Composition for and Method of Pumping Concrete

Abstract

A composition for and a method of promoting the flow of a concrete slurry through a conduit is provided. The composition is preferably a liquid polymer mixture including water and polyacrylamide polymers. The composition, when mixed with a suitable quantity of water, is useful, in a method of priming a pump, and in pumping concrete slurry, and improves the flow of the slurry through a conduit.

1 . A method of priming a concrete pump system comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a liquid polymer material;    b) mixing the liquid polymer material with water to form a lubricating aid; and    c) pumping the lubricating aid through the concrete pump system.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing occurs in a hopper of a concrete truck.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid polymer material further comprises a polymeric material selected from a group of cellulose derivatives, synthetic hydrophilic polymers and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid polymer material includes a polymeric emulsion selected from a group consisting of polyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating aid further comprises a mixture of a range of two to four ounces of liquid polymer material with three to five gallons of water.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the mixing occurs in a hopper of a concrete truck.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating aid has a pH range of six to nine.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid polymer material has a concentration in the range of from about 0.5 ounces to about 2.0 ounces of a polyacrylamide solution.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the concrete pump system further comprises a range of one hundred to three hundred feet of conduit that is primed with approximately two ounces of liquid polymer material.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating aid is biodegradable.  
   
   
       11 . A method of pumping a flowable concrete slurry comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a concrete slurry;    b) providing a fluid composition comprised of water and a liquid polymeric material;    c) pumping said fluid composition through a conduit wherein said conduit is lubricated by said fluid composition passing therethrough; and    d) pumping said concrete slurry through said conduit wherein at least a portion of said slurry is in contact with at least a portion of said fluid composition, said pumped fluid composition operating to lubricate said conduit and to impede water loss from and solids separation within said concrete slurry; and    e) dispensing said fluid composition and said concrete slurry to an outside form.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of polyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of cellulose derivatives, synthetic hydrophilic polymers and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid composition further comprises a range of two to four ounces of polymeric material with three to five gallons of water.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid composition has a pH range of six to nine.  
   
   
       16 . A priming and lubricating composition for a concrete pump comprising a water-soluble, liquid polymeric material that, when mixed with a quantity of water sufficient to solvate the liquid polymeric material, forms a substantially neutral solution that is useful to lubricate a concrete pump and delivery conduit and improve the fluid characteristics of a concrete slurry delivered through the concrete pump.  
   
   
       17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of polyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the solution is created by mixing approximately two to four ounces of polymeric material with three to five gallons of water.  
   
   
       19 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the composition is vended in two to four ounce containers for delivery to a job site at which the concrete pump is located.  
   
   
       20 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein said substantially neutral solution has a pH range between six and nine.