CreteFoamer Blog

If you need a quick way to approximate production rates for geotechnical fill applications, this is for you.

These rules are for continuous production, such as you get with the Richway CreteFoamer "60C SCIM" unit.

These rules are approximations only for 30 lb/cu ft density cellular concrete.



#1 Multiply the foam output in cfm by 3 to get the approximate cubic yards per hour at 30 pcf. [Or divide required production rate by 3 to get foam output rate required.]

#2 Divide foam output in cfm by 3 to get the required slurry in cfm. [Divide slurry cfm by 27 to get cu yds/min]

#3 Divide foam output in cfm by 3 to get gpm of water required to produce foam.

Note that #2 and #3 will yield the same number, just in different units.

Example: If you are generating 60 cfm of foam, you will have a maximum production rate of approximately 180 cubic yards per hour of 30 pound per cubic foot density cellular concrete. For this production rate you will need 20 gallons per minute of water to produce foam and an slurry rate of 20 cubic feet per minute. This translates to 44 cu yds/hour of slurry.

With the "60C" users report average production rates in the range of 90-100 cubic yards per hour.

Scaling down to 12 cfm foam production rate, the cellular concrete production rate will be approx 40 cu yds/hour; requiring 4 cfm slurry per minute and 4 gallons water per minute.


Here's the math.


12 cfm foam at 3 lbs/cu ft = 36 lbs
4 cfm slurry at 120 lbs/cu ft = 480 lbs
TOTAL 516 lbs / 16 cfm (total) = 32 lbs/cu ft density

16 cfm * 60 min per hour = 960 cu ft / hour

960/ 27 (cu yds/cu ft) = approx 36 cu yds / hour.

Since most of the weight of the foam is water and water weighs about 9 lb/gal (actually 8.34), it takes about 4 gallons of water to make 12 cubic feet of foam.

See above for the derivation of the 4 cfm of slurry [and note that with 4 cfm density will be a little greater than 30 lbs/cubic foot]

Again ---- these are APPROXIMATIONS only, so nothing comes out exactly right, but they are close enough for quick figuring.

The full model number for the "60C" is CFVT-60C SCIM      SCIM stands for Self Contained Integrated Mobile.  It is a fully integrated unit that starts with a slurry and adds foam into the flow of slurry from the on-board pump to produce cellular concrete.  The 60C has a base foam generation capacity of 60 cubic feet per minute and a continuous cellular concrete production capacity of up to 100 cubic yards per hour for 30 pcf density.

The main components are the power unit, progressive cavity concrete pump, foam generator, foam eductor, and static mixer. Also mounted on the trailer are water tank, foam concentrate storage, and various auxiliary components.  The core of the power unit is a 75 hp Kubota diesel engine, which drives a hydraulic pump and a rotary screw compressor.  There is also a water pump, foam concentrate pump, and associated controls. The core of Richway VersaTrac technology is used to precisely meter foam concentrate into the water to produce foam when compressed air is added.  This eliminates any premixing such as required with many other systems.   

This system was designed by Richway engineers and is manufactured in their factory, using 38 years of machine manufacturing experience.  Like all Richway CreteFoamers, it produces a tight and uniform bubble structure, critical for consistently high quality cellular concrete.

It can produce up to 100 cubic yards of cellular concrete per hour on a continuous basis.  Density can be varied from 25 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) up to 125 pcf.  Output rate is adjustable, using simple, but comprehensive controls.  The stainless steel foam generator, eductor and static mixer are all easily cleaned. 

The 60C is a real workhorse and is ready to go to work for you when you get it.  Available options include water tank size, foam concentrate storage configuration, hopper size, and pump capacity.  It can used with either batch trucks or volumetric trucks.  It can also be used in the "foam only" mode to directly charge batch trucks at foam generation rates of 60 cubic feet per minute.  

If you need a foam generation system to do high volume cellular concrete work, then you need to look at the Richway 60C CreteFoamer.

Cellular Concrete in use again.  Read this article.

Apr 11, 2011 02:08 PM

Here is a news release about use of cellular concrete in bridge construction. The arches are precast standard density concrete, with an overfill (presumably up to the deck) of cellular concrete. Read the whole story by following the link.    

Cellular concrete in bridge construction

This week was another demo week for the CreteFoamer

Here's a photo of the driveway pour which was completed on Wednesday June 9. It was our intent to do a cellular concrete sub-base under the whole driveway, but city regulators would not permit that. They required the standard compacted fill under all the driveway that was on the right-of-way. On the rest, we used a 3" cellular sub-base (25 pcf) and a reduced density top cap (115 pcf - 5.5 inches thick)

Compaction of the cellular sub-base was not required! There was a materials cost savings, while still getting 3500 psi strength. The "garage end" load had about 7% air because we forgot to tell our producer "no air entrainment" when we ordered, so our density was lower than we intended. If we had chosen to check mix density before adding foam, we would have caught the error. As you can see in the photo, we used wire mesh for the whole driveway. City regulations required that the ROW portion was an Iowa DOT spec mix with no foam added and 800 lbs/Portland per yard. Normal 28 day strength for that mix is about 6500 psi. We used the same mix for the "garage end" load, but added the foam. We will finish the control joints and get a final inspection when it quits raining in "our neck of the woods" as many TV weather personalities, including Al Roker, seem fond of saying.

Here is a link to a 1999 article found on IrishConcrete.ie about Cellular Concrete for Road Construction.

IrishConcrete

I was just alerted to this video by Google Alerts. There are two quick images of buildings in Haiti which were not destroyed by the earthquake.

We are in current discussions with two groups who are rebuilding Haiti.

Facebook video --CLICK HERE - Cellular Concrete in Haiti

Here is a short story about hillside soil stabilization using cellular concrete (aka foamed concrete).

Click on This: Soil "Stabilisation" in Poland


Note: 900 kg/m3 = about 56 pcf (divide kg/m3 by 16 to get approximate density in lbs/cubic foot)

Here is a story about void filling with cellular concrete.

Click here: Void Filling

The lead line notes that "Since foam concrete was first developed in America in 1923 ... ". Most of the time credit is given as first developed in Sweden in the early 1920's. This is the first time I have seen America credited as the "birthplace."

CreteFoam CMX complies with all ASTM C869 Specifications

A good foaming agent is important in producing cellular concrete. Bubble size, strength, and life are all critical elements. Our new foam, CreteFoam CMX, has just been tested to compliance with ASTM C869 standard specification. CMX development began in May 2009. During field testing, one user noted the "really fine tight bubbles" and found it to much more stable than the foam he had been using. The compliance testing was done by an independent laboratory which is ASTM recognized.

CMX has two polymers for superior performance. The flash point is in excess of 201F, which is important because flash points below 200F require shipping and handling restrictions. Dilution rate is from 1.5 to 4 ounces per gallon. In our 35 years of formulation of foaming agents which are used throughout the world, we have repeatedly "learned" that there is no single universal rate for dilution of any foaming agent. Water hardness, temperature, and other "water quality" factors determine the amount of concentrate required per gallon of water to make a "good" foam.

If you are involved in cellular concrete and would like a free sample of CreteFoam CMX, call Richway at 800-553-2404 (or 319-987-2976) and ask for Tony, Marty, or Rich.