- 1). Lay one-inch-diameter PVC pipes in loops that begin and end in a common water source. Aluminum corrodes in concrete, so do not use aluminum pipes. All pipe loops should be approximately the same length to ensure uniform cooling.
- 2). Arrange the pipes in a grid pattern, and tie the pipe to the reinforcing bar in the concrete forms using rebar wire.
- 3). Develop an engineering design for the cooling pipe grids within each component of the structure. For example, footings, stems, caps and walls may all have differently engineered cooling grids.
- 4). Embed vertical PVC standpipes, which are not part of the cooling system, in the concrete form. Fill the standpipes with water at the beginning of the pour. Lower thermometers into the stand pipes to monitor the temperature within the concrete pour.
- 5). Build a pumping station to circulate water throughout the concrete pour. Connect both ends of each cooling pipe loop to the pumping station.
- 6). Filter river and lake water to remove sediment before pumping the water through the cooling pipes. Evacuate warm water that has circulated through the concrete pour downstream, or well away from the cool water that enters the cooling pipe loops.
- 7). Pump water through each loop at a rate of 4 gallons per minute as soon as that loop becomes buried in concrete. Reverse the direction of flow through the pipe loops twice each day to ensure uniform cooling of different parts of the concrete pour.
- 8). Circulate water throughout the pour for at least three weeks, or until the concrete stops radiating heat. Monitor the temperature inside the pour until the concrete stops radiating heat.
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