Cold Weather Concrete
There are several issues ready mix concrete producers have to deal with when pouring in cold weather. These may include but are not limited to the following: freezing temperatures, imposed loads during construction, and high thermal stress, all of which may lead to cracking and reduced strength.
Even with the harsh and sometimes bitter cold, there are many things producers can do. These include providing sufficient insulation blankets, using insulated forms (don’t place concrete on frozen subgrade), and using heated enclosures to block wind and conserve heat. Another option is to use heated batch water in accelerating early concrete strength. By using hot water in the mix, producers can batch mix, transport, place, cure, and protect concrete efficiently and effectively during freezing temperatures. Water heaters can be used for once through applications or with a storage tank system where a large volume of hot water in an insulated tank can be maintained at a temperature of up to 170°F. The storage tank system meets the needs of larger customers with larger on demand applications.
Using the proper water temperature increases strength and greatly reduces cracking due to shrinkage. For this reason, many federal, state, and local municipalities specify exact pouring temperatures. An instantaneous water heater can help meet these specifications. Using hot water eliminates chemicals and allows faster screeding, creating a better finish. Using a water heater can increase productivity and profits while reducing labor costs. Along with Sioux's standard water heater models, we can custom build units to fit your specific needs
For extreme freezing temperatures, a steam generator or forced air aggregate heater can heat up rock and sand aggregates to work in conjunction with a water heater to get your freshly mixed concrete temperature up to the correct specification. The Sioux Steam-Flo® steam generator is ideal for heating aggregates, material bunkers, and overhead material storage bins, while the Sioux Aggre-Flo® aggregate heater provides dry forced air heat, giving you precise temperature control for with all types of aggregates. The Steam-Flo® or Aggre-Flo®, along with a Sioux water heater, helps you keep consistent concrete specs for your ready mix concrete operation during the coldest of temperatures.
• Learn More About Sioux Water Heaters
• Learn More About Sioux Steam Generators
• Learn More About Sioux Aggregate Heaters
"I can't say enough good about Sioux products. They are reliable and have 99% uptime . Easily, my reliability cost savings and new revenue opportunities with Sioux products are 50-60% more." Brad C. - Utah
Hot Weather Concrete
In the summer months, ready mix producers have the opposite issue of cold weather concrete, the freshly mixed concrete can get too hot. Using concrete that is hotter than specified for certain applications can greatly reduce the overall strength of the concrete.
Traditionally, ready mix producers have added ice to the batch water to cool it down. This can be a guessing game as to how much ice to add to achieve the desired temperature. Instead of using ice, water chillers allow for the precise control of the batch water temperature, ensuring consistent, quality concrete.
Sioux offers reliable Carrier water chillers. Compared to utilizing ice to cool concrete, Sioux/Carrier water chillers reduce chilling costs by up to 95%. A Sioux/Carrier water chiller pairs great with a Sioux water heater to keep you producing, no matter the season.
Truck Wash System for Ready Mix Trucks
The Sioux Truck Wash helps reduce the risk of injury to drivers all while keeping your trucks, including the all important hopper, clean.
As the concrete truck slowly approaches the wash tower, sensors start the process. A series of rotary spray arms with high pressure nozzles clean the hopper for approximately 30 seconds (while only adding about five gallons of water in the drum). Separate spray bars are used for applying soap followed by a series of rinse nozzles to complete the washing process. The whole cleaning process takes about 60 seconds.
Use our calculator below to determine freshly mixed concrete temperatures for your operation
For almost 60 years Sioux has been a leader in providing equipment solutions for ready mix concrete batch plants and concrete operations.
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Sioux's products are built for the concrete, petroleum, mining, rail, greenhouse, food & beverage, and manufacturing industries with the highest quality and durability in mind. We strive to make sure our customers have the safest and most efficient equipment they can rely on year after year.