Solar Energy for Foam Concrete Production Technology in Modern Conditions

Abstract: In our article, you can get acquainted with the unique methods for the production of foam concrete products with effective components with the intensification of its hardening due to solar energy, which allowed us to obtain new high-quality materials and organize energy-efficient and environmentally friendly production. The proposed innovative technology completely excludes from the production process the most energy-intensive technological operations—autoclaving and steam heating, and replaces them with low-energy and cheap methods, such as solar heating. When studying the parameters of the complex method of heliothermal treatment of foam concrete, we determined the optimal temperature regimes during the entire season of operation of solar polygons. And also we have established the relationship between the daily solar energy in the heated product, the consumption of additional electrical energy and the nature of the formation of the temperature field in foam concrete. As a result of the research, the strength characteristics of foam concrete were determined, which reached high rates, the values of thermal conductivity coefficients - which varied from 0.13 to 0.19 W/m°C. The frost resistance of foam concrete was 35 cycles for D600, 35 cycles for D700 and 50 cycles for D800. The newly developed methods were able to provide a higher level of physical and mechanical characteristics. A new method of thermal treatment of foam concrete has been developed, which is characterized by low energy consumption and ease of use. A new method of intensifying the hardening of freshly made products by solar heating in mild modes, combined with electric heating as an additional source of energy, ensures high quality of foam concrete products during the daily production cycle, significantly saving thermal energy, contributing to environmentally friendly production. The feasibility study of the proposed new method of solar heating of foam concrete showed that partial and complete replacement of non-renewable fossil fuels with renewable solar energy in the warm season, within 7–8 months, is up to 95%, and the annual replacement is up to 65%, taking into account the winter period of the year when the natural input of solar radiation is not enough to complete the process. © 2022, Allerton Press, Inc.