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17 11:34 Seite 102
CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE
Discussion of different types of curing designs
Controlled Curing – Advantages and
Disadvantages of Various Designs
 Daniel Rafter, Ireland
This article, a summary of a detailed and information-rich
university dissertation, discusses the three most common
types of curing designs currently used in the manufacture
of engineering blocks and paving products, namely Open,
Semi-Open and Fully Enclosed (Single Atmosphere Cham-
bers). The implications that each of these curing setups
have on the profitability and effectiveness of the operation,
under the headings of production capability, product qual-
ity and operating cost will also be observed. At the conclu-
sion of the article, a link to the full thesis is provided for
readers who wish to have more information on cost, pro-
duction and quality benefits of the single atmosphere
curing system.
Open Rack System
Until recently, the majority of curing installations were de-
signed and built without any type of insulated cladding, ther-
mal system or air handling system. For some applications this
is considered acceptable, but for the most part this has
changed; customers of concrete products are demanding
ever greater levels of quality and consistency amidst crushing
financial pressure, driving plant owners and operators to in-
vest in a more cost-effective curing package.
Image showing a modern air-dry application.
102 CPI – Concrete Plant International – 5 | 2017
Advantages of open-rack/ air-dry systems
• Lowest installation time and cost, when compared to
semi-open and fully enclosed types.
• Ongoing maintenance costs are significantly lower, i.e.
no rack roller shutter doors, no ventilation equipment,
no insulation, no motorised dampers etc.
• No ongoing fuel costs.
• Operator friendly, as visibility of operations inside the
chamber is typically very good and the use of closed-cir-
cuit television (CCTV) cameras is generally not required.
Disadvantages of open-rack/ air-dry systems
• Increased likelihood of product quality issues; efflores-
cence, colour variation, poor product density.
• Risk of the occurrence of condensation within the plant
environs under certain conditions, leading to corrosion
of the building structure as well as water pooling in cer-
tain areas.
• Due to the slow rate of cement hydration, extra quanti-
ties of cement may have to be used, leading to in-
creased volumes of concrete admixtures, whose dosage
rates are typically calculated based on cement batched
weight, thus increasing raw material cost.
• Early-strength will be lacking if the climate is not con-
trolled, leading to slower product turnaround times.
• Due to the longer curing times, larger racks may be re-
quired in order to meet machine output levels. If this is
the case, a greater number of production boards will
also be required to accommodate product for extended
periods.
Semi-Open Curing Chamber Systems
The semi-open curing chamber design is one of the more
common designs adopted by paving producers. This design
offers the customer flexibility given the ability to individually
control chambers. However, this comes at a cost, with greater
levels of thermal losses.
This curing system generally consists of a number of individ-
ual curing chambers placed side-by-side, with individual
openings covered by an insulated roller-shutter door, usually
at the front of the chamber for last-in-first-out (LIFO) storage.
The division walls of the chamber are generally covered with
an insulated cladded material.
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04a-Products_094-113_en_Layout 1 06.09.17 11:34 Seite 103

CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE CONCRETE CURING RACKS BY KRAFT CURING SYSTEMS

 Daniel Rafter (1989) has worked as a Maintenance Fitter in a

INNOVATIVE
large manufacturer of concrete paving products since 2009, after
having completed a four-year apprenticeship. After his appren-
ticeship, he returned to college to complete a part-time, four-year
degree programme where he received a BEngTech in Engineer-

SOLUTIONS
ing Systems Maintenance from the Dublin Institute of Technol-
ogy. The title of his final year Thesis was “Verification of the Benefits of a Fully
Enclosed Single Atmosphere Concrete Curing Chamber”. The following article is
brief synopsis of this work. daniel.j.rafter@gmail.com

During production, two rack doors will be open. Wet product

ENSURE TROUBLE-FREE
is placed into a empty rack or ‘wet rack’, and since the door
remains open, the chamber climate is at ambient temperature PRODUCTION
and humidity. At the same time dry product is being removed
from the ‘dry rack’. As the wet rack is filled with fresh product, MIDDLE
the climate in this rack changes slightly due to the heat and
humidity produced by the hardening of the fresh concrete.
WWW.KRAFTCURING.COM EAST 2017
26. – 27.11.
United Arab
2017 I Sharjah
,
Emirates

Depending on the production rate, it may take 2-3 hours to Visit us at booth
#53/54
fill a rack before the doors are closed, at which time the heat
generated by the hydration process has already been lost to
atmosphere.

When the chamber is completely filled, the roller-shutter door

is closed, and the pre-set automated curing regime begins.
The curing process has 4 distinct phases; pre-set, ramp, dwell
and cool-down, during which times the chamber temperature
is increased, maintained at a raised level and then reduced.

THE K-PROFILE
TWO LOAD AND HINGING POINTS
PREVENTS UNHINGING OF SHELVES
PREVENTS COLLAPSING OF SHELVES
HOT-DIP GALVANIZED

Image showing individual chambers fronted by roller shutter

doors, in this case two rack ‘passages’ are fronted by a single
roller door. Note the Finger Car traverse area which is out-
side of the hot and humid curing environment.

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04a-Products_094-113_en_Layout 1 06.09.17 11:34 Seite 104
CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE
Advantages of the semi-open curing chamber design
• Generally consists of a free-standing structure which can
easily be integrated into the main production hall.
• Elevator and Lowerator have no exposure to the hot
and humid conditions generated inside the chamber.
• Individual control of conditions inside the racks
is possible.
• More exothermically generated heat and moisture
(to a degree) is retained when compared with fully
open designs.
• Good level of throughput is possible with correct burner
sizing and adequate levels of insulation.
Disadvantages of the semi-open curing chamber design
• Significantly higher energy costs when compared with
single atmosphere units. Only when the doors are
closed the true controlled curing process can begin.
• Due to the open wet rack door, a large temperature
differential may exist, i.e. the last product entering the
rack is cooler than the product placed during the earlier
stages of production which has already begun to
harden. This temperature differential will inevitably lead
to quality inconsistencies.
• Rack walls and doors are prone to damage. This results
in heat migration and losses through the building fabric.
• Adequate safety measures must be in place to insure the
Finger Car will not enter the rack if the door is closed or
partially closed.
• Some condensation and corrosion is likely to occur in-
side the factory environment.
Fully Enclosed Single Atmosphere Chamber
In the following section one of the most efficient curing cham-
ber designs on the market will be described. The design of-
fers numerous benefits over other systems.
A Single Atmosphere Curing Chamber is a single room in
which the temperature and humidity remain constant 24
hours per day and 7 days per week. The concrete product en-
ters the chamber through a small opening immediately after
production and leaves the chamber through a small opening
and is immediately secondary processed and/or packaged.
The Single Atmosphere Concrete Curing System provides
controllable curing temperatures between 35°C and 40°C
and relative humidity between 70% and 98%, eliminating is-
sues due to excessive condensation. Temperature and humid-
ity remain consistent throughout the chamber. The compre-
hensive air circulation system operates constantly and pro-
vides for a homogenous temperature and humidity. With a
modern chamber design, air-handling rates of up to 35,000
mᶾ/h are typical. Air velocities are kept to a minimum, as low
as 1 m/second, reducing evaporation from the concrete sur-
face.
In order to maintain the necessary humidity levels within the
chamber, and minimal moisture loss from product, a heat and
moisture package is included. A typical system includes a
water filtration system, water softener, high pressure pump,
104 CPI – Concrete Plant International – 5 | 2017
Image showing the latter stages of a single atmosphere
chamber being retro-fitted into an existing plant. The cham-
ber was previously of a semi-open design, excessive energy
cost was the main catalyst in the decision to upgrade the
1994 built chamber to a more efficient and product quality
conscious design.
and micro sized spray nozzles. A burner using the customer’s
choice of fuel as well as a stainless steel heat exchanger will
provide heat as required for the acceleration of the concrete
curing process. An Exhaust Ventilator maintains the chamber
set point if moisture levels become too high. The axial venti-
lator fan is automatically switched on by the chamber operat-
ing system, exhausting over-humid air within the chamber, to
atmosphere. Air Circulation systems provide a relatively dry
and fog free area for the operation of the Elevator, Lowerator,
and Finger Car. Extra shrouds over the pallet entry and exit
window prevent heat and moisture from escaping into the
production area.
Advantages of the single atmosphere curing chamber
• Consistency: Wet product enters the chamber within just
1 minute of being produced. The curing environment re-
mains at the same temperature and relative humidity
24/7, meaning that product will always be hardened in a
consistent fashion.
• Capital Cost: The single atmosphere design provides
significant savings over the semi-open curing chamber
design. The cost of internal walls, roller-shutter doors, in-
dependent temperature controls, control dampers, ex-
haust systems and larger capacity heating equipment re-
quired for the semi-open curing chamber results in a
price difference equal to over €150,000.00 in favor of
the lower priced single atmosphere curing chamber.
• Operating costs: Since fully enclosed chambers remain
the same temperature and humidity constantly, unlike
the individual curing chamber, there is no heating or
cooling effect within the curing area. The energy cost of
curing 1 m2 of concrete block paving in the single at-
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THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS QUADRIX® FROM KRAFT CURING SYSTEMS

PRESENT FOR YOUR

CUSTOMERS AND
EMPLOYEES PERFECT CURING
IN A SINGLE ATMOSPHERE CHAMBER
WWW.KRAFTCURING.COM

MIDDLE
EAST 2017
YOUR BENEFIT 26. – 27.11.
United Arab
2017 I Sharjah
,

Concrete Pen
Emirates

Visit us at booth
#53/54

Utility model registered by
CONSISTENT COLORS
worldwide
LESS BREAKAGE
REDUCED HARDENING DURATION
UP TO 10 % CEMENT REDUCTION

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04a-Products_094-113_en_Layout 1 06.09.17 11:34 Seite 106
CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE
mosphere curing chamber is 1/3 the cost of the semi-
open curing chamber. Due to the lack of moving parts
and lower, consistent operating temperatures, mainte-
nance costs savings are on the order of 80% versus the
individual curing chambers.
• Quality: A typical concrete block paving production ma-
chine will produce approximately 25 to 75 tonnes of
fresh ambient temperature concrete per hour. Thus the
heating system is required to produce only enough heat
per hour to raise the temperature of this amount of con-
crete from ambient to the maximum required curing
temperature – approximately 35°C. This means a smaller
heater, smaller burner and lower incoming air tempera-
ture – reducing the chance of evaporating moisture from
the fresh concrete.
• Recipe Optimization: Many producers of concrete prod-
ucts use additional cement in recipes during colder
months in order to compensate for lower ambient tem-
peratures; the additional cement results in the genera-
tion of increased levels of heat energy through the ce-
ment hydration process, providing a warmer curing area.
The use of a single atmosphere chamber makes this
practice redundant and the consistency in the curing
area allows the concrete producer to reduce cement
content, thus reducing production costs.
Disadvantages of the single atmosphere curing chambers
In terms of product quality and operational efficiency, it is
clear that the advantages of single atmosphere systems are
many. However, there exists a small number of disadvantages
that should be highlighted.
• Adverse operating conditions for machinery within the
curing chamber, because the Finger Car, Elevator, Low-
erator and all related hydraulic and electrical gear asso-
ciated with this equipment is now located within the
chamber.
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In the graph, the cost to cure 1 pallet of wet product is plotted, comparing the costs from the original diesel-fuelled curing
chambers, and the new costs incurred by the upgraded LPG-fuelled single atmosphere chamber. The data is taken from the
first 10 production days of July 2014 (blue line) and the first 10 production days of July 2016 (red line). From the graph, it
can be seen that the curing cost/ pallet in 2014 is significantly higher when compared with the data from 2016.
106 CPI – Concrete Plant International – 5 | 2017
• Special care must be taken to ensure that the IP ratings
of all equipment inside the chamber area are compati-
ble with the environment.
• Corrosion will occur on all uncoated surfaces. All sur-
faces should be either painted or galvanized, in the case
of moving parts (chains and sprockets etc.) they should
be greased or oiled.
• A network of CCTV cameras may need to be installed to
allow operators to maintain a watchful eye on all opera-
tions within the curing chamber.
Real Life Scenario in a Concrete Block Plant
In the following the after effects of a real life scenario are ex-
amined in which a large Western-Europe based concrete
block paving manufacturing company updated its ageing
semi-open curing chamber with a modern, efficient single at-
mosphere type unit developed and installed by Kraft Curing,
Germany.
Effect on Fuel/ Energy Usage
Perhaps the greatest impact that the installation of the single
atmosphere system had in terms of monetary savings, has
been the reduction in fuel usage; there were three main
factors which contributed to the fuel savings at the plant.
• The redesigned chamber now meant that the unit was
fully enclosed. The quantity of heat energy now being
retained by the chambers is significantly greater.
• The upgrade of burner to a more modern and more
efficient modulating gas fuelled (LPG) burner.
• Significant improvements were made to the air-handling
capabilities meaning that the artificially generated heat
is used more effectively, hence improving the efficiency
of the system.
 
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04a-Products_094-113_en_Layout 1 06.09.17 11:34 Seite 107

CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE T-REX GRANULATE DISPENSER FROM KRAFT CURING SYSTEMS

PROTECTION
Effect on Production

Changing customer tastes have seen an increase in demand

BETWEEN EVERY
for product that has received secondary processing. It is
where these value-added products are concerned that the
real need for an improvement in the curing programme may
become apparent.

Prior to the installation of the single atmosphere chamber,

product quality suffered as a result of fresh product being re-
moved from the curing racks prematurely to make room for
LAYER
incoming product. The poor turnaround rate of the semi-open
curing chamber, forced operators to remove product with FOR HIGH QUALITY CONCRETE PAVERS
barely enough early-strength and durability to allow the prod-
uct to be packaged and removed from the plant.
WWW.KRAFTCURING.COM
With the new chamber, product is being cured in a timely
MIDDLE
fashion and is highly capable of matching the production ca- EAST 2017
26. – 27.11.
pabilities of the concrete block making machine at this plant United Arab
2017 I Sharjah
Emirates
,

in terms of pallets/ hour. Immediate secondary processing Visit us at booth

#53/54
can be carried out after just 12 hours of curing.

Effect on Recipes

The use of cement substitutes such as GGBS (Ground, Gran-

ulated, Blast-Furnace Slag) is rarely done in plants using semi
open rack systems due to the slower hydration rate. This is un-
fortunate, because using GGBS as a cement replacement, can
entail great benefits, such as;

• Reduced Cost.
• Reduced Environmental Impact.
• Lighter in Colour when compared with concrete made
using only Portland cement.

The example plant on this day is manufacturing standard 4”

solid blocks. The savings resulting from using GGBS will be
calculated and quantified. The calculation will be based on an

YOUR BENEFIT
INCREASED SURFACE PROTECTION
REDUCED EFFLORESCENCE
AND STAINS
FULLY AUTOMATIC,
UNIMPEDED OPERATION

Recipe Cement Usage and Associated Savings

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04a-Products_094-113_en_Layout 1 06.09.17 11:34 Seite 108

CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE

 




 
$"#%

$"#&
as greater volumes of product must be manufactured to re-
place this wastage ensuring that customer demands for prod-
uct are still met.
 




 

57

60
"$%!

50
The chart in Fig. 6 graphically illustrates the occurrences of in-
$%
ternal quality control issues in an example plant in the year of
40
32

2014 and 2016. The five main quality issues listed result from
30
25

20
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‘less than ideal’ curing practices. Typically, products exhibiting
20
10
these ‘issues’ are removed from the production line and make
9

10
2
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up the product ‘waste’ factor.
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2014
2016
The controlled curing programme has seen the strength of


engineering blocks produced at the plant rise by a consider-
able amount. Ongoing strength tests are carried out during
Graph showing occurrences of internal quality control issues, production runs to ensure that engineering blocks comply
2014 vs. 2016. with their stated strength rating e.g. 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 N/mm²
etc. Upon investigation by the Technical Department it was
found that a considerably higher percentage of the products
potential early-strength was being achieved in same or re-
18-hour working day (2x 9-hour shifts), the block machine will duced curing duration when compared to the pre-moderni-
typically operate for between 16 and 17 hours, will manufac- sation era. This meant that cement quantities could be re-
ture up to 3,500 layers of blocks, consisting of 24 blocks per duced all the while ensuring that necessary strength is still
layer. We will assume that 300 batches over the 18 hour shift achieved. It is clear from the data contained in above chart
are required to produce the necessary quantity of concrete that there has been a notable decrease in levels of internal-
for the level of production on the given day. complaint within the production facility.. Increased product
quality levels also have the important effect of improving the
A simple calculation based on the tabulated data in the pre- firm’s reputation amid its expanding customer base. It is diffi-
vious section will show that savings are in the region of cult to put a price or quantity on reputation, but its importance
13.33%. should not be underestimated, especially with today’s rapidly
growing market.
Effect on Quality The red trend line represents the mean compressive strength
of the four samples taken. The area to the left hand side of the
In the vast majority of cases, any product suffering from qual- dashed line represent sample taken pre-modernisation
ity issues that may be directly attributed to the pre-moderni- (2014), and the area to the right represents the post moderni-
sation curing practices at the manufacturing site have gener- sation era (2016). Evidently, the strength of the sample dras-
ally never made it as far as the customer. This product wastage tically increases after the single atmosphere curing chamber
has the unfortunate effect of increasing the production cost, is commissioned.

 


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Graph depicting the increased compressive strength of 100mm engineering blocks owing to the commissioning
of the single-atmosphere curing chamber.

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04a-Products_094-113_en_Layout 1 06.09.17 11:34 Seite 109

CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE

Concluding Remarks

In this article it was the intention to discuss the three most

common types of curing designs currently used in the manu-
facture of engineering blocks and paving products as well as
to quantify the actual effects on production resulting from a
chamber upgrade. During research it became obvious that
the decision to upgrade is beneficial in many more ways than
expected, namely financially, environmentally and commer-
cially. It should be clear that the decision to invest in a more
modern and efficient curing setup proves to be a savvy one,
and should facilitate the production of high quality, affordable
concrete construction products for many years to come. 

Download the complete

thesis for further detailed
information here

References

Rafter, Daniel: Verification of the Benefits of a Fully Enclosed Single

Atmosphere Concrete Curing Chamber, BEngTech Thesis,
Dublin Institute of Technology, 2017

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