https://www.absolutewaterpumps.com/amt-gorman-rupp-gas-diaphragm-pump-335a-96-3-90-gpm-briggs-power
They are a little pricey but I have seen them on craigslist used much cheaper. I have never used one for aircrete application, but do know their capability working in the water and wastewater industry for 35 yrs. They can pump some pretty solid sludge. Aircrete is not as thick as some sludge that I have pumped. These pumps are bid workhorse.
@Davy-Oneness Hello my friend, last weekend I made a test block, and had a few problems from the start. First when I weighed out my foam at 3oz/qt, I noticed right away that the soap and water started separating, within about 1 min I had about an 1/8 inch of water in the bottom of my clear container. So I went ahead with my test block. My block size 9.25"x 9.25"x 20.0" approx (1 cu ft) for simplicity. Using 2x10 lumber. I used plastic under the form and wrapped it up to top ridge of the form and stapled it down. After about 15-20 mins after the pour, I noticed the plastic was bulging on the outside of the form and after about an hour the pour collapsed about 2 inches and water was leaking out from the plastic. I really think I have a problem with the water quality. So this weekend I am going to use some deionized water for my next soap solution and aircrete mix then see what happens and try to seal up the form a little better. Oh by the way I used Drexel for my foam solution. I will keep you posted.
Hi KatherineAirDoug, I am in the same situation that you are. Our HOA requires us to build a min 1500 sq ft home. No other restrictions other than that so I can pretty much do what I want. The wife and I are hip on the geodesic style type home and really like the simplicity of the aircrete system. I was doing some research and came across a website called Domearama.com. This site has a section, (calculators) that you can input any different parameters and it will give all the information automatically. In our case though we want the geodesic type style, and on this site it instructs you at what lenghts to cut conduit, and what angles to bend the ends before assembly to create a open shell if you will on any size or V frequency that you desire. Once the shell is completed the we are going to attach a rigid mesh on the outside of the conduit frame then heat shrink plastic on top of that. Then we will commense the standard aircrete block laying procedure that these fine folks do at the workshops, however there will be angles to cut but still same process. Once the dome is complete, and the skin is on the outside, then begin dismantling the frame inside, and lay the skin on the inside walls. Our plans is to reuse the conduit frame to build the other domes that will connect to each other. Our home needs to be 1500 sq ft so we plan to construct (3) 500 sq ft domes to satisfy the HOA's request. The property we have is similar to what you are describing, a lot of trees, so we will build around, next too, the trees how ever we want, but the trees stay. They where there before we where. I do not think that strait wall will work, but I am not an expert, or claim to have knowledge in this area, but some on this forum could prolly guide you whether or not is is feesable to do that. I hope I was some help. I want to use aircrete for the foundation, but I myself need to know how much hard concrete on top I need to apply to make it stable when one walks on it to keep it from collasping. I hope I was some help, this is the wife and I's plans on how we are going forward, it is a little different from the norm the way the domes are constructed on this site, we are always up for a challenge.
Gasoline powered diaphragm pump will work, has positive displacement, a sure fire way to pump aircrete. I would definitely put a bypass on it , because any flow stoppage or deadheading the pump will pop a hose or connection. Those pumps are very strong and can almost pump peanut butter. Good luck.
@Joe I design my own foam generator and it doesn't even need a pump, just use the the pressure from the air compressor works great.
@mundane9 I am using Drexall 160. The directions call for a 160:1 mix however I did go to a 120:1 mix @ 3.0 oz per qt. but noticed a rapid separation of soap and water in the 1 qt weigh container. I think I may have a water quality problem to be honest.