System, method and apparatus for entraining air in concrete

Abstract

A method of preparing a concrete composition includes utilizing a controller to control a process including circulating process water in a process water supply loop for a predetermined period while monitoring and controlling the temperature and flow rate of the process water, circulating aqueous-based air entrainment solution in an aqueous-based air entrainment solution supply loop for the predetermined period and controlling the flow rate of the aqueous-based air entrainment solution and after the predetermined period of time in which the flow of process water and aqueous-based air entrainment solution have stabilized, simultaneously actuating valves to divert and mix the process water, the aqueous-based air entrainment solution and compressed air to produce an air-entrained foam and mixing the foam with a concrete composition.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for small batch processing, comprising the steps of:
 operating a plurality of sub-processes in an integrated mode and a non-integrated mode, each of the sub processes operating independently in each of the modes to receive an input, process the input in accordance with an associated sub-process to provide an output therefrom;   integrating the outputs of the sub-processes in the integrated mode to physically interface each of the sub-processes in a batch process wherein each of the plurality of sub-processes continues to operate independent of each other but with the outputs thereof integrated into the batch process; and   each of the sub-processes tightly coupled to the operation of the batch process and having a tight physical coupling thereto such that, when changed from the non-integrated mode to the integrated mode and the outputs thereof integrated into the batch process, minimal delay occurs before the batch process is stabilized.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the sub-processes has an associated controller and a set of set points for the operation thereof wherein the controller controls the sub-processes in accordance with the set points to provide a closed loop control system that operates independently for each of the sub-processes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the set points are different from the integrated mode to the non-integrated mode. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the sub-processes comprises the input for another of the sub-processes.