Advanced curing equipment and methods of using same

A method of curing a material that consumes CO.sub.2 as a reagent, said material does not cure in an absence of CO.sub.2 during curing, said material does not cure in a presence of water alone, and said material does not consume water during, comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus comprising:
• a curing chamber configured to contain a material that consumes CO.sub.2 as a reagent, said material does not cure in the absence of CO.sub.2 during curing, said material does not cure in the presence of water alone, and said material does not consume water during curing, said curing chamber having at least one port configured to allow said material to be introduced into said curing chamber and to be removed from said curing chamber, and having at least one closure for said port, said closure configured to provide an atmospheric seal when closed so as to prevent contamination of a gas present in said curing chamber by gas outside said curing chamber;
• a source of carbon dioxide or air configured to provide gaseous carbon dioxide or air to said curing chamber by way of a gas entry port in said curing chamber, said source of carbon dioxide or air having at least one flow regulation device configured to control a flow rate of said gaseous carbon dioxide or air into said curing chamber;
• a gas flow subsystem configured to circulate said gaseous carbon dioxide or air through said curing chamber;
• a temperature control subsystem configured to control a temperature of said gas within said chamber;
• a humidity control subsystem configured to control a humidity in said gas within said chamber;
• and
• at least one controller in communication with at least one of said source of carbon dioxide, said gas flow subsystem, said temperature control subsystem, and said humidity control subsystem,
• said at least one controller is configured to control independently at least a respective one of a flow rate of said gas inside the chamber, said circulation of said gas through said curing chamber, said temperature of said gas, and said humidity in said gas,
• said at least one controller is configured to provide a time of residence in a first drying phase (Phase 1), wherein a residence time in said first drying phase is configured to be minimized, and said at least one controller is configured to transition from said first drying phase (Phase 1) to a second carbonation phase (Phase 2) at the end of said first drying phase (Phase 1),
• performing a first drying phase having a first time of residence in said first dying phase, and
• performing a second curing phase at the end of said first drying phase.