foamed dispersion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one mass flow sensor comprising a calorimetric flow measuring device configured to detect at least one of (i) a mass flow rate of the gas supplied, (ii) a mass flow rate of the dispersion, (iii) a mass flow rate of the suspension, (iv) a mass flow rate of the liquid supplied, (v) a mass flow rate of the foam supplied.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one volume flow sensor configured to detect at least one of (i) a volume flow rate of the gas supplied, (ii) a volume flow rate of the dispersion, (iii) a volume flow rate of the suspension, (iv) or a volume flow rate of the liquid supplied, or (v) a volume flow rate of the foam supplied.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one volume flow sensor comprises one of an impeller sensor, a vortex flow measuring device, a float-type flow measuring device, or a calorimetric flow measuring device.

12. A method for producing foamed building materials, comprising: providing a suspension using a suspension supply unit; providing a gas using a gas supply unit; mixing the suspension and the gas to a dispersion in a mixing chamber; detecting a temperature of the dispersion; detecting an ambient air pressure; transmitting the detected temperature of the dispersion and the detected ambient air pressure to a control unit; adjusting, by a control unit and based on the detected temperature of the dispersion and the detected ambient air pressure, at least one of (i) from a volume flow rate of the gas, (ii) a mass of the gas, (iii) a temperature of the gas, (iv) a pressure of the gas, (v) a volume flow rate of the suspension, (vi) a mass of the suspension, or (vii) a density of the suspension.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing at least one reference value from a memory unit to the control unit, wherein the at least one reference value indicates at least one of a temperature of the dispersion, a pressure of the dispersion, or a volume flow rate of the dispersion; comparing a detected value with an associated one of the at least one reference value, and adjusting one or more of a device, a unit, or an apparatus associated with a particular value in such a manner that the detected value approximates to the associated reference value.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, at a time before the comparing, one or more of a particular reference value or a particular detected value are standardized to predefined normal conditions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a volume of the standard conditions is given in normal liters (NL) at zero degrees Celsius (0 C.) and at an absolute air pressure of 1013.25 millibars (mbar).

16. The apparatus of 1, further comprising at least one further temperature sensor which is configured to detect a temperature of the gas supplied by the gas supply unit.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing at least one reference value from a memory unit to the control, wherein the reference value indicates one or more of a temperature of the gas, a pressure of the gas, or a volume flow rate of the gas; and comparing a detected value with an associated reference value, and adjusting one or more of a device, a unit, or an apparatus associated with a particular value in such a manner that the detected value approximates to the associated reference value.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing at least one reference value from a memory unit to the control, wherein the reference value indicates one or more of a temperature of the suspension, a pressure of the suspension, or a volume flow rate of the suspension; and comparing a detected value with an associated reference value, and adjusting one or more of a device, a unit, or an apparatus associated with a particular value in such a manner that the detected value approximates to the associated reference value.

Description

[0043] The present invention is described below in greater detail based on embodiments with reference to the associated drawings which show:

[0044] FIG. 1 a schematic construction of a first embodiment of an apparatus for producing foamed building materials according to the invention;

[0045] FIG. 2 a schematic construction of a second embodiment of an apparatus for producing foamed building materials according to the invention.

[0046] The apparatus for producing foamed building materials represented schematically in FIG. 1 is generally denoted by the reference number 10.

[0047] A gas, such as compressed air for example, is fed into the apparatus 10 at a gas inlet 12. Downstream of the gas inlet 12 is a metering device 14, for example a valve, via which the amount of gas supplied can be regulated. The gas then flows through a measuring device 16 which is configured here to detect a volume flow rate Q of the gas. Of course, the flow could also pass first through the measuring device 16 and then through the metering device 14. Subsequently, the gas arrives in a mixing chamber 18.

[0048] A suspension is fed into the apparatus 10 at a suspension inlet 20 of the apparatus 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the suspension is conveyed into the apparatus 10 using a metering pump 22. Downstream of the metering pump 22, the suspension is conveyed into the mixing chamber 18 via a measuring device 24 which is configured to detect a volume flow rate Q of the suspension and optionally a density p of the suspension. Alternatively, the measuring device 24 here could also be arranged upstream of the metering pump 22.

[0049] In the embodiment shown here, the apparatus 10 further comprises a foaming agent inlet 26 at which a foaming agent is fed into the apparatus 10. The foaming agent also first passes through a metering device 28, such as a control valve for example, and then a measuring device 30 which is configured to detect a volume flow rate Q of the foaming agent.

[0050] Subsequently, the foaming agent is also fed into the mixing chamber 18.

[0051] A mixing element, not shown, which can be configured both to produce a foam from the foaming agent and the gas and also to produce a dispersion from foaming agent/gas or foam and suspension, is arranged in the mixing chamber 18. The dispersion leaves the mixing chamber 18 at an outlet 32 of the mixing chamber 18, a temperature measuring device 34 being configured to detect a temperature T of the dispersion leaving the mixing chamber 18. Downstream of the temperature measuring device 34, the dispersion, which is formed, for example, as a mineral foam, is conveyed further depending on the customer-specific arrangement of the apparatus 10, the dispersion, of course, similarly having a density p and a volume flow rate Q.

[0052] The measured values detected by the measuring devices 16, 24, 30, 34 are read out on a control and/or regulating unit 36. Furthermore, an air pressure P, which is present in an environment of the apparatus 10, is detected by an air pressure measuring device 38 and read out on the control and/or regulating unit 36. The control and/or regulating unit 36 can then, for example based on reference values, i.e. for example target values relating to the density p of the dispersion, the density p of the foam, a volume flow rate Q of the dispersion and/or a concentration C of the foaming agent, which is measured, for example, in percent or in kilograms per cubic meter, carry out control of a particular metering device 14, 22, 28 in order to approximate an actual result to a target result. In this case, the reference values may be stored in a memory unit 40 which is operatively connected to the control and/or regulating unit 36.

[0053] Using the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, it is possible, regardless of an air pressure prevailing in an environment of apparatus 10 or of parameters of the components to be mixed, to produce a dispersion which has a predetermined density p and a predetermined volume flow rate Q, based on the regulation according to the invention.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention which is generally provided with the reference number 110. The apparatus 110 is based substantially on the apparatus 10 according to FIG. 1. For this reason, components of apparatus 110 which are similar to the apparatus 10 are provided with the same reference numbers but increased by 100. At this point, it should be mentioned explicitly that all features and advantages of the apparatus 10 are also applicable to the apparatus 110 and vice versa. Accordingly, only the differences between the apparatus 110 and the apparatus 10 are described below.

[0055] In addition to the elements known from the apparatus 10, the apparatus 110 further comprises a water inlet 142 via which water is fed into the apparatus 110. The water fed into the apparatus 110 flows through a corresponding metering device 144 and a measuring device 146 which is configured to detect a volume flow rate Q of the water. The water, together with the foaming agent and the gas (see description for the apparatus 10), enters a foam generator 148 in which the water, the foaming agent and the gas are mixed to form a foam.

[0056] The foam generated in the foam generator 148 is subsequently fed into a mixing chamber 118.

[0057] Instead of the suspension inlet 20 of the apparatus 10, the apparatus 110 has a mixing water inlet 150, a binder inlet 152, an aggregate inlet 154 and an additive inlet 156 that are separate from each other. Subsequently, the mixing water fed into the apparatus 110 via the mixing water inlet 150 flows through a metering device for mixing water 158, the binder fed into the apparatus 110 via the binder inlet 152 flows through a metering device for binder 160, the aggregates fed into the apparatus 110 via the aggregate inlet 154 pass through a metering device for aggregates 162 and the additives fed into the apparatus 110 via the additive inlet 156 pass through a metering device for additives 164.

[0058] The mixing water, the binder, the aggregates and the additives then enter a suspension mixer 166 which is configured to produce a suspension from the mixing water, the binder, the aggregates and the additives. In this case, the apparatus or the suspension mixer 166 may have at least one weighing device 168 which is configured to detect a mass m of the mixing water and/or a mass m of the binder and/or a mass m of the aggregates and/or a mass m of the additives. The weighing device 168 can pass the detected values to a control and/or regulating unit 170 of the suspension mixer 166 which has available, for example, target values for the mass m of the mixing water and/or the mass m of the binder and/or the mass m of the aggregates and/or the mass m of the additives, based on which the metering devices 158, 160, 162, 164 can be controlled in order to adjust detected actual values to the stored target values.

[0059] The suspension produced in the suspension mixer 166 enters a buffer tank 172 in which the suspension produced can be intermediately stored.

[0060] Via a metering pump 122, as known from the apparatus 10, the suspension is then conveyed into the mixing chamber 118 via a measuring device 124, also known from the apparatus 10. In the mixing chamber 118, the foam is mixed to form a dispersion with the suspension in a similar manner to the description with reference to FIG. 1, its temperature T being detected in a temperature measuring device 134.

[0061] In contrast to the control and/or regulating unit 36 of the apparatus 10, a control and/or regulating unit 136 of the apparatus 110 additionally has a volume flow rate Q of the water fed into the apparatus 110 via the water inlet 142 as an input variable. Accordingly, the control and/or regulating unit 136 is also configured to control the metering device 144 for the water to be fed into the apparatus 110 and thus to control the amount of water fed into the apparatus 110.