A ceramic foam filter system includes a filter body having multiple tortuous path channels through the filter body to filter a molten liquid. A filter holder configuration defining a canister in a runner passage receives the filter body. An upstream end of the filter body receives the molten liquid having multiple inclusions. A predominant portion of the inclusions are larger than the multiple tortuous path channels and are trapped against the upstream end of the filter body. The multiple tortuous path channels are sized to trap a predominant portion of multiple oxides within the molten liquid as trapped oxides within the filter body. A filtered molten material having the multiple inclusions and the multiple oxides removed is directed from the multiple tortuous path channels as a discharge flow to exit at a downstream end of the filter body.

A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, includes: a step of manufacturing a honeycomb formed body to manufacture a non-fired honeycomb formed body having volume of 7 L or more; a drying step of drying the manufactured non-fired honeycomb formed body to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the obtained honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb structure. The drying step includes: an induction drying step to obtain a first dried honeycomb formed body by removing 20 to 80% of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying, and a microwave drying step to obtain a honeycomb dried body by removing the residual water. The honeycomb dried body subjected to this microwave drying step is obtained by removing 90% or more of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying.

A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, includes: a step of manufacturing a honeycomb formed body to manufacture a non-fired honeycomb formed body having volume of 7 L or more; a drying step of drying the manufactured non-fired honeycomb formed body to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the obtained honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb structure. The drying step includes: an induction drying step to obtain a first dried honeycomb formed body by removing 20 to 80% of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying, and a microwave drying step to obtain a honeycomb dried body by removing the residual water. The honeycomb dried body subjected to this microwave drying step is obtained by removing 90% or more of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying.

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall defining a plurality of cells serving as fluid through channel extending from an inflow end face to an outflow end face; and a circumferential wall surrounding the partition wall, wherein in a plane orthogonal to cell extending direction, the honeycomb structure body has a circumferential cell structure, a center cell structure having a cell structure different from the circumferential cell structure, and a boundary wall, the honeycomb structure body has intersection parts of the partition wall, including basic intersection parts and thick intersection parts having a thickness larger than that of the basic intersection parts, the thick intersection parts include at least one of: first thick intersection parts and second thick intersection parts, and in the circumferential cell structure, the intersection parts at least include the circumferential basic intersection parts.

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall defining a plurality of cells serving as fluid through channel extending from an inflow end face to an outflow end face; and a circumferential wall surrounding the partition wall, wherein in a plane orthogonal to cell extending direction, the honeycomb structure body has a circumferential cell structure, a center cell structure having a cell structure different from the circumferential cell structure, and a boundary wall, the honeycomb structure body has intersection parts of the partition wall, including basic intersection parts and thick intersection parts having a thickness larger than that of the basic intersection parts, the thick intersection parts include at least one of: first thick intersection parts and second thick intersection parts, and in the circumferential cell structure, the intersection parts at least include the circumferential basic intersection parts.

Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall disposed to surround a plurality of cells, which serving as fluid through channels extending from a first end face to a second end face, wherein the plurality of cells includes: large opening cells having a large opening area on the first end face and the second end face; and small opening cells having an opening area smaller than that of the large opening cells on the first end face and the second end face, a ratio of an opening diameter of the large opening cells to an opening diameter of the small opening cells is larger than 1.11 and smaller than 1.28, and the opening diameter of the small opening cells is larger than 0.78 mm, and a cell density of the honeycomb structure body is larger than 93 pcs/cm.sup.2 and smaller than 104 pcs/cm.sup.2.

A particulate filter and method of manufacture. The particulate filter includes intersecting walls that define longitudinally extending channels The intersecting walls comprise a porous ceramic material having a bare microstructure that comprises an interconnected network of porous spheroidal ceramic beads that has an open intrabead porosity within the beads and an interbead porosity defined by interstices between the beads. Catalyst particles are deposited at least partially within the intrabead porosity within the interbead porosity. The bare microstructure has a bimodal pore size distribution in which an intrabead median pore size of the intrabead porosity is less than an interbead median pore size of the interbead porosity. The filter has a trimodal pore size distribution comprising a first peak corresponding to the interbead porosity, a second peak corresponding to the intrabead porosity, and a third peak corresponding to the intrabead porosity as blocked by the catalyst particles.

A particulate filter and method of manufacture. The particulate filter includes intersecting walls that define longitudinally extending channels The intersecting walls comprise a porous ceramic material having a bare microstructure that comprises an interconnected network of porous spheroidal ceramic beads that has an open intrabead porosity within the beads and an interbead porosity defined by interstices between the beads. Catalyst particles are deposited at least partially within the intrabead porosity within the interbead porosity. The bare microstructure has a bimodal pore size distribution in which an intrabead median pore size of the intrabead porosity is less than an interbead median pore size of the interbead porosity. The filter has a trimodal pore size distribution comprising a first peak corresponding to the interbead porosity, a second peak corresponding to the intrabead porosity, and a third peak corresponding to the intrabead porosity as blocked by the catalyst particles.

The disclosure provides for a mixture suitable for extrusion and firing to form a ceramic honeycomb substrate, said mixture comprising a batch composition selected from the group consisting of a cordierite batch composition and an aluminum titanate batch composition, an optional pore former material; a binder material and water; wherein said binder is a methyl ether of cellulose binder having a count of less than 300 water-insoluble fibers per gram of binder material.