What is a concrete pump intended for and how it works – we consider its industrial and homemade options

For the effective placement of concrete in a variety of applications, concrete pumps are indispensable instruments in construction projects. These devices make the process of transporting and pouring concrete more efficient, whether it is used for significant industrial projects or do-it-yourself home improvements. In order to precisely place concrete where it is needed, a concrete pump essentially transfers liquid concrete through a network of pipes and hoses.

Concrete pumps are used in industrial settings to precisely and swiftly transport large amounts of concrete to construction sites. Their powerful pumps and long-reaching booms, which can reach over obstructions like buildings or other structures, are typically mounted on trucks or trailers. Because of this ability, they are invaluable for projects like high-rise buildings, bridges, and expansive infrastructure that call for a lot of concrete to be poured.

Smaller or homemade concrete pumps are a workable option for smaller-scale projects or scenarios where access is restricted. These pumps are usually more portable and small, made to fit through residential areas or into small spaces. Their versatility allows both DIY enthusiasts and contractors to use them, whether they are operated manually or with small-scale machinery.

Gaining an understanding of the fundamental mechanism of a concrete pump entails knowing that it draws concrete from a mixer or hopper and moves it under pressure through a network of pipes. Compared to conventional techniques like using wheelbarrows or buckets, this method reduces labor and time requirements by improving precision and speeding up the pouring process.

Concrete pumps of today come equipped with sophisticated features like computerized controls and remote control operation, which increase productivity and safety on building sites. These developments in technology guarantee accurate and seamless delivery of concrete, reducing waste and maximizing project schedules.

In the construction industry, these machines are indispensable due to their versatility and efficiency, whether it is for large-scale projects where an industrial-scale concrete pump is being considered or for smaller tasks where homemade options are being investigated. Contractors and do-it-yourselfers can attain the best possible outcomes in their concrete placement projects by having a clear understanding of their functions and capabilities.

In industrial settings,	a concrete pump is used to efficiently transfer liquid concrete from one place to another on construction sites. It is especially useful for reaching areas that are difficult to access with traditional concrete pouring methods.
Homemade versions	of concrete pumps are often smaller and less powerful, designed for DIY projects or small-scale construction. They can be operated manually or with basic mechanical assistance to pump concrete into molds or specific areas.

We examine the dual functions of concrete pumps in both DIY and industrial applications. These strong instruments are made to move liquid concrete with efficiency, making a variety of jobs easier, from backyard renovations to major construction projects. Massive volumes are handled by industrial-grade pumps, which precisely feed concrete into complex pipelines at precise locations. Smaller and easier to use models are available for home projects, providing flexibility and ease of use. Knowing how these pumps work allows users, whether they are professionals or do-it-yourself enthusiasts, to successfully place concrete, assuring structural integrity and project success.

What are concrete pumps intended for – the advantages and disadvantages of this method of transporting the mixture

Pipes are the most practical means of transporting any fluid material. Accept that pumping liquid is a more convenient and faster option than carrying it in buckets. Whenever possible, they make an effort to use pipeline transport.

Even when using massive ships (bigger than an aircraft carrier), the cost of transporting oil in tanks is higher than that of pumping it through pipes.

As an illustration, pipes are being laid along the bottom to transport oil, even in the most affordable way possible—by sea in tankers. It is not necessary to draw comparisons with rail or tanker truck transportation.

This holds true for both construction sites and smaller-scale settings. Using a concrete pipeline is a more convenient way to transport the mixture to the concrete site than using buckets or a belt conveyor.

Concrete is pumped using specialized equipment called concrete pumps; we will discuss these in more detail later.

Advantages of using concrete pumps

Let’s start with the benefits, which include improving the quality of the work and nearly tripling the speed of concreting when compared to other methods of supplying the mixture (the video in this article, provided below, demonstrates the effective operation of these units).

1. It is possible to ensure a continuous laying process. Stopping concreting reduces the quality of the finished material, since the partially hardened mixture does not adhere well to the fresh, just prepared one.
2. With the help of concrete pumps of the appropriate power, it is easy to deliver the mixture to a height. If belt conveyors for horizontal movement of the mixture can even exceed the characteristics of a concrete pump, then for its vertical delivery it is necessary to use special devices such as a bucket elevator.

Interesting. Although it seems sense to use bucket elevators during the construction of high-rise buildings, other, more efficient ways of transporting materials to a height are used instead.

1. Delivery of concrete through pipes allows you to move a large volume in the shortest possible time. When using buckets, the speed is reduced due to the need to load concrete into them, as well as the low speed of the crane.
2. To move the mixture using buckets, you need a mounted crane, the reach of which is limited. If you also need to move along crane tracks, the delivery time increases even more. A concrete pump is not needed.
3. Sometimes, for example, when the floor is already installed, it is no longer possible to supply a bucket from above, but you can easily connect a concrete pipeline.

1. Concrete pipelines are compact and do not take up much space, unlike belt conveyors.
2. It is faster to install pipes than to install conveyor sections.

1. When moving the mixture through pipes, water loss is minimal (even through evaporation), this has a positive effect on the quality of concrete. This fact is especially important when there is a large distance between the place of preparation (or unloading) and the place of laying.
2. Concreting with a concrete pump requires fewer builders than using other methods. Coupled with a reduction in the time frame for completing the work, this reduces wage costs.

Because of these benefits, concrete pumps are almost always utilized when laying a substantial amount of the mixture. There are a few drawbacks, though.

The disadvantages of using concrete pumps

1. This is not the cheapest construction equipment, so the costs of its purchase (or rent) are still high.
2. The installation of a concrete pipeline is required, which also takes time. The situation is solved with the help of suspended pipes on the arrow, but the radius of their departure is limited.
3. If you need a point filling of small places (for example, when installing prefabricated monolithic structures), it is more profitable to use other methods of transportation of concrete.
4. Pump mechanisms and pipes, even made of special materials using protective coatings resistant to abrasion, still wear out, especially when moving a mixture with hard fillers that have abrasive properties.

As you can see, there are drawbacks as well, so when dealing with small amounts of work (like pouring a thin screed), using other delivery methods is still more cost-effective.

Concrete pump designs

Liquids are pumped using a variety of concepts, including ejection, membrane use, centrifugal force, etc. It is evident that not all of them are appropriate for concrete delivery.

Furthermore, the mixture is fed directly into the concrete pump’s intake, even though for many pumps it’s not just the pressure that comes after it and the vacuum that’s created at the inlet (referred to as the lift or suction in other documents) that matters. As a result, there are only three main types of pumps that are currently in use. Let’s examine each of these in more detail and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Piston pump

Among the earliest and most popular designs is this one. During their movement, the pistons in the cylinders catch and expel the moving medium.

The concrete pump functions in an identical manner as well.

1. Concrete from the mixer or transport enters the receiving bin. Its capacity is selected to ensure a continuous process. For example, the consumption of the mixture is 10 m3 per hour, and the trucks that also bring 10 m3 also arrive every hour. To avoid interruptions in operation, the capacity of the bin will be 12-15 m3, so that there is no stoppage in supply when transport is delayed.

1. In order to prevent the mixture in the bin from stratifying, it is usually equipped with an additional mixing device.
2. The pump cylinder is connected to the receiver through a valve (gate) during the return stroke of the piston it opens, and a portion of the mixture enters it.
3. When the piston reaches the rear extreme point, the gate connecting the cylinder to the bin closes, another one opens, which previously blocked the outlet to the concrete pipeline.
4. During the forward stroke of the piston, a portion of the mixture is pushed into the concrete pipeline.

The most common methods for supplying movement to the pistons are hydraulic cylinders and a crank mechanism, which many people are unfamiliar with from car engines (as such a design was only found in very old units). An oil distributor controls the flow of oil through them. As a result, the system’s reliability and required force are guaranteed.

Although a mechanical drive is also an option, hydraulics is typically used to open and close the dampers. Usually, two cylinders are installed instead of one to lessen the pulsation of the mixture in the concrete pipeline.

Advantages of a piston pump

1. Good pressure. If you need to deliver the mixture to a great height or distance, only piston pumps can handle this task.

1. High productivity, due to which almost 75% of concrete pumps produced are piston.

Disadvantages of the piston system

Additionally, there are drawbacks:

1. This system is more complex than others. It requires mechanisms to coordinate the movement of the gate and piston, distributors that control the hydraulics. It is also necessary to think through a lubrication system for the contact points of the pistons with the cylinder surface.
2. It requires a hydraulic pump, which serves to create the necessary pressure in the hydraulic cylinders, which in turn are pushed by the workers. Although in the case of mounting the unit on a car, it is more convenient to connect to its engine through hydraulics, rather than a system of gears and cardan shafts.
3. Rapid wear of the junction points of the gates with the inlet and outlet pipes, as well as wear of the gates themselves.
4. Uneven supply of the mixture. Even in pumps with two cylinders, pulsations are quite noticeable. Although this is not such a big problem, since the laying still continues, but it is less convenient to operate with the outlet pipe of the concrete pipeline.

Rotary pumps

The design of these pumps is far simpler. Their working principle is simple to visualize. Step by foot along a hose that is filled with liquid (water, etc.); the liquid will be squeezed out. This is the operation of a rotary pump.

Its outlet pipe is immediately connected, upon exiting the hopper, to a flexible concrete pipeline that is laid out in a semicircle on a rigid base. It is rolled along by a roller-equipped rotor, which extracts the mixture.

There are benefits and drawbacks to this kind of pump.

Pros of rotary concrete pumps

1. Simple mechanism. A concrete pump of this type includes a receiving hopper, a rotor with rollers and a drive, and a housing in which it is located together with a flexible part of the concrete pipeline.
2. Pulsations at the outlet, although they are less than those of a piston system, can still be felt, especially with a small number of rollers on the rotor.
3. Silent operation.
4. Small dimensions and weight.

Disadvantages of the rotary mechanism

1. Lower pressure and productivity than piston designs.
2. High wear of the flexible part of the pressure section of the concrete pipeline (although it can be considered a consumable).
3. Inability to work with mixtures that include large aggregate. It is not recommended to use this type for concrete that includes crushed stone or gravel with a fraction of more than 10 mm.

Auger concrete pump

A design that is used somewhat less often. Also simple. The operating principle can be easily explained using the example of a well-known meat grinder. The working element of this unit is an auger (Archimedes screw).

The mixture is pushed into the pipes from the receiving hopper by its rotation. Everything is exactly the same as when goods move from a meat grinder’s receiving funnel to its cutting unit (this example is even more accurate when considering the filling of a homemade sausage casing; in this case, the concrete mixture substitutes for minced meat).

The screw pump functions in a similar manner; in place of a casing, there is a concrete pipeline, and cement, sand, and concrete are used in place of lard and meat.

Advantages

1. Simple design and small dimensions.

1. High productivity, although still less than piston systems.

1. Smooth feed.
2. The auger and body wear out less than the flexible section of the concrete pipeline in a rotary system.
3. Ability to work with mixtures that include large aggregates.
4. Easily implemented reverse (movement of the mixture in the opposite direction), this allows in most cases to simply eliminate the plugs that form in the concrete pipeline.

Disadvantages

Low pressure: The system isn’t meant to spray the mixture over a long distance or at a high altitude.

Classification of concrete pumps by mobility

Apart from their variations in the way the mixture is delivered, concrete pumps are also classified based on their mobility.

Mobile concrete pumps

Usually installed on a truck frame. Either a power take-off shaft directly drives the concrete pump, or it uses an intermediate hydraulic pump (hydraulic transmission).

At the same link, you can also view a video that shows you how a concrete pump operates. Self-propelled concrete pumps on a tracked chassis are an extremely rare sight. They are employed in situations where it is challenging to move conventional equipment due to the construction site or the approaches to it. These units are transported on lowboys over great distances.

Almost all mobile units come with a concrete pipeline and an extendable controlled boom.

Its reach is up to thirty meters, and in some cases, even farther, because it is based on specialized heavy-duty vehicles. They can, however, also be linked to stationary concrete pipelines that are already set up at the building site.

Certain models are installed as extra equipment on a concrete mixer truck, also referred to as a mixer. In this instance, they integrate the duties of moving concrete from the preparation area and the formwork laying apparatus.

Stationary concrete pumps

Since the majority of these units are still somewhat mobile, they can be classified as conditionally stationary. usually positioned atop a towed chassis with wheels.

The most widely used industrial stationary concrete pump has features that are nearly identical to the one covered above, but it costs significantly less because the base vehicle is not included in the price.

Reinforced concrete plants can use fully stationary concrete pumps set on a permanent foundation to supply the mixture for molding structures and products. However, the majority of factories either use buckets moved by gantry and bridge cranes or belt conveyors.

The pump is powered by an internal combustion engine that is installed. More powerful units have diesel engines, while lower capacity units are typically gasoline-powered. Other models (apart from the completely stationary pumps mentioned above) run on an electric motor, which is a more cost-effective method but can present certain challenges.

The problem is that the majority of the concrete work is done while the zero cycle (foundation and base) is being constructed. It will need to be installed beforehand because there might not be an electricity supply on the property at this time. It should be mentioned that electricity of the work site is a must when delivering concrete with a tower crane and a bucket.

Concrete pumps that are stationary are typically more productive than those that are mobile and are utilized for higher volumes of work. Although some types have installed booms, stationary concrete pipelines are typically used to supply concrete. Additionally, pipes used to feed the mixture can frequently be suspended from a construction crane.

Problems that may arise when laying using concrete pumps

While laying the mixture with a concrete pump is quicker and easier than doing the same task without one, there are a few things to consider when using these devices.

1. Increased speed of laying the mixture can lead to the formation of cavities inside the monolith, especially if a fine mesh is used for reinforcement. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure uniform distribution of concrete.
2. If compaction is carried out with surface rather than deep vibrators, then it is necessary not to get carried away with large volumes of the laid mixture. Be sure to compact each layer.
3. It is necessary to carefully fix the reinforcement cage, a powerful flow of mixture from the concrete pipeline can displace reinforcement elements and embedded parts.

1. When working with a high-capacity concrete pump, it is difficult for one or even two builders to hold the flexible end of the concrete pipeline. It is necessary to give preference to a boom or at least hang the pipes on a crane.
2. Clogs formed in the concrete pipeline can damage it and the pump mechanisms. If one begins to form, try to reverse the pump (if possible) for a short time. Otherwise, disconnect the section and clean the pipes manually.
3. In order not to contribute to the formation of plugs, do not take long breaks in work, during which time some of the concrete can set. Make sure that all builders (sometimes it is necessary to leave, even for a short time) can be replaced immediately.
4. At the end of concreting (or a shift), it is necessary to thoroughly flush both the pump itself and the concrete pipeline pipes.

When it comes to construction projects, a concrete pump is essential because it moves liquid concrete to the desired location quickly and effectively. The idea is the same whether it is for industrial or do-it-yourself use: to move concrete quickly and precisely to the intended spot while getting around challenges like height or distance that more labor-intensive techniques might find difficult.

Concrete pumps are complex devices positioned on trucks or trailers in industrial settings. These pumps move concrete to the building site via pipes using hydraulic systems. Their exceptional productivity and ability to manage substantial amounts of concrete in a timely manner render them indispensable for expansive undertakings like skyscrapers, bridges, and infrastructure projects.

A workable solution for smaller projects or in situations where industrial pumps are unavailable is to use homemade concrete pumps. These can be as basic as manual pumps or as sophisticated as setups with electric motors or air compressors. For do-it-yourselfers or small-scale contractors needing to pour concrete in places where conventional techniques are unfeasible or labor-intensive, they are especially helpful.

To ensure safe and effective operation, it is imperative to comprehend the workings of a concrete pump. Concrete is normally loaded into the pump at a central location and then pushed to the pouring location via pipes or hoses by the pump’s mechanisms. This technique decreases manual labor, increases concrete placement accuracy, and expedites the building process.

Overall, the adaptability and efficiency of concrete pumps make them a useful tool, whether you’re overseeing a sizable construction site or working on a weekend project at home. They are prime examples of how technology can improve construction methods, enabling quicker project completion schedules and better concrete placement quality overall. You can improve the efficiency of your workflow and the quality of your concrete projects by selecting the best kind of pump for your needs.

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