Abstract: Techniques or processes for efficiently producing concrete using dynamic feedback are disclosed. A concrete plant can use a control system to manage concrete production based on the dynamic feedback. The dynamic feedback can control mixing of concrete ingredients so as to yield uniform particle distribution for the concrete ingredients. The dynamic feedback can also avoid overflow situations as well as yield improved loading of the resulting concrete into a concrete transport vehicle (e.g., concrete truck).

Abstract: Techniques or processes for efficiently producing concrete using dynamic feedback are disclosed. A concrete plant can use a control system to manage concrete production based on the dynamic feedback. The dynamic feedback can control mixing of concrete ingredients so as to yield uniform particle distribution for the concrete ingredients. The dynamic feedback can also avoid overflow situations as well as yield improved loading of the resulting concrete into a concrete transport vehicle (e.g., concrete truck).

Abstract: A concrete plant with robust recycling capabilities and high energy efficiency is disclosed. In one aspect, a concrete recycling machine used at the concrete plant includes at least a slurry vessel that receives slurry provided from concrete being returned, a motor that drives an agitation device that agitates the slurry in the slurry vessel, and a control system that controls at least one of duration and frequency with which the motor drives the agitation device.

Abstract: An apparatus for making concrete is disclosed. The apparatus includes one or more measurement devices that is used to provide controlled quantities of at least cement and sand; a high intensity mixer that receives the controlled quantities of the cement and sand, mixes the controlled quantities of the cement and sand to produce grout, and outputs a flow of grout; and a controller coupled to the measurement devices and the mixer. The controller monitors and controls mixing energy applied by the mixer during mixing. In one embodiment, the mixing energy is altered by controlling the degree of opening of a discharge gate of the mixer. A concrete plant design including such an apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: In a one hundred percent slurry reclamation installation, the design mix of the concrete is adjusted by measuring the specific gravity of a slurry to be substituted, selecting the percentage of slurry to be substituted for the fresh concrete mix design ingredients, computing the amount of water, sand and active cement in the slurry from the relative amounts of active and passive solids in the slurry and the slurry specific gravity, and reducing the design values of water, cement and sand by the computed amounts when admixing the slurry to the reduced quantities of fresh ingredients.

Abstract: A slurry reclamation system for use with a concrete ready-mix plant which enables 100% reclamation of the constituents of concrete mix returned to the plant site by vehicles.Returned concrete mix is dumped into an inlet hopper having a screw classifier for removing aggregate and coarse sand, and a weired channel enabling gravity flow of the water, cement fines and sand fines constituents into a slurry vessel. The slurry in the vessel naturally separates into clarified water and concentrated slurry, and agitators are provided for periodically stirring up the slurry to maintain the cement fines active. The slurry vessel is sized in such a manner as to guarantee complete consumption of slurry returned during a day's production by the end of the following production day, the volumetric capacity of the vessel being related to the total average volume of water used to produce fresh concrete during a representative production day.