Production of aerated concrete: the main manufacturing

The construction industry today is developing very rapidly, so the demand for most materials is constantly increasing. For this reason, the production of aerated concrete is now seen as a very profitable occupation. Next, we will tell about all the details of this activity.

Properties

When you are making something, you just need to have a complete understanding of the process and the technologies available. We understand this very well, so below we will provide you with complete information.

Virtues

According to all the canons of the genre, the first thing to do is to reveal the key advantages of the material we are describing:

• High strength (despite the low bulk density - 450–500 kg / m3, it is characterized by a very high density - up to 45 kg / m2). This property gives him a very long service life - buildings constructed from it, can stand up to 80 years without losing its original appearance.

• Excellent thermal insulation thanks to the numerous pores in which the air lies. As a result, buildings meet absolutely all GOST and SNiP for residential premises. Its coefficient of thermal conductivity is 0.12 W / m · ° C.

Interesting: with a decrease in weight, heat-insulating properties increase.

• Masonry. Due to the smooth surface and accurate forms, the laying of such aerated concrete blocks is obtained thin-seam. As a result, so-called “cold bridges” do not appear, which minimizes heat losses.
• Due to the low weight, the load on the foundation is significantly reduced. This eliminates the need to construct extremely durable structures.
• Time saving. Due to the large size, the labor intensity of work is reduced (1 block is equal in size to 15–20 bricks). At the same time, they are also easier, which means that they can be easily lifted up by hand without resorting to the help of lifts.
• Ecological purityAfter all, when creating it, no toxic substances are used. As a result, the material is inert, does not emit harmful emissions, that is completely safe for human health. By the ability to "breathe" it can be compared with a tree.

• The walls of this material will always be warm to the touch. (Unlike the same brick). This property has been granted to it due to its low thermal conductivity. This means that it does not take heat away from human skin.
• In addition, the room will not appear excess moisture.that prevents the appearance of mold and mildew. Do not forget that these organic formations are very dangerous not only for decoration, but also for health.

Tip: the porous structure allows for the necessary natural ventilation in the room.

• Aerated concrete is made from a special non-combustible mineral raw materials. For this reason, it perfectly withstands direct exposure to fire (up to 7 hours).
• Also it should be noted, and good frost resistance (the ability to withstand a certain number of cycles of freezing and thawing). The blocks are permeated with countless tiny pores, when ingested into which water is displaced. As a result, such a material is able to withstand 100 or more freezing cycles.
• Wide dimensions allow building buildings in a single layer.. This greatly facilitates the work, and also eliminates the need to lay additional insulation. As a result, the total cost is significantly reduced.

Convenience processing. Such material is easily processed by hand tools. In particular, using an ordinary hand drill, you can safely build any kind of communication (unlike ordinary concrete walls, where you need a powerful punch).

Why is he so popular

Plants for the production of aerated concrete appear with space velocity. Many will wonder, why is the popularity of this product growing so fast?

We will highlight the key reasons, based on the above advantages:

• Reducing cash costs during construction. This is due to the fact that there is no need to create a massive concrete foundation, as well as to conduct multi-layer thermal insulation (it in itself retains heat quite well). In addition, the finishing work will be much easier in such a house.
• Very affordable price. It is 30–35% cheaper than bricks and 60–80% lumber.
• Increase the speed of construction several times. When it comes to commercial buildings, this fact is perhaps the most important.
• As a result of the adoption of a new law on the requirements for thermal protection of buildings, heat-saving materials have become the most preferable option.

In stating all of the above, we can safely say that the manufacture of such a material is certainly worthwhile. There is always a buyer for a quality product.

Manufacturing method

It is time to reveal all the details of manufacturing. The modern line for the production of aerated concrete carries out not only mixing and molding, but also processing. With all the stages we will introduce you further.

Core technology

Consider how the technology looks in general:

• The main ingredients (water, cement, quartz sand and lime) are taken in certain proportions. The ratio may vary depending on the intended brand of the product.
• They need to stir in a special mixer for several minutes (depending on the power).
• When the initial mixture became homogeneous, a liquid suspension of aluminum powder is gradually added to it. This substance provides a chemical reaction with the lime contained in the mixture.

Interesting: hydrogen is used as a reaction product. It forms a large number of bubbles in the solution, turning into pores.

• Immediately after adding the paste, the mixture is transferred to special containers. It is in them that “swelling” occurs.
• To significantly accelerate this process, as well as to increase the strength characteristics, the thick mass is subjected to serious vibration in a special machine.
• When the solution reaches pre-solidification, the unevenness is removed from the top. To do this, use the wire strings.
• When blanks are aligned they are cut into blocks of certain sizes.

Autoclaving

After receiving the blanks, they must be subjected to certain processing, which is designed to improve its basic technical characteristics. This can be done in two ways. First, consider the autoclave:

The cut blanks are placed in special chambers for 12 hours. They created high pressure conditions (about 12 kg / cm2). In this case, the product is treated with very saturated and hot (temperature about 200 degrees) with water vapor.

As a result of such manipulations, the following characteristics are improved:

• Strength. In this parameter, he begins to surpass his ancestor - a brick.
• Reduced shrinkage.
• The structure becomes more homogeneous.
• Sound and heat insulation increases significantly. Thus, the coefficient of thermal conductivity becomes within 0.09–0.18 W / (m · ° C).) As a result, even in the harsh Russian climate, you can make buildings from one layer of blocks, which enormously reduces all costs (monetary, labor). temporary).

At the end of the product is calibrated using a milling machine.

Non-autoclave

It is also possible to process the product without an autoclave installation. In particular, it will harden under natural conditions. This means that a person does not need high-tech and, as a result, expensive equipment.

Of course, such a material is of lower quality. In particular, shrinkage increases (almost 10 times), strength decreases (2–3.5 times) and insulating characteristics deteriorate. In this regard, this technology has almost completely become obsolete, with the exception of small "handicraft" enterprises.

Five reasons to open production

The person who decided to open his own plant for the production of aerated concrete, probably thinks, is it worth it?

Below you can find five reasons to respond positively to this question.

1. Low energy costs. To create this material does not require steaming machines that consume a tremendous amount of energy. This means that an item of expenditures that is so important in the initial stages will not make major adjustments.
2. Modern line for the production of aerated concrete does not require a large number of staff. This is very important, because often in the early stages entrepreneurs do not have funds to pay for workers. In our case, only 2-3 people are required to complete the process.
3. It does not require large areas. We all know how expensive it is to rent premises today. Therefore, this factor is very important.
4. Easy to use. If you purchase professional equipment, it will be very easy to handle. An instruction is always attached to it, which will easily explain the basics of production.

Advice: when purchasing an installation, be sure to ask the seller for a passport, certificate and license. You should not trust the cheap "artisanal" equipment, because it is likely that it will not cope with its task.

1. In the end it is worth noting that the installation for the production of aerated concrete pays off in just a few months. Of course, the speed depends on how successfully the buyers will be found.

Acknowledging the information presented above, one can say that it is certainly worth opening such a production. If you make the most perseverance and endurance, the result does not take long.

Conclusion

On this positive note, we will complete our story. However, if you have any questions, do not take it into your head. In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic, with the help of which you will certainly be able to comprehend all the subtleties.