Carbonation system for curing of concrete products at ambient pressure

A CO2 mineralization system comprising:

• a gas humidification chamber;
• a gas stream coupled to an input of the humidifier, wherein the gas stream comprises carbon dioxide;
• and
• a gas inlet coupled to a carbonation reactor and an output of the humidification chamber;
• wherein:
• the carbonation reactor is configured to receive concrete and react the concrete with the gas stream to thereby form a carbonated concrete composite.

A method of manufacturing a first carbonated concrete composite and a second carbonated concrete composite, the method comprising:

• placing a first concrete masonry unit (CMU) precursor into a carbonation reactor for carbonation curing, the first CMU precursor comprising a binder, aggregates, and water, and the carbonation reactor having at least one gas stream inlet and an outlet;
• exposing the first CMU precursor to a gas stream from the at least one gas stream inlet of the carbonation reactor, wherein the gas stream comprising carbon dioxide;
• maintaining a temperature, relative humidity, CO2 amount, gas stream flow rate, or a combination thereof in the carbonation reactor so that a carbonation rate constant of the first CMU precursor is at or above 0.005 to thereby react the first CMU precursor with the gas stream and form the first carbonated concrete composite;
• measuring the compressibility and/or porosity of the first carbonated concrete composite;
• placing a second CMU precursor into the carbonation reactor for carbonation curing, the second CMU precursor comprising a binder, aggregates, and water;
• exposing the second CMU precursor to a modified gas stream from the at least one inlet of the carbonation reactor;
• and
• maintaining a temperature, relative humidity, CO2 amount, gas stream flow rate, or a combination thereof in the carbonation reactor so a carbonation rate constant of the second CMU precursor is at or above 0.005 to thereby react the second CMU precursor with the gas stream and form a second carbonated concrete composite.