# US 2019/0168416 A1 · Methods and compositions for treatment of concrete wash water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168416 A1 - Document ID: US20190168416A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/155,013 - Filed: 2018-10-09 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-11 - Assignees: Carboncure Technologies Inc. - Applicants: CarbonCure Technologies Inc. - Inventors: George Sean Monkman; Mark MACDONALD; Dean Paul FORGERON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168416A1 ## CPC - B28C 5/003: {Methods for mixing (B28C5/386, B28C5/402 take precedence)} - B28C 5/00: Apparatus or methods for producing mixtures of cement with other substances, e.g. slurries, mortars, porous or fibrous compositions (controlling the mixing apparatus and supplying the ingredients B28C7/00 {; separating cement from waste concrete B03B9/063}) - B28C 5/42: Apparatus specially adapted for being mounted on vehicles with provision for mixing during transport ({B28C5/1893 takes precedence; mounted on a wheelbarrow B28C5/1215, B28C5/1818, B28C5/2018; } vehicle aspect B60P3/16) - B28C 7/02: Controlling the operation of the mixing - B28C 7/024: {by measuring properties of the mixture, e.g. moisture, electrical resistivity, density} - B28C 7/12: Supplying or proportioning liquid ingredients - C02F 1/5209: {Regulation methods for flocculation or precipitation} - C02F 1/5236: {using inorganic agents} - C02F 1/66: by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58) - C04B 22/0046: {Waste slurries or solutions used as gauging water} - C04B 28/04: Portland cements - C04B 28/08: Slag cements - C04B 40/02: Selection of the hardening environment - C04B 40/029: {using an aqueous solution or dispersion} - C02F 2103/12: from the silicate or ceramic industries, e.g. waste waters from cement or glass factories - C04B 2111/00019: {Carbon dioxide sequestration} - Y02P 40/18: Carbon capture and storage [CCS] - B28C: PREPARING CLAY; PRODUCING MIXTURES CONTAINING CLAY OR CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (preparing material for foundry moulds B22C5/00) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract The invention provides methods and compositions for treating wash water from concrete production with carbon dioxide. The treated wash water can be reused as mix water in fresh batches of concrete. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of preparing a concrete mix comprising (i) adding concrete materials to a mixer; (ii) adding mix water to the mixer, wherein the mix water comprises carbonated concrete wash water; and (iii) mixing the water and the concrete materials to produce a concrete mix. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonated concrete wash water comprises at least 10% of the total mix water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonated concrete mix water comprises at least 40% of the total mix water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the mix water comprises a first portion of water that is not carbonated mix water and a second portion of mix water that comprises carbonated mix water, wherein the first batch of mix water is added to the concrete materials before the second batch of mix water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the first portion of water is added at a first location and the second portion of water is added at a second location, wherein the first and second locations are different. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the second location is the drum of a ready-mix truck. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the second portion of mix water is added at least 2 minutes after the first portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonated concrete wash water has a density of at least 1.10 g/cm3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonated concrete wash water has been held for at least 1 day. ### Claim 10 (canceled) ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the mix water comprises carbonated wash water in an amount that results in a concrete mix that is at least 5% stronger at a time after pouring than the same concrete mix made without carbonated wash water. ### Claim 13 (canceled) ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the mix water comprises carbonated wash water in an amount that allows the concrete mix to contain at least 5% less cement than, and retain a compressive strength after pouring of within 5% of, the same concrete mix made without carbonated wash water and with the extra 5% cement. ### Claim 15 An apparatus for carbonating wash water produced in the production of concrete in a wash water operation wherein the wash water comprises cement and/or supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), comprising (i) a source of carbon dioxide; (ii) a first conduit operably connected to the source of carbon dioxide that runs to a wash water container, wherein (a) the wash water container contains wash water from a concrete production site; (b) the conduit has one or more openings positioned to deliver carbon dioxide at or under the surface of the wash water in the container to produce carbonated wash water; (iii) a system to transport the carbonated wash water to a concrete mix operation where the carbonated wash water is used as mix water in a concrete mix. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising (iv) a controller that determines whether or not, and/or how, to modify delivery of carbon dioxide to the wash water, or another characteristic of the wash water operation, or both, based on the one or more characteristics of the wash water or wash water operation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising (v) one or more sensors that monitor one or more characteristics of the wash water and/or the carbonation of the wash water in the container, wherein the one or more sensors is operably connected to the controller and delivers information regarding the characteristic of the wash water and/or wash water operation to the controller. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the characteristic is (a) pH of the wash water, (b) rate of delivery of carbon dioxide to the wash water, (c) total amount of wash water in the wash water container, (d) temperature of the wash water, (e) specific gravity of the wash water, (f) concentration of one or more ions in the wash water, (g) age of the wash water, (h) circulation rate of the wash water, (i) timing of circulation of the wash water, or any combination thereof ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the sensor is one or more of a sensor for monitoring (a) pH of the wash water, (b) rate of delivery of carbon dioxide to the wash water, (c) total amount of wash water in the wash water container, (d) temperature of the wash water, (e) specific gravity of the wash water, (f) concentration of one or more ions in the wash water, (g) age of the wash water, (h) circulation rate of the wash water, (i) timing of circulation of the wash water, or any combination thereof ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 An apparatus for preparing a concrete mix comprising (i) a first mixer for mixing concrete materials and water; (ii) a second mixer for mixing concrete materials and water; (iii) a first water container holding water that comprises carbonated concrete wash water; (iv) a second water container, different from the first, holding water that is not carbonated concrete wash water; (iv) a first system fluidly connecting the first water container with the second mixer and a second system fluidly connecting the second water container with the first mixer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first and second mixers are different mixers. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first mixer is the drum of a ready-mix truck. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a controller configured to add a first amount of the water in the second water container to the first mixer at a first time and to add a second amount of the water in the first water container to the second mixer at a second time, wherein the first and second times are different and wherein the first time is before the second time. ### Claim 25 (canceled)