Device for metering paint pigments as an additive for cement or alternative cement for the production of colored concrete products

Abstract

Device for metering color pigments as an additive for cement or alternative cement for the production of colored concrete products, comprising at least three containers for receiving respectively different color pigments, a control unit for setting the discharge quantities from the containers, and a sensor system coupled to the control unit in order to meter a color pigment composition taking into account the discharge quantities detected by the sensor system, wherein at least one brightness value L* value for the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement of the concrete product to be colored in each case is stored or storable in the control unit, and the control unit is configured to apply a color triangle as a function of the at least one L* value for controlling the output of predetermined quantities of the color pigments from the at least three containers based on a set of three standard color values X, Y, Z.

Claims

1. Device for metering color pigments as an additive for cement or alternative cement for the production of colored concrete products, comprising at least three containers for receiving respectively different color pigments, a control unit for setting the discharge quantities from the containers, and a sensor system coupled to the control unit in order to meter a color pigment composition taking into account the discharge quantities detected by the sensor system, wherein at least one brightness value L* value for the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement of the concrete product to be colored in each case is stored or storable in the control unit, and the control unit is configured to apply a color triangle as a function of the at least one L value for controlling the output of predetermined quantities of the color pigments from the at least three containers based on a set of three standard color values X, Y, Z.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has an input mask for standard color values X, Y, Z defined by a CIEL*a*b* color space.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the stored or storable L* value is determined by grey shades of the inherent color of a cement or alternative cement with values between 40 and 92.5.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the different color pigments are color pigment mixtures or primary color pigments.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is designed to generate color shades from the standard color values X,Y,Z by controlling mixing ratios at output quantities of the color pigments or color pigment mixtures from the at least three containers.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein a color generator is associated with the control unit online or offline.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the control of the output of defined quantity ratios of the color pigments can be calibrated by measuring a real concrete product.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has an input mask for the selectable or changeable input of an L* value.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the standard color values X,Y,Z define absolute colors comprising RGB values, related to the brightness value L* of the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement used in each case.

10. Color generator for a device for metering color pigments as an additive for cement or alternative cement for the production of colored concrete products, comprising at least three containers for receiving in each case different color pigments, a control unit for setting the discharge quantities from the containers and a sensor system coupled to the control unit in order to meter a color pigment composition taking into account the discharge quantities detected by the sensor system, wherein at least one brightness value L* value for the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement of the concrete product to be colored in each case is stored or storable in the control unit, and the control unit is configured to use three fixable RGB values to apply a color triangle as a function of the at least one L* value for controlling the output of defined quantity ratios of the color pigments from the at least three containers.

11. Color generator according to claim 10, wherein the generator is an add-on device of a concrete plant to control a metering and dispensing system for batch weighing of paint pigments to be discharged to change the inherent color of a concrete by being added to the basic material including cement or alternative cement.

Description

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures.

(2) a. FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of a metering and dispensing system for paint pigments,

(3) b. FIG. 2 shows a color triangle with percentages,

(4) c. FIG. 3 shows a color triangle with the pigment colors 110G, 330G, 920G

(5) The invention relates to a device for metering colored pigments as an additive for cement or alternative cement for the production of colored concrete. The system is designed for batch weighing combined with preferably mechanical/pneumatic transfer to meter and discharge pigments in powder form to a concrete production equipment (not shown).

(6) The metering and dispensing system shown in FIG. 1 preferably comprises a platform structure 1 in which several containers 2 are placed. At least three containers 2 are provided for holding different color pigments or color pigment mixtures in each case. For example, these are powder pigments which can be contained in big bags and which can be suspended in the top of the stage structure 1. Transfer containers 3 are preferably provided below the at least three containers 2.

(7) From the transfer containers 3, the respective color pigment or color pigment mixture passes to an associated transferring device, for example in the form of a screw conveyor 4, which serves to convey the respective color pigment or color pigment mixture into a weighing device 5.

(8) The weighing device 5 comprises a weighing container 6 which can be closed by a closing flap and which, in the embodiment shown, is funnel-shaped and is suspended via pressure cells 7 scanned with respect to the weight. The weighing container 6 has an outlet 8 at the bottom which can be emptied via a closure, such as an emptying flap. The weighing container 6 is emptied after reaching a predetermined weight by receiving a corresponding amount of color pigment or color pigment mixture. The weighing container 6 can be scanned with respect to its weight in order to be able to check whether it has been completely emptied. A pressure vessel 9 can be used to transfer the material out of the metering and dispensing system to a concrete plant including for example a concrete mixing vessel.

(9) A control unit 10 is provided for setting the discharge quantities from the containers 2. A sensor system 11 is coupled to the control unit 10 in order to meter a color pigment composition taking into account the discharge quantities detected by the sensor system 11. The sensor system 11 can be, for example, the weighing container 6 with the pressure cells 7. The color pigment composition can be metered additively in the weighing container 6, for example, before being dispensed to a concrete plant or a concrete mixing vessel.

(10) At least one brightness value L* value for the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement of the respective concrete product to be colored is stored or storable in the control unit 10. The control unit 10 is designed to use three definable standard color values to apply a color triangle depending on the at least one L* value, namely for controlling the output of defined quantity ratios of the color pigments from the at least three containers 2. The standard color values preferably define absolute colors such as, for example, RGB for the brightness value L* of the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement used in each case.

(11) An RGB color space is an additive color space that replicates color perceptions by mixing three primary colors (red, green, and blue). This color space is basically based on the three-color theory and is used in television, computer monitors, video projectors, etc. The colors are represented by additive superposition of red, green and blue pixels.

(12) The RGB values range from 0 to 255. Black exists when R=0, G=0 and B=0, white exists when R=255, G=255 and B=255. With these values, almost 16.6 million color shades are achievable.

(13) As an example, R=127.5, G=127.5 and B=127.5 results in a grey that corresponds to the grey in the CIEL*a*b* color space L*=50, a*=0, b*=0. There is a mathematical relationship between CIEL*a*b* and RGB.

(14) The control unit 10 preferably has an input mask for the standard color values X, Y, Z defined by a CIELab color space, for example RGB values, related to the brightness value L* of the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement used in each case. The stored or storable L* value is determined by the grey tones of the inherent color of a cement or alternative cement with values between 40 and 92.5.

(15) The different color pigments or color pigment mixtures are preferably primary color pigments.

(16) The control unit 10 is further preferably designed to generate color tones from the standard color values X, Y, Z, for example RGB values (RGB=red, green, blue) by controlling mixing ratios at output quantities of the color pigments or color pigment mixtures from the at least three containers 2.

(17) A color generator 12 can be assigned to the control unit 10 online or offline. The control of the output of defined quantity ratios of the color pigments can be calibrated by measuring a real concrete product.

(18) The control unit 10 further preferably has an input mask for selectable or changeable input of an L* value of the respective cement or alternative cement used.

(19) The color generator 12 is used in particular for controlling a device described above for metering color pigments as an additive for cement or alternative cement for the production of colored concrete products. The device comprises at least three containers for holding different color pigments in each case, a control unit for setting the discharged quantities from the containers, and a sensor system coupled to the control unit in order to meter a color pigment composition taking into account the discharge quantities detected by the sensor system. At least one brightness value L* value for the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement of the concrete product to be colored in each case is stored or storable in the control unit. The control unit is designed to use three definable standard color values X, Y, Z, for example RGB values, to apply a color triangle depending on the at least one L* value for controlling the output of defined quantity ratios of the color pigments from the at least three containers.

(20) FIG. 2 shows a color triangle with the standard color values X, Y, Z drawn from a real mixture of a concrete product, for example measured with a spectrometer. According to the invention, a main feature is that the pigments are mixed with the aggregates and cement or alternative cement and standard color values, for example RGB values related to the brightness value L* of the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement used in each case, are defined from them. The color triangles are composed of these real mixtures, as shown for example in FIG. 2. The user can work with his own colors with his cement or alternative cement, sand, gravel etc. in the triangle. The inherent color of the cement or alternative cement that the user uses in each case, be it lighter gray, darker gray or white cement or alternative cement, is taken into account by the control unit or color generator. The user enters the L* value (brightness/darkness) of the cement or alternative cement and the pigment addition into the control unit and selects a color from the respective color triangle for the control of the metering and dispensing system. If the inherent color of the cement or alternative cement used changes, the input of the L* value is changed and thus the operation of the metering and dispensing system is readjusted while changing the recipe, i.e. the mixture of the color pigments from the at least three containers 2.

(21) FIG. 3 shows an example of a color triangle with percentage mixing ratio change of the three standard color values, indicated here as 100G, 330G and 920G, to represent different color shades.

(22) Table 1 to Table 4 show colorimetric values according to the invention of various percentage additions related to the cement or alternative cement of real concrete products.

(23) TABLE-US-00001 TABEL 1 pigment % cement L a b R G B Bfx 920 Std. 0.5% W 70.15 3.54 21.42 192.32 168.06 132.92 Bfx 920 Std. 1.0% W 67.84 5.80 26.97 192.32 160.24 116.98 Bfx 920 Std. 2.0% W 65.83 8.13 31.38 192.23 153.27 103.93 Bfx 920 Std. 2.5% W 64.76 9.17 33.39 191.57 149.72 97.60 Bfx 920 Std. 3.0% W 64.10 9.71 34.10 190.78 147.61 94.67 Bfx 920 Std. 4.0% W 63.09 10.66 35.93 189.97 144.29 88.82 Bfx 920 Std. 5.0% W 62.47 11.10 36.15 188.93 142.38 86.91 Bfx 920 Std. 0.5% G 53.73 1.25 12.45 139.09 126.93 107.14 Bfx 920 Std. 1.0% G 53.03 1.89 15.49 140.01 124.63 100.21 Bfx 920 Std. 2.0% G 53.00 2.51 18.12 142.28 124.07 95.63 Bfx 920 Std. 2.5% G 52.85 3.14 19.84 143.71 123.25 92.32 Bfx 920 Std. 3.0% G 52.95 3.92 22.02 146.19 122.95 88.81 Bfx 920 Std. 4.0% G 52.50 4.62 23.75 146.81 121.33 84.73 Bfx 920 Std. 5.0% G 52.26 5.10 24.77 147.32 120.40 82.39 % cement L* a* b* R* G* B* white cement W 78.23 0.90 5.84 199.96 192.51 182.73 grey cement G 53.82 0.73 8.71 136.16 127.66 113.75

(24) TABLE-US-00002 TABEL 2 pigment % cement L a b R G B Bfx 110 Std. 0.5% W 59.07 17.60 14.85 180.61 130.29 117.02 Bfx 110 Std. 1.0% W 54.55 20.87 16.38 173.51 116.34 103.28 Bfx 110 Std. 2.0% W 49.23 23.90 18.17 163.62 100.63 87.47 Bfx 110 Std. 2.5% W 48.15 24.42 18.36 161.38 97.53 84.60 Bfx 110 Std. 3.0% W 46.68 24.91 18.72 158.06 93.49 80.53 Bfx 110 Std. 4.0% W 45.01 25.33 18.80 153.99 89.04 76.49 Bfx 110 Std. 5.0% W 43.46 25.82 19.17 150.43 84.84 72.29 Bfx 110 Std. 0.5% G 49.41 8.01 10.92 137.80 112.22 99.38 Bfx 110 Std. 1.0% G 47.22 11.54 12.23 138.04 104.53 92.01 Bfx 110 Std. 2.0% G 44.03 15.32 14.24 135.94 94.15 81.23 Bfx 110 Std. 2.5% G 43.61 16.33 14.53 136.36 92.44 79.81 Bfx 110 Std. 3.0% G 42.38 17.40 15.39 134.88 88.68 75.56 Bfx 110 Std. 4.0% G 41.69 18.96 16.22 135.46 85.87 72.67 Bfx 110 Std. 5.0% G 40.34 19.91 16.98 133.36 81.90 68.35

(25) TABLE-US-00003 TABEL 3 pigment % cement L a b R G B Bfx 130 Std. 0.5% W 59.01 15.08 9.02 173.59 132.21 126.87 Bfx 130 Std. 1.0% W 53.40 18.50 10.35 164.13 115.48 110.61 Bfx 130 Std. 2.0% W 48.52 20.51 10.90 153.98 101.80 97.76 Bfx 130 Std. 2.5% W 46.46 21.19 11.31 149.51 96.18 92.12 Bfx 130 Std. 3.0% W 45.63 21.57 11.62 147.92 93.84 89.63 Bfx 130 Std. 4.0% W 43.27 22.55 12.33 143.14 87.30 82.89 Bfx 130 Std. 5.0% W 42.55 22.94 12.61 141.82 85.24 80.76 Bfx 130 Std. 0.5% G 49.80 6.76 8.47 135.51 114.08 104.40 Bfx 130 Std. 1.0% G 46.94 9.97 9.21 133.45 104.99 96.30 Bfx 130 Std. 2.0% G 44.46 13.56 9.98 132.67 96.60 89.19 Bfx 130 Std. 2.5% G 42.99 14.84 10.48 130.88 92.16 84.91 Bfx 130 Std. 3.0% G 42.34 15.74 10.66 130.54 89.97 83.08 Bfx 130 Std. 4.0% G 40.72 17.33 11.51 128.83 84.94 77.99 Bfx 130 Std. 5.0% G 39.90 18.26 11.70 128.01 82.31 75.81

(26) TABLE-US-00004 TABEL 4 pigment % cement L a b R G B Bfx 330 Std. 0.5% W 56.38 1.00 2.75 139.12 134.43 130.46 Bfx 330 Std. 1.0% W 50.80 0.97 1.74 124.00 120.29 118.01 Bfx 330 Std. 2.0% W 43.92 0.92 1.04 106.17 103.24 102.10 Bfx 330 Std. 2.5% W 42.23 0.87 0.86 101.80 99.14 98.26 Bfx 330 Std. 3.0% W 39.98 0.90 0.68 96.23 93.68 93.11 Bfx 330 Std. 4.0% W 38.00 0.88 0.50 91.28 88.94 88.64 Bfx 330 Std. 5.0% W 35.79 0.84 0.46 85.90 83.70 83.45 Bfx 330 Std. 0.5% G 48.16 0.75 6.28 120.12 113.51 103.82 Bfx 330 Std. 1.0% G 45.50 0.69 4.82 112.36 107.02 99.73 Bfx 330 Std. 2.0% G 41.23 0.78 3.73 101.22 96.58 91.18 Bfx 330 Std. 2.5% G 40.06 0.74 3.28 97.99 93.79 89.10 Bfx 330 Std. 3.0% G 38.73 0.71 3.19 94.65 90.61 86.07 Bfx 330 Std. 4.0% G 37.04 0.70 2.66 90.20 86.61 82.91 Bfx 330 Std. 5.0% G 35.22 0.83 2.54 85.98 82.23 78.82

(27) Table 1 to Table 4 show color measurements of real concrete products, for example, by the user and the cement or alternative cement used by him, namely white cement (W) with L* value of 78.23 and grey cement (G) with L* value of 53.82. For coloring the real concrete products, for example, different colored pigments such as Bfx 920 (yellow), Bfx 110 (yellowish red), Bfx 130 (blueish red) and Bfx 330 (black) were used. These are standard colors (Std.) from the Lanxess company. These color pigments were added in different percentages by weight based on the cement content or alternative cement content. According to the invention, the color pigments are added at a weight % in the range of 0.1-10, based on the cement content or alternative cement content, irrespective of the pigments used.

(28) The measured values listed in the tables are the coordinates L, a, b of the color location of the real concrete product and RGB values for the respective determination method, in particular the CIEL*a*b* color space. According to the invention, for example, the RGB values measured in this way are used and stored in the control unit. In this way, customer-specific color triangles are created and stored in the control unit so that the customer's own color mixtures can be created using the customer's own color pigments, in this case for example those specified above, and real raw materials used, such as cement or alternative cement, sand, gravel. In this way, colored concrete products can be created whose color impression is improved by individual selection of the color mixture and which are designed with individual color nuances by the selected color mixture.

(29) The alternative cement is preferably a climate-friendly alternative to conventional cement, i.e. so-called cement substitutes. Using a previously unused overburden product from bauxite mining as a raw material can, for example, reduce carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) emissions during production by up to two thirds. At the same time, the alternative cement is just as stable as the previous cement. Research into alternatives to cement has been going on for several years. Cement production generally does not work entirely without calcium carbonate, but at least 50 to 60 percent of the carbonic acid lime can be replaced by substitutes.

(30) The subject matter of the present application thus relates not only to cement, but also to alternative cement, which may contain, for example, up to 60 percent substitution materials such as bauxite/Belterra clay. This alternative cement or cement substitute also has an inherent color which influences the color design of concrete to be produced.

(31) The invention now being fully described it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.