WO2023062287A1

WO2023062287A1 - Liquid hardenable mixture, method of manufacturing the mixture and use of the mixture

Info

Publication number: WO2023062287A1
Application number: PCT/FI2022/050692
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aino Heikkinen-Mustonen; Tuomo PAAVOLA; Anna HUTTUNEN
Original assignee: Fatec Oy
Priority date: 2021-10-14
Filing date: 2022-10-14
Publication date: 2023-04-20
Also published as: FI20216063A1; FI130600B

Abstract

The object of the invention is a liquid hardenable mixture, a method for manufacturing the mixture and use of the mixture as a cover material, in mine fill, as some other filler material and binder agent, and also as a material in the manner of sprayed concreting. The mixture comprises a fine-grained binder agent (2b) and an activator (3), which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid. The binder agent (2b) is slag with a grain size of ≤40 µm and the activator (3) is soda sediment or a mixture of soda sediment and cement.

Description

LIQUID HARDENABLE MIXTURE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE MIXTURE AND USE OF THE MIXTURE

The object of the invention is a liquid hardenable mixture as defined in the preamble of claim 1, a cover material as defined in the preamble of claim 6, a sprayed concreting material as defined in the preamble of claim 11, a binder agent material as defined in the preamble of claim 12, and a method of manufacturing the liquid hardenable mixture as defined in the preamble of claim 13.

The mixture according to the invention is suited, either as is or suitably modified, for many different intended uses. When the mixture is used as a binder agent in the manufacture of a hardening cover material, it is extremely well suited for the water-impermeable covering in an outdoor environment of various substances classified as waste, such as materials originating as by-products of industrial processes. Such waste materials include environmentally harmful wall rock from the mining industry kept in piles outdoors on the surface of the ground, as well as slags from the manufacturing process of steel, granulated blast furnace slags from the manufacture of iron, and waste gypsum piles originating as a by-product of phosphoric acid, which are exposed to rain if left uncovered outdoors. Although these waste materials are now starting to be recycled and used in various processes, the re-use is minor in relation to the total volume of byproducts produced, in which case the need for outdoor storage nevertheless remains high.

One problem in outdoor storage is that without protection of the material stored in piles, rainwater will over time leach various chemical substances into the environment, at least some of which substances are harmful to the ecosystem and spoil nature. For this reason, these harmful products are not permitted by current environmental regulations.

The solutions known in the art endeavor to eliminate the problem caused by rainwater e.g. by covering such piles of waste material with plastic. Plastic is, however, itself an environmentally detrimental material and furthermore the watertight covering of large waste piles is already an extremely awkward work phase because in outdoor conditions the handling of extra-large plastic covers is extremely difficult due to their size and because of the wind. Furthermore, covering areas that are hectares in size with plastic is expensive.

Since the use of plastic is awkward and expensive, other cover materials have started to be used in some cases instead of plastic, such as acrylic concrete, in which e.g. acrylic is used, in addition to cement, as one part of the binder agent, the acrylic making the concrete watertight. Acrylic concrete is easier to spread than plastic on top of waste material piles in outdoor conditions, but however is also expensive and, furthermore, acrylic is not environmentally friendly.

Waste material piles could be covered to be impermeable to rainwater also with pure cement and gravel-based concrete, but this solution is also not environmentally friendly due to the use of cement, and also because the manufacture and use of the gravel needed for concrete also depletes nature. In order for concrete to be sufficiently impermeable to water, a lot of cement must be used in it, in which case shrinkage as drying of the concrete progresses becomes a new problem. Shrinkage causes cracks, in which case rainwater is able to pass through the cracks in the otherwise water-impermeable concrete into the waste material below to leach harmful substances from it into the soil. Furthermore, such use of concrete is expensive.

Cement is used as a binder agent also in manufacturing various filler materials for e.g. earthworks and mine filling. A problem in these cases is, inter alia, the negative environmental impact of cement manufacturing. The mixture according to the invention can be used as a substitute for cement also in the binder agent of this type of filler material.

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide an inexpensive, ecofriendly and effective mixture that hardens to become waterproof, and that is suited for use e.g. as a binding agent for various purposes and for cover materials to be used outdoors. Preferably the aim is to provide a mixture that when used as a binder agent instead of cement forms, when mixed with a liquid and a coarser aggregate, a hardening and strengthening mass in the same way as concrete, which mixture can be used e.g. as a cover material, which is suited for covering material piles, such as e.g. industrially produced piles of wall rock, and for other intended uses suited to the purpose, e.g. as a filler material for road beds.

Preferably the mass described in the preceding has, inter alia, the following properties: the hardened material is sufficiently strong so that even heavyweight vehicles can move on top of it, as on normal soil; the hardened material is impermeable to water; the material is frost-resistant and does not break up even at temperatures well below freezing; the material has a sufficiently long hardening time, which allows the material mass to be spread over a wide area before the mass hardens and sticks to working tools; the material is as inexpensive as possible in terms of price; preferably the material is to a large extent manufactured from recycled materials, such as materials classified as waste; the material is environmentally benign .

Yet another purpose is that, e.g. as a binder agent of a cover material mass, the liquid hardenable mixture comprises the same material, suitably processed - e.g. ground and sorted into grain s ize - as the material pile to be covered with the cover mate rial .

The mixture according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 1. The cover material according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 6, and the concreting material according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 11. The method according to the invention is further characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 12. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.

The solution according to the invention relates to a liquid hardenable mixture comprising a fine-grained binder agent and an activator, which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid. Preferably the binder agent is slag with a grain size of <40 gm and the activator is soda sediment or a mixture of soda sediment and cement .

The solution according to the invention also relates to a cover material comprising a coarse-grained aggregate, filler material and the aforementioned liquid hardenable mixture, which comprises a fine-grained binder agent and an activator, which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid.

The solution according to the invention further relates to sprayed concreting material comprising filler material and the aforementioned liquid hardenable mixture, which comprises a fine-grained binder agent and an activator, which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid.

The solution according to the invention additionally relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid hardenable mixture, which mixture comprises a fine-grained binder agent and an activator, which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid. Preferably slag that is a by-product of an industrial process is taken for the binder agent, which is ground or crushed and classified to a grain size, which is <40 pm, and into the binder agent thus formed is mixed soda sediment that is the by-product of an industrial process, the soda sediment becoming an activator.

One great advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the cover material plus its binder agent can be made mainly from raw materials that are on site, i.e. from waste material. Cement is not necessarily needed at all. For example, when a pile of slag needs to be covered, some of the same slag can be crushed into a ballast-type aggregate of the cover material and the same slag can also be classified and ground to a smaller grain size as a binder agent of the cover material, in which case only e.g. the soda sediment, i.e. green liquor, functioning as an activator must be brought from elsewhere. In this way the cover material is made to be impermeable to water and to fulfill all the requirements for processability and strength and yet still be extremely environmentally friendly .

In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail by the aid of one embodiment and by referring to the simplified and diagrammatic drawings attached, wherein

Fig. 1 presents a simplified diagram of the manufacturing process of a liquid hardenable water-impermeable mass, one component of which mass is a mixture within the inventive concept functioning as a binder agent,

Fig. 2 presents a diagrammatic, simplified and sectioned side view of one sorting line for the manufacture of a mixture functioning as a binder agent relating to the invention in a protected space, such as a multimodal container, disposed at the production site,

Fig. 3 presents an oblique top view of one apparatus assembly to be used in the manufacture of fine aggregate belonging to the solution according to the invention, which assembly comprises separate pre-equipped modules that are connected to each other,

Fig. 4 presents a simplified view of one apparatus assembly according to Fig. 3, as viewed from the one side and with the nearest walls removed, and

Fig. 5 presents a simplified view of one apparatus assembly according to Fig. 3, as viewed from the other side and with the nearest walls removed.

The solution according to the invention comprises a mass resembling cement-based concrete in terms of its strength properties, the mass being hardenable by means of a liquid and a suitable activator, and different composition versions and usage versions of said mass, as well as different versions of the manufacture and use for various purposes of said mass. The hardenable mass comprises a fine-grained, cement-like binder agent, which binder agent is also referred to hereinafter simply as fine aggregate. When an activator, liquid and a stony material, such as gravel or most preferably crushed wall rock from industrial processes or slag produced as a by-product, crushed into an aggregate are added to the mixture, a mass hardening to be strong in the manner of concrete is obtained, which when hardened is impermeable to water and, being waterproof, is therefore well suited as a cover material for covering e.g. piles of wall rock from the mining industry or for covering other corresponding piles of sorted waste materials. By changing the composition and mixing proportions of the source materials of the mass, various other masses are obtained for other intended uses, such as inter alia mine fill and landfill, road beds, sprayed concreting, et cetera . Preferably the source material, such as slag, to be used as a binder agent for the aforementioned hardenable mass is pulverized by crushing and/or grinding and is also sorted, i.e. classified, when dry for achieving the essentially precise grain size distribution. If necessary, the material that is already sorted, or a part thereof, is ground smaller and delivered again to the grain size sorting. The grain size and composition of the binder agent product to be manufactured is preferably adjusted by means of a control system belonging to the solution in the grading plant by monitoring and adjusting its different functions. Adjustments can be made on site or also by remote control. The binder agent product thus obtained is also called in this context fine aggregate.

For the sake of simplicity, in this context the term "slag" refers to all slag produced as an industrial by-product, such as e.g. the slags from the manufacturing processes of iron and various steels, and the slags from the manufacturing processes of other metals, as well as e.g. the slags produced in conjunction with the operation of district heating plants.

Fig. 1 presents a simplified diagram of the manufacture of waterproof cover material to be performed by means of the solution according to the invention. Preferably in the manufacturing phase waste materials produced as by-products in industrial processes are almost exclusively used as source materials. The first source material 1 can be e.g. wall rock from the mining industry, which can be a viable material for a construction product or, depending on its composition, can also be regarded as waste. Preferably the source material 1 is crushed, or has been pre-crushed, into aggregate la having a maximum grain size of 24 mm ±5 mm. The aggregate la can also be of a maximum grain size as large as the crushed slag. Preferably the source material 1 has been classified as waste, but it can also be other material, such as ordinary rock material. When crushed, the source material 1 is the aggregate la of the hardenable mass, as stated above.

The second source material 2 can be e.g. the steel slag produced as a by-product in the steel industry, or some other slag produced as a by-product. Preferably the second source material 2 is crushed and/or ground, or is pretreated to be filler material 2a of the mass to be mixed, having a maximum grain size of 5±4 mm, preferably 2 mm ± 1 mm .

Correspondingly, the third source material 3 can be e.g. soda sediment, i.e. green liquor, formed as a by-product of industrial processes and functioning as an activator. The third source material 3 is used mixed into the mass, as is or, if necessary, dried and crushed and/or ground and/or classified by its maximum grain size to be the desired activator fraction 3a, having a maximum grain size of 5±4 mm, preferably 2 mm ±1 mm. The activator can also be just cement or soda sediment and cement, but just soda sediment processed in the manner described in the preceding is the most environmentally friendly option and, in addition, increases the early strength of the hardenable mass, which is a very important property. If the proportion of cement in the hardenable mass is increased, the proportion of soda sediment can at the same time be increased. The fourth source material can be one or more additives 4. The additives to be mixed into the mixture have various effects on the properties of the mixture, preferably hardenable mass, being formed. One additive can be some kind of air entraining agent, such as lignin, which forms protective pores containing gas, such as air, in the hardenable mass, the pores protecting the mass e.g. from frost during the hardening phase and thus making the mass frost-resist nt. Another additive can be e.g. some agent, such as wax, improving the water resistance of the mass, which agent can be added to the mixture to improve the water resistance of the mass. In such a case the additive improving the water resistance of the mass can be stearin, or also a stearate instead of stearin, e.g. a metallic stearate, such as calcium stearate.

Preferably the hardening mass to be formed according to the invention is impermeable to both water and gas. Oxygen then has no access, e.g. to act on sulfur-containing wall rock, and water is not able to leach harmful substances from the wall rock into the environment.

Preferably fine aggregate 2b can be further manufactured from the filler material 2a with a maximum grain size 2±1 mm formed from the second source material 2, which fine aggregate functions as a binder agent of the hardenable mass. The fine aggregate 2b functioning as a binder agent is classified and is also ground and then re-classified when dry in such a way that the end result is a dry, powdery, binder agent composition having a grain size of preferably between 20-30 pm ±10 pm. The binder agent thus manufactured can, with a suitable activator, either wholly or at least partly replace the use of cement as a binder agent, in which case the use of environmentally unfriendly cement can be reduced or completely avoided.

The method diagrammat ically presented in Fig. 1 for manufacturing a liquid hardenable mixture, i.e. mass, according to the invention to be a cover material for mine fill and other filling can be, in simplified form e.g. the following .

The mixture to be manufactured with the method comprises a fine-grained binder agent 2b and an activator 3, which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid. Slag that is a by-product of an industrial process is taken for the binder agent 2b, which is ground or crushed and classified to a grain size, which is <40 pm, and into the binder agent 2b thus formed is mixed soda sediment that is the by-product of an industrial process, the soda sediment becoming an activator 3.

The phase-by-phase manufacturing process can be e.g. the following :

In phase si the source materials 1, 2 and 3 as well as, if necessary, one or more source materials functioning as an additive 4 are selected as the source materials of the hardenable mass.

In phase s2 a batch of selected source material 1 is taken as the aggregate la for the manufacture of the mass, which source material has been crushed to a maximum grain size of 24±5 mm, or which is crushed to a maximum grain size of 24±5 mm. Also in phase s2, a batch of selected source material 2 is taken as the filler material 2a for the manufacture of the mass, which source material has been ground and/or crushed to a maximum grain size of 2±1 mm, or which is ground and/or crushed to a maximum grain size of 2 ± 1 mm .

In phase s3 fine-grained micron-class material to be used as binder agent is manufactured from some of the ground or crushed filler material 2a by separating from the filler material 2a particles with a grain size of less than 20-30 pm ±10 pm and by forming fine aggregate 2b from them. The separation is done preferably in a separate classifier apparatus, by means of an airflow, one or more classifiers and a grinding device.

In phase s2 or s3 the source material 3 can also be dried and after that ground or crushed into an activator fraction 3a of essentially homogeneous grain size, which grain size is preferably below 2 mm ±1 mm.

In phase s4, the materials la, 2a and 2b referred to in phases s2 and s3 are mixed together in the desired proportion to each other. The mixture made in the solution according to the embodiment is now crushed wall rock and/or slag, and crushed as well ground coarser slag, and slag classified as a finer fraction functioning as a binder agent. This mixture will not, by itself, harden even if water were added to it. For this reason, in phase s4 also a source material 3 functioning as an activator is added to the mixture as well as the necessary quantity of liquid, such as water, in such a way that the end result is a wet mass similar to concrete. The purpose of the activator is to stimulate the fine aggregate 2b made from slag so that hardening of the mass is activated. The source material 3 in the solution according to the embodiment is preferably soda sediment.

Additives 4 can be added to the mass being mixed either in phase s2 and s3 or in phase s4, either into the dry mixture or the wet mixture, or mixed into the liquid to be used.

Preferably in the hardenable mass manufactured with the aforementioned method, the percentages by weight of the aforementioned materials are as follows:

Aggregate la 40±20 %

Filler material 2a 50±30 %

Fine aggregate 2b 30±25 %

Source material 3 25±20 %

Additives

- Air entraining agent 3±3 %

- Water-resistance improvement agent 2±2 %

One preferred composition within the aforementioned limit values is e.g. the following:

Aggregate la, (grain size <29 mm) 50±5 %

Filler material 2a, (grain size <3 mm) 25±5 %

Fine aggregate 2b, (grain size <40 pm) 20±5 %

Source material 3 10±5 %

Additives

- Air entraining agent 3±3 %

- Water-resistance improvement agent 2±2 %

Of course, the composition of the different materials in relation to each other is such that the total composition of the hardenable mass is 100 %. When staying within the aforementioned limit values, but varying the proportions of the different components of the mixture in the total mass, the mixtures manufactured have different properties, depending on their intended use. When the proportion of a component of the mixture is increased, the percentage proportion of the other components in the total mass automatically decreases. Correspondingly, when the proportion of a component of the mixture is decreased, the percentage proportion of the other components in the total mass automatically increases.

One example mixture composition for the manufacture of a mass intended as a cover material of wall rock piles can be e.g. the following:

Aggregate la, (wall rock or slag) 50 % Filler material 2a, (slag) 20 % Fine aggregate 2b, (slag) 20 % Source material 3, (soda sediment) 10 % Additives (if necessary)

- Air entraining agent (e.g. lignin)

- water-resistance improver (e.g. stearin, etc. )

Preferably water-resistance improvement additive is added only if necessary. The proportion by percentage values of additives can be small, e.g. less than 5 % in total.

When manufacturing the cover material, the mass is mixed in the manufacturing phase into a zero-slump mixture and spread with powered machinery, e.g. with a bucket loader, and levelled preferably with different powered machinery, e.g. a tracked machine, into the correct shape on top of the sorted waste material pile in such a way that at first the mass yields when the tracked machine drives on top of it. Thus, the mass compacts well and when hardened can bear working machinery upon it .

In the manufacturing phase s4 also textile fibers can be mixed into the cover material to be manufactured, in which case more ductility is added to the mass. In such a case, cover material masses manufactured on different manuf cturing occasions, which are spread one on top of another into an integral cover, can be of different compositions. Preferably a tight layer that is impermeable to water is spread as the lowermost layer of cover material and a tougher layer provided with textile fiber is spread on top of it as the upper layer. The textile fibers in the cover material can in this case also function as a substrate for accelerating the landscaping of the spoil storage area.

With the method according to the invention also a hardenable mass to be used in sprayed concreting can also be manufactured. In such a case all the other phases and materials can be the same, or almost the same, as in the manufacturing process of cover material described above, but the coarse-grained aggregate material 1 is omitted. Likewise the air entraining agent and unconditional impermeability to water are not necessarily needed so that, depending on the situation, these additives can be left out of the mixture. In this case preferably only the source material 2, such as slag from industrial processes, is used, from which source material the filler material 2a and fine aggregate 2b is made in the ways presented above, and additionally a source material 3 is used as an activator, which activator is preferably soda sediment, but can also be cement or a mixture of cement and soda sediment

In the manufacture of the aforementioned fine aggregate 2b, of which the grain size is <40 pm, it is advantageous to use the classifier apparatus disclosed in international patent specification WO2016071575A1 and the so-called Mobi processing method it enables, either as is or suitably modified .

The fine aggregate 2b manufactured with the method according to the invention and its raw material, i.e. filler material 2a, such as ground and/or crushed slag can further be used also in the manufacture of binder agent for various other products. In such a case all the other phases and materials can be the same, or almost the same, as in the manufacturing process of cover material described above, but the coarse-grained aggregate material la is omitted. Likewise the air entraining agent and unconditional impermeability to water are not necessarily needed so, depending on the situation, these additives can be left out of the mixture. In this case preferably only the source material 2, such as slag from industrial processes, is used, from which source material the filler material 2a and fine aggregate 2b is made in the ways presented above, and additionally the source material 3 is used as an activator, which is preferably soda sediment, but can also be cement or a mixture of cement and soda sediment. The binder agent mixture formed in this way is formed into a liquid hardenable mass from which, when mixed into expanded clay aggregate or corresponding porous material, can be manufactured blocks, or ground slabs, frost insulations or lightweight leveling courses for various structures.

One preferred composition for manufacturing the aforementioned liquid hardenable binder agent can be e.g. the following:

Filler material 2a, (grain size <8 mm) 40±20 %

Fine aggregate 2b, (grain size <40 gm) 30±20 %

Source material 3 25±20 % or Activator fraction 3a 25±20 %

Additives (if necessary) , including cement

Another preferred composition for manufacturing the aforementioned liquid hardenable binder agent can be e.g. the following:

Fine aggregate 2b, (grain size <40 gm) 70±20 %

Source material 3 30±20 % or Activator fraction 3a 25±20 %

Additives (if necessary) , including cement

In the manufacture of fine aggregate 2b, the filler material 2a manufactured from the source material 2 is delivered to the sorting process, where the material is classified and sorted when dry into the micron-class grain size desired and is also, if necessary, ground and sorted again until the maximum grain size is reached, which is <40 gm, preferably to a maximum grain size of 20-30 gm ±10 gm.

The apparatus space 6 can be a modular structure, which can be composed of e.g. one module, such as a shipping container, inside which the apparatus is built, or from a number of shipping containers fitted to each other, in each of which is a certain suited-t o-purpose part of the apparatus assembly. There can be 1, 2, 3, 4 or even more modules, and each of these can comprise different structures that are connected into one apparatus assembly e.g. at the production site by connecting the modules one beside another and/or one on top of another. The modules have connection parts and throughput connections that enable inter alia the transfer of the material being handled from one module into another.

Fig. 2 presents diagrammat ically in more detail one apparatus space 6, e.g. a large standard multimodal container, intended for the manufacture of fine aggregate 2b, inside which space the sorting apparatus, i.e. handling apparatus, of the fine aggregate 2b is pre-installed at the factory of the apparatus manufacturer and in which also the operating values of the sorting apparatus are pre-adjusted and tested at the factory in such a way that the apparatus functions in the desired manner and produces sorted fine aggregate 2b comprising the desired grain size, for mixing as a binder agent of a cover material, filler material, sprayed concreting material or other material to be manufactured .

In the apparatus space 6 is, inter alia, an inlet 7 for filler material 2a ground and/or crushed from source material 2, preferably e.g. slag, a batcher 8, a first classifier 9, a grinding device 10, a second classifier 11, a first conveyor arrangement 12 for material, and also a second conveyor arrangement 13, filter vessels 14, 14a and classifying fans 15, 15a, with which suction is brought about for at least a part of the transmission path of the filler material 2a, with which suction the material to be sorted is conveyed in the ducting of the apparatus.

In the bottom part of the batcher 8 is an injector 8a connected to the suction duct 16, which injector is arranged to transfer the filler material 2a along the suction duct 16 to a first classifier 9 via the inlet 17 of the classifier, which inlet 17 is in the bottom part of the classifier 9, in which case the incoming material flow travels upwards in the classifier 9. A sound diffuser can also be connected to the injector 8a for damping the noises caused by the suction.

The first classifier 9 is e.g. a device functioning by means of suction air, in which device the filler material 2a is divided into two different fractions according to its grain size, the smallest by grain size of which fractions, i.e. the first fraction IF, is conducted e.g. along the suction duct 18, into the first filter vessel 14 that is inside the multimodal container.

Correspondingly, the fraction larger in grain size, i.e. the second fraction 2F, is conducted from the bottom part of the first classifier 9 with a first conveyor arrangement 12 for size reduction to a grinding device 10, such as e.g. a ball mill, from which the ground material flow is conducted to a second classifier 11 by means of a conveyor arrangement 13 and suction duct 13a, e.g. to inside from the inlet 11b in the bottom part of the classifier 11 and to flow upwards in the classifier 11. If necessary, additional air Ila is used as an aid to the functioning of the second classifier 11, by feeding the additional air in from the side of the classifier 11.

With the second classifier 11 the material is again divided into two fractions that are different in grain size, of which the fraction of smaller grain size, i.e. the third fraction 3F, is conducted onwards with a suitable conveyor arrangement along the duct 19 into the second filter vessel 14a. Correspondingly, the fraction larger in grain size, i.e. the fourth fraction 4F, is conducted from the bottom part of the second classifier 11 with a suitable conveyor arrangement, e.g. with the first conveyor arrangement 12, as in the solution according to Fig. 2, for further size reduction to the grinding device 10, from where the ground material flow is again conducted to the second classifier 11 in the manner presented above.

Thus the material circulation described between the second classifier 11 and the grinding device 10 is continued automatically until all the material to be processed has been guided as a third fraction 3F from the top part of the classifier 11 along the duct 19 into the second filter vessel 14a.

The fractions IF and 3F processed in the manner presented and conducted into the filter vessels 14, 14a are of a maximum grain size of preferably <40 pm, preferably a grain size of 20-30 pm ±10 pm .

In the apparatus space 6 after the first filter vessel 14 is a first outlet 20 and after the second filter vessel 14a a second outlet 20a, via which outlets the fine aggregate 2b conditioned to a grain size of <40 gm is removed from the apparatus space 6.

Suction for the transmission path of the filler material 2a to be sorted is brought about with the classifying fans 15 and 15a connected to the filter vessels 14 and 14a, with which suction the filler material 2a and the fine aggregate 2b formed from it is mainly transported in the apparatus. The suction effect of the first classifying fan 15 covers at least the batcher 8 and the first classifier 9, as well as the suction duct 16 between them, and also the suction duct 18 between the first classifier 9 and the first filter vessel 14.

Correspondingly, the suction effect of the second classifying fan 15a covers at least the suction duct 13a between the grinding device 10 and the inlet 11b of the second classifier 11, the second classifier 11 and also the suction duct 19 between the second classifier 11 and the second filter vessel 14a.

The blown air of the classifying fan 15, 15a functioning as a pressure adjustment means is conducted out of the apparatus space 6 via the air outlets 21 and 21a. The passage in the apparatus of the material to be classified is adjusted with the classifying fans 15, 15a in the manner desired by means of the pressure difference. In this case the pressure can be positive pressure or negative pressure.

In the apparatus space 6, in addition to the aforementioned parts, devices and functions is, if necessary, also at least one suction connect ion/compressed air connection 22 as well as at least one electricity network connection 23, via which the apparatus space 6 and the devices therein can easily be connected to local compressed air and/or suction air and to a local electricity network. In addition, in the apparatus space 6 is a control system 6a, which also comprises a remote-control arrangement. The remote-control arrangement of the control system 6a is adapted to enable remotely controlled and remotely monitored apparatus functions, by means of which the devices and functions of the apparatus space 6 are made to function unmanned and in continuous operation.

In addition, the control system 6a and apparatus space 6 have adjustment means for adjusting the operating values of the apparatus in such a way that it is possible to adjust by remote control what type of product in terms of grain size is made when. In this case e.g. one or more of the following is adjusted by remote control: the air volume, the travel speed of the material, the grinding power of the grinding device 10, the throughput speed of the grinding device 10, the amount of material going to the grinding device 10. The control system is adapted to be used also locally, in which case monitoring and all the necessary adjustments can be performed also in the apparatus space 6 or in the vicinity of it.

Figs. 3-5 present a type of solution according to the invention wherein the modular apparatus space 6 has been assembled e.g. from apparatus assemblies built into standard multimodal containers. In this case the apparatus space 6 according to the embodiment comprises four modules C1-C4, preferably of multimodal containers according to standard, inside which containers the necessary apparatus assemblies have been prefabricated at the manufacturer' s factory .

In the first module Cl can be e.g. an inlet 7 for the filler material 2a and a suction duct 16, which is arranged to convey the material to be sorted to the first classifier 9 situated in the second module C2 via a suitable throughput connection. The apparatus space 6 comprises a number of other pre-f bricated throughput connections for connecting the devices in different modules to each other.

Correspondingly, in the second module C2, which is preferably disposed on top of the first module Cl, is a first classifier 9, by means of which the filler material 2a to be taken from the batcher 8 is divided into the first fraction IF and the second fraction 2F . Also in the second module are a suction duct 18 and the devices forming the suction or blowing pressure needed in the arrangement, such as a classifying fan 15 or corresponding devices, and a filter vessel 14 through which the first fraction IF is conducted to the start end of the exhaust line i.e. outlet line 20 that is in the first module Cl. In Fig. 4 the end of the outlet 20 is inside module Cl and in Fig. 3 outside module Cl .

The third module C3 is disposed beside the first module Cl and in the third module C3 is situated e.g. the inlet of the coarser fraction separated in the first classifier 9, i.e. the second fraction 2F, the grinding device 10, such as a ball mill, a conveyor arrangement 13, 13a for transferring the ground material to the second classifier 11 via the throughput connection and the start end of the exhaust line, i.e. the outlet 20a, of the ground and sorted third fraction 3F, the branch connector of which start end can be inside the module C3, as in Fig. 5, or outside module C3, as in Fig. 3.

Correspondingly, in the fourth module C4, which is preferably disposed on top of the third module C3, is a second classifier 11, by means of which the material is again divided into two fractions that are different in grain size, of which the fraction of smaller grain size, i.e. the third fraction 3F, is conducted onwards with a conveyor arrangement based on suction or blowing along the suction duct 19 to the filter vessel 14b, through which the third fraction 3F is conducted via the throughput connection below to the start end of the exhaust line 20a that is in the third module C3. Also in the fourth module C4 are the devices forming the suction or blowing pressure needed in the arrangement, such as a second classifying fan

15a or corresponding devices.

The handling & sorting apparatus, i.e. the apparatus space 6, according to Figs. 2-5 is preferably assembled at the handling & sorting site, i.e. the production site of the desired end product, e.g. from the separate modules C1-C4, which are furnished to be ready for production in the factory that manufactured the apparatus space 6, and which modules C1-C4 comprise different apparatus assemblies, and which are arranged to be connected at the production site of the end product by disposing the modules C1-C4 to be fitted together with each other either side by side and/or one on top of another and by connecting the apparatus assemblies via the throughput connections that are on the roof, floor and walls of the modules. The material processed in the apparatus space 6 in the manner presented above is material transformed from filler material 2a into fine aggregate 2b, which can be used as a binder agent in the manufacture of various masses, either as is or e.g. mixed together with cement.

This field of technology is very complex and subject to many laws of physics and chemistry. Therefore, the applicant has had to conduct numerous laboratory tests and other tests over the course of many years. Many tests and experiments have also been long-term tests, producing results only after a long waiting period. Since one test can last many days, or even weeks or months, all the tests have required a huge amount of time. Only after all these numerous tests and experiments has the applicant been able, by means of the knowledge and experience thus acquired, to develop the solution of the current application and all the other solutions close to hand.

In retrospect it is very easy to say that it is obvious to a person skilled in the art to develop a similar solution just by varying the source materials of the mixture and their percentage proportions as well as by varying the different grain sizes of the source materials in the mass to be mixed. This could work, but only if by sheer chance the components selected in exactly the correct way, with exactly the correct grain size and composition, and the exact percentage proportions in the mixture, are suited to each other.

It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that different embodiments of the invention are not limited to the examples described above, but that they may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. What is essential is that in the manufacture of the liquid hardenable masses to be manufactured, materials that are more environmentally friendly than cement and gravel crushed from natural stone, such as slag and soda sediment, which are generally classified as waste materials, are used as source materials.

It is further obvious to the person skilled in the art that a sorted fine aggregate according to the invention can also be made with other methods than those presented above.

Claims

27 CLAIMS

1. A liquid hardenable mixture comprising a fine-grained binder agent (2b) and an activator (3) , which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid, which binder agent (2b) is slag with a grain size of <40 pm and the activator (3) is soda sediment or a mixture of soda sediment and cement, characterized in that the mixture comprises filler material (2a) , which is crushed and/or ground slag having a maximum grain size of 5±4 mm, preferably 2±1 mm.

2. A mixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the maximum grain size of the binder agent (2b) is between 20-40 pm .

3. A mixture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mixture comprises aggregate (la) crushed to a maximum grain size of 2415 mm.

4. A mixture according to claim 3, characterized in that the mixture comprises crushed aggregate (la) which is one or more of the following: natural stone, wall rock from mining operations, slag originating from an industrial process .

5. A cover material comprising coarse-grained aggregate (la) , filler material (2a) and a liquid hardenable mixture, which comprises a fine-grained binder agent (2b) and an activator (3) , which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid, which binder agent (2b) is slag with a grain size of <40 pm and the activator (3) is soda sediment or a mixture of soda sediment and cement, characterized in that the filler material (2a) is crushed and/or ground slag having a maximum grain size of 5±4 mm, preferably 2±1 mm.

6. Cover material according to claim 5, characterized in that the aggregate (la) of the cover material is a material crushed to a maximum grain size of 2415 mm, which is one or more of the following: natural stone, wall rock from mining operations, slag originating from an industrial process.

7. Cover material according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the cover material comprises an air entraining agent as an additive to improve the frost resistance of the cover material.

8. Cover material according to claim 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that the cover material comprises wax as an additive to improve the water resistance of the cover material .

9. Cover material according to any of claims 5-8, characterized in that in the manufactured mixture the cover material can comprise, in percentages by weight, aggregate (la) 40120 %, filler material (2a) 50130 %, fine aggregate (2b) 30125 % and a source material (3) functioning as an activator 25120 %, as well as possible additives, dispensed in such a way that each specific total percentage is 100.

10. A sprayed concreting material comprising a filler material (2a) and a liquid hardenable mixture, which comprises a fine-grained binder agent (2b) and an activator (3) , which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid, which binder agent (2b) is slag with a grain size of <40 pm and the activator (3) is soda sediment or a mixture of soda sediment and cement, characterized in that the filler material (2a) is crushed and/or ground slag having a maximum grain size of 5±4 mm, preferably 2±1 mm.

11. A binder agent material for blocks, ground slabs, frost insulations or lightweight leveling courses to be disposed in various structures, which binder agent material comprises a fine-grained binder agent (2b) and an activator (3) , which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid, characterized in that the fine-grained binder agent (2b) is slag with a grain size of between 20-40 pm and the activator (3) is soda sediment or a mixture of soda sediment and cement.

12. A method of manufacturing a liquid hardenable mixture, which mixture comprises a fine-grained binder agent (2b) and an activator (3) , which is arranged to initiate the binder agent when the binder agent is mixed into a liquid, characterized in that slag that is a by-product of an industrial process is taken for the binder agent (2b) , which slag is ground or crushed and classified to a grain size, which is between 20-40 pm, and into the binder agent (2b) thus formed is mixed as an activator (3) soda sediment that is the by-product of an industrial process.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that in the classifying phase of the binder agent (2b) the binder agent material is at first divided in a first classifier (9) into two fractions (IF and 2F) , of which the fraction of smaller grain size (IF) is conducted to a first filter vessel (14) and the fraction of larger grain size (2F) is conducted to grinding, after which the ground material is conducted to a second classifier (11) , in which the material is again divided into two fractions (3F and 4F) , of which the fraction of smaller grain size (3F) is conducted to a second filter vessel (14a) and the fraction of larger grain size (4F) is again conducted to grinding, which cycle is continued until all the material to be processed is in the filter vessels (14 and 14a)

14. Use of a mixture according to claim 1 as a binder agent of a cover material according to claim 5.

15. Use of a mixture according to claim 1 as a binder agent of sprayed concreting material according to claim 10.

16. Use of a mixture according to claim 1 as a binder agent of the blocks, ground slabs, frost insulations, or lightweight leveling courses, to be disposed in various structures, presented in claim 11.

17. Use of a mixture according to claim 1 as a binder agent of a liquid hardenable mass.