The construction industry worldwide has a growing lack of river sand, a critical material for the construction of streets, bridges and ports.
Since the river sand is increasingly restricted due to environmental regulations and overextraction, the builders are changing as an alternative in Seesand.
However, Seesand contains a high level of salt that can corrode steel consciousness in reinforced concrete and threatens the durability and safety of structures. Efficient removal of this salt has remained an important challenge for engineers.
With regard to this problem, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) developed an ultrasonic washroom that effectively removes salt from sea.
Researchers say that the technology not only preserves water, but also ensures that the building materials meet strict security standards.
Salt removal crucial for construction
The desalination of sea sand is essential because the residual salt accelerates the corrosion of steel reinforcements in concrete. Corroded steel weakens the structures and can lead to early failure, which creates both security risks and economic costs.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recommends a maximum salinity of 0.04% for Seesand, which is used as an aggregate for construction.
Traditional desalination methods contain the washing of sand with large amounts of water, whereby about four tons of water is usually required to process a ton of sand. These processes are slow, inefficient and not sustainable in areas with water shortages.
Dr. Gil-Lim Yoon from Kiost's Department of Ocean Automotive Development and Energy Research Design the ultrasound salary device to overcome these restrictions.
The most important technical features include cavitation-driven washing, strong particle clearance of bladder collapse, increased penetration and non-contact cleaning using ultrasound energy.
The ultrasound device also works in narrow rooms and delivers precisely and fast desalination. The procedure mixes Seesand with water with a ratio of 1: 2 and uses ultrasound waves of 300 W or higher for three minutes.
Tests show that this method reduces the salt concentration in the seaside scand to 0.04% or below and meets the safety standards of the construction.
credit – Scientific reports
Practical and economic advantages
Kiost President Hyi Seung Lee emphasized the broader effect of innovation. “This research is important because it offers an innovative solution to the global lack of river sand and at the same time ensures structural integrity and economic feasibility,” he said. Lee added that Kiost plans to continue to advance the technology in order to enable faster processing of larger Volumina Seeand.
By reducing water consumption and the acceleration of the desalination, the ultrasound device offers an environmentally friendly and economically viable alternative to traditional sand washing.
Experts find that the use of dilatory lake sand can extend the lifespan of concrete structures and improve general security.
In view of the growing global demand for infrastructure and sustainable construction practices, the ultrasound technology of Kiost could become a critical instrument to fulfill the environmental and material requirements.
Since urban development is continued worldwide, innovations like this can offer a way for safer, more efficient and resource -conscious buildings and at the same time facilitate pressure on dwindling river sand supply.
The research and validation results were published in Scientific reportsDemonstration of the effectiveness of the method under controlled conditions.