DEVICE FOR PRODUCING EXPANDED GRANULATED MATERIAL

Abstract

A device for producing expanded granulated material from mineral material in the form of grains of sand with an expanding agent includes a furnace with a furnace shaft, having an upper end and a lower end. A conveying section extends between the two ends and passes through a number of heating zones arranged separately from one another in a conveying direction. The device also includes at least one feeder in order to charge at least the unexpanded material into the furnace shaft at one of the two ends in the direction of the other of the two ends. At least one directing element is at least partly arranged in the furnace shaft and forms a gap with an inner wall of the furnace shaft, at least in the region of one of the two ends. The at least one feeder is designed for charging the material into the gap.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A device for producing an expanded granulated material (2) from mineral material (1) in the form of grains of sand with an expanding agent, for example for producing an expanded granulated material (2) from perlite sand (1) or obsidian sand with bonded water as expanding agent, the device comprising a furnace (3) with a substantially vertically positioned furnace shaft (4) having an upper end (5) and a lower end (6), wherein a conveying section (7) extends between the two ends (5, 6) and passes through a plurality of heating zones (8) arranged separately from one another in a conveying direction (12), wherein the heating zones (8) each comprise at least one heating element (9) which can be controlled independently of one another in order to heat the material (1) at least to a critical temperature and to expand the sand grains (1), wherein furthermore at least one feeding means (10, 11) is provided, which is adapted to feed at least the unexpanded material (1) at one of the two ends (5, 6) of the furnace shaft (4) into the furnace shaft (4) in the direction of the other of the two ends (6, 5) of the furnace shaft (4) in order to expand the material (1), as viewed in the conveying direction (12), in the last half of the conveying section (7), wherein at least one directing element (13) is provided, which is arranged at least in sections in the furnace shaft (4), wherein the directing element (13) forms a gap (15) with an inner wall (14) of the furnace shaft (4) at least in the region of the one of the two ends (5, 6) of the furnace shaft (4), wherein the at least one feeding means (10, 11) is adapted for feeding the unexpanded material (1) into the gap (15), wherein releasable fastening means are provided for the at least one directing element (13) in order to be able to remove the at least one directing element (13) from the furnace shaft (4) and reinsert it as required.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one directing element (13), as viewed in the conveying direction (12), extends at most to the end of the first half of the conveying section (7).

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one directing element (13) extends over at least a quarter of the conveying section (7).

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein the gap (15), as viewed along the conveying direction (12), extends fully circumferentially at least in sections around a radial center (16) of the furnace shaft (4).

20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the gap (15) has a gap width (17) which varies in the conveying direction (12) by at least 50%.

21. The device according to claim 16, wherein the gap (15) has a gap width (17) which varies in a circumferential direction (18) around a radial center (16) of the furnace shaft (4) by at most 35%.

22. The device according to claim 16, wherein at least along a portion of the conveying section (7) the furnace shaft (4) has transversely to the conveying direction (12) an at least sectionally round cross-section which is bounded by the inner wall (14).

23. The device according to claim 16, wherein at least along a portion of the conveying section (7) the furnace shaft (4) has transversely to the conveying direction (12) an at least sectionally angular cross-section which is bounded by the inner wall (14).

24. The device according to claim 16, wherein the inner wall (14) is formed by at least one limiting element, and wherein the at least one directing element (13) is made of the same material as the at least one limiting element.

25. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one feeding means (11) is adapted to suck the unexpanded material (1) into the furnace shaft (4) together with a quantity of air at the lower end (6) of the furnace shaft (4) in the direction of the upper end (5) of the furnace shaft (4) such that the air quantity forms an air flow flowing from bottom to top, by means of which the material (1) is conveyed from bottom to top along the conveying section (7) in order to be expanded in the upper half of the conveying section (7).

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the at least one feeding means comprises at least one suction nozzle (11) connected upstream of the furnace shaft (4).

27. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one feeding means (10) is adapted to feed the unexpanded material (1) at the upper end (5) of the furnace shaft (4) in the direction of the lower end (6) of the furnace shaft (4) into the furnace shaft (4) in such a way that the material (1) is conveyed from top to bottom along the conveying section (7) at least by means of gravity in order to be expanded in the lower half of the conveying section (7).

28. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one directing element (13) is made of metal.

29. The device according to claim 16, wherein a free space (19) is arranged between the at least one directing element (13) and a radial center (16) of the furnace shaft (4) at least along the entire extension of the at least one directing element (13) in the furnace shaft (4).

30. The device according to claim 20, wherein the gap width (17) is at most 10 cm.

31. The device according to claim 21, wherein the gap width (17) is at most 10 cm.

32. The device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one limiting element is made of high-temperature steel.

33. The device according to claim 26, wherein the at least one feeding means comprises a diffuser (30) connected downstream of the suction nozzle (11).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments. The drawings are exemplary and are intended to illustrate the idea of the invention, but in no way to restrict it or even to reproduce it conclusively.

[0079] The drawings show as follows:

[0080] FIG. 1 shows a schematic, sectional view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention for the production of expanded granulated material, wherein the feeding or conveying of the granulated material to be expanded takes place from top to bottom in a furnace shaft.

[0081] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein the granulated material to be expanded is fed into or conveyed in the furnace shaft from the bottom to the top.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0082] FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention for the production of expanded granulated material 2 from sand-grain-shaped mineral material with an expanding agent. In the exemplary embodiment shown, said material is perlite to sand 1 in which water is bound (so-called water of crystallization) and acts as an expanding agent. The device comprises a furnace 3 having a substantially vertical furnace shaft 4 having an upper end 5 and a iower end 6. A conveying section 7 extends between the two ends 5, 6, indicated in FIG. 1 by a dash-dotted line (in FIG. 2 by a dashed line), wherein the dash-dotted line in FIG. 1 (in FIG. 2 the dashed line) also marks a radial center 16 of the furnace shaft 4. The conveying section 7 leads through a plurality of heating zones 8 arranged separately from one another in a conveying direction 12 (indicated by horizontal dotted lines in FIG. 1), wherein the heating zones 8 each have at least one heating element 9 which can be controlled independently of one another in order to heat the perlite sand 1, in particular, to a critical temperature and to expand the partite sand grains 1.

[0083] In the exemplary embodiments shown, the heating elements 9 are electrically operated and can be controlled by a regulation and control unit (not shown).

[0084] The device further comprises feeding means which, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, include a valve 10 for regulating the feed of the perlite sand 1 as well as process air 21 and are adapted to feed the unexpended perlite sand 1 (together with process air 21) at the upper end 5 of the furnace shaft 4 in the direction of the lower end 6 of the furnace shaft 4 into the furnace shaft 4 in order to expand the perlite sand 1, as viewed in the conveying direction 12, in the last half, preferably in the last third, of the convey ing section 7. This means that in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the perlite sand 1 is conveyed primarily by means of gravity from top to bottom along the conveying section 7, with the process air 21 that may have been blown in or sucked in with the perlite sand 1 supporting the falling movement of the perlite sand 1.

[0085] The process air 21 flowing through the furnace shaft 4 from top to bottom is thereby heated, in principle, this can lead to an increase in the flow velocity in the furnace shaft 4, which can shorten the residence time of all perlite sand particles 1 in the furnace shaft 4. To avoid this and to compensate for the increase in the flow velocity of the first process air or to keep the flow velocity approximately constant, the furnace shaft 4 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 is designed to be wider at the bottom than at the top. This means that the cross-section of the furnace shaft 4 normal to the conveying direction 12 increases from the upper end 5 to the lower end 6.

[0086] It should be emphasized, however, that even if the periite sand 1 is fed at the upper end 5 of the furnace shaft 4, furnace shafts 4 with a constant or approximately constant cross-section are of course also possible.

[0087] The cross-section of the furnace shaft 4 is bounded by an inner wall 14 of the furnace shaft 4, which in the exemplary embodiments shown is formed by at least one limiting element made of high-temperature steel.

[0088] The furnace shaft 4 or the furnace 3 is thermally insulated to the outside by means of a thermal insulation 24.

[0089] Temperature sensors 23 are arranged at vertically spaced positions 22, with at least one temperature sensor 23 being located in each heating zone 8, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the temperature of the perlite sand 1 is thus determined via the temperature prevailing in the respective heating zone 8.

[0090] Heating dements 9 and temperature sensors 23 are connected to the regulation and control unit (not shown), which determines the position or region 25 in the furnace shaft 4 at which or in which the expansion of the perlite sand grains 1 takes place, based on the temperature data. At this position or in this region 25, a significant reduction in temperature, a temperature drop of, for example, over 100° C., of the expanded perlite sand 1 takes place. This temperature drop is a consequence of the isenthalpic expansion process of the perlite sand 1, wherein the expansion process is brought about by a softening of the surface of the perlite sand grains 1 foilowed by an expansion process due to the water vapor or water vapor pressure forming in the perlite sand grains 1. For example, the periite sand 1 may have about 780° C. immediately before its expansion and only about 590° C. immediately after the isenthalpic expansion process, i.e., a temperature drop of 190° C. occurs in this example, and depending on the material, the temperature drop is typically at least 20° C., preferably at least 100° C. By means of the regulating and control unit (not shown), those heating elements 9 which, as viewed in the conveying direction 12, are located after the position or region 25 of the temperature drop can be specifically or automatically regulated so that a desired energy input can take place.

[0091] It should be noted that the aforementioned drop in temperature does not necessarily show up as a drop in temperature in this automatic regulation, but optionally as a range in which more energy is required to maintain the temperature, so that the use of the temperature sensors 23 to detect the drop in temperature can also be dispensed with.

[0092] In particular, these heating elements 9 can be regulated in such a way that no further or repeated increase in the temperature of the expanded perlite sand or granulated material 2 takes place or that it is ensured that the expanded granulated material 2 is of closed-cell configuration,

[0093] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the expanded granulated material 2 is discharged at the lower end 6 and fed via a water-cooed chute 20 to an air entrainment/suction flow 26 operating with cool air 27. The coo air 27 or the cool air 28 with expanded perlite sand 2 is sucked in, for example, by a vacuum pump or a fan (not shown).

[0094] The device according to the invention has at least one directing element 13, which is arranged at least in sections in the furnace shaft 4, wherein the directing element 13 forms a gap 15 with the inner wall 14 of the furnace shaft 4 at least in the recon of the one of the two ends 5, 6 of the furnace shaft 4, wherein the at least one feeding means is set up for feeding the unexpended perlite sand 1 into the gap 15.

[0095] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the directing element 13 is arranged accordingly in the region of the upper end 5. The valve 10 and the process air 21 are set up in such a way that the perlite sand 1 is fed to the gap 15 in the region of the upper end 5. This means that the perlite sand 1 enters the furnace shaft 4 when it enters the gap 15.

[0096] It should be emphasized that in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the perlite sand 1 is introduced at the upper end 5 over the entire gap 15, but in FIG. 1, for reasons of clarity, only perlite sand 1 is shown, which is introduced into the gap 15 on the left side in the picture.

[0097] The directing element 13 shields the perlite sand 1 from an upward flow of heated air/gases (“chimney flow”) which forms in the region of the radial center 16 of the furnace shaft 4. This prevents very fine granulated material with diameters smaller than 100 μm, in particular smaller than 75 μm, from being obstructed from falling by the chimney flow and from expanding as desired. The latter is caused in particular by the fact that without a directing element 13 the perlite sand particles 1 —after their cooling due to the isenthalpic expansion process—are heated up again. This causes the perlite sand particles 1 to soften again, but the perlite sand particles 1 can no longer cool isenthalpically by changing their shape, thus creating an increased risk of agglomeration on the inner wall 14.

[0098] Said chimney flow can easily escape upwards from the furnace shaft 4 through a free space 19. This free space 19 is arranged or formed, along the entire extension of the directing element 13 parallel to the conveying direction 12, between the directing element 13 and the radial center 16 of the furnace shaft 4.

[0099] Furthermore, the directing dement 13 guides the perlite, sand 1 in a targeted manner dose along the inner wall 14, resulting in a uniform heating of all perlite sand grains 1 in terms of time and location, which in turn res its in a uniform expansion result.

[0100] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the directing dement 13 extends in the furnace shaft 4 from the upper end 5 to approximately the end of the first third of the conveying section 7. However, the uniformity of the movement, in particular the direction of movement, of the perlite sand grans 1 in the gap 15 brought about by the directing dement 13 also acts a little way beyond the end of the directing element 13.

[0101] In the exemplary embodiments shown, the directing dement 13 is made of high-temperature steel and reflects the heat radiation caused by the heating elements 9 correspondingly well. This means that the directing dement 13 additionally acts as a passive heater for the perlite sand 1 located between the inner wall 14 and the directing element 13.

[0102] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the directing dement 13 is arranged completely in the furnace shaft 4 and fastened therein accordingly, with detachable fastening means (not shown) being provided for fastening in order to be able to remove the directing element 13 from the furnace shaft 4 and insert it gain as required. Apart from regions along the conveying direction 12 where said fastening means are provided, the gap 15 extends completely around the radial center 16 of the furnace shaft 4.

[0103] As can be seen from the sectional view of FIG. 1, the shape of the directing element 13 is adapted to the cross-section of the furnace shaft 4 in that the directing dement 13 extends basically paraliel to the inner wall 14. Accordingly, the dap 15 has a gap width 17 which, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, varies only slightly over the entire extension of the directing cement 13 in the conveying direction 12 and is preferably approximately constant. It should be noted, however, that embodiment variants are also possible in which the gap width 17 varies by at least 50% in the conveying direction 12 in order to selectively adjust the residence time of the perlite sand grains 1 in different regions along the conveying section 7.

[0104] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the gap width 17 also hardly, varies in the circumferential direction 18 and is preferably approximately constant. This appiies to ail positions or regions along the conveying section 7 over which the directing element 13 extends, in particular in the region of the feed of the perlite sand 1, i.e. in the region of the upper end 5 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1. It should be noted, however, that embodiment variants are also possible in which the gap width 17 varies significantly in the circumferential direction 18, although typically clearly less than in the conveying direction 12, e.g. at most 5%.

[0105] The most obvious difference between the embodiment variant shown in FIG. 2 and that shown in FIG. 1 is the feeding of the perlite sand 1 to be expanded (not shown separately in FIG. 2 for reasons of clarity) from below into the furnace shaft 4, with the conveying direction 12 facing upward from According the at ieast one directing element 3 is arranged in the furnace shaft 4 at least in the region of the lower end 6 of the furnace shaft 4 and forms the gap 15 there together with the inner wall 14. In this case, the at least one feeding means comprises a suction nozzle 11 connected upstream of the furnace shaft 4 and a fan 34 and is set up to suck the unexpanded perlite sand 1 together with a quantity of aft at the lower end 6 of the furnace shaft 4 in the direction of the upper end 5 of the furnace shaft 4 into the furnace shaft 4 in such a way that the perlite sand 1 is fed into the gap 15. The quantity of air thereby forms an air flow flowing from bottom to top, by means of which the perlite sand 1 is conveyed from bottom to top along the conveying section 7 in order to be expanded in the upper half, preferably in the uppermost third, of the conveying section 7,

[0106] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the feeding means further comprise a diffuser 30 downstream of the suction nozzle 11, which adjoins the lower end 6 of the furnace shaft 4. The diffuser 30 may help to disperse the perlite sand 1 in the air volume prior to the expansion process, in order to achieve or support a uniform distribution of the perlite sand 1 in the air flow.

[0107] The suction nozzle 11 is supplied with perlite sand 1 via a vibrating chute 35, with the perlite sand 1 being fed to the vibrating chute 35 in metered quantities from a supply container 29 via a metering screw 33. In addition, air is also drawn in via the suction nozzle 11 (by means of the fan 34), forrning a suction air flow 31. The air flow or the suction air flow 31 can be adjusted by suitable selection or design of the suction nozzle 11 and/or by selection of a suitable suction speed (by means of the fan 34). The latter can in principle also be automated by means of the regulation and control unit (not shown).

[0108] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the directing element 13 extends over approximately one or the first quarter of the conveying section 7 and can, however, also extend considerably further, in particular over the entire conveying section 7 in the furnace shaft 4. The latter is indicated FIG. 2 by the dashed-dotted lines.

[0109] The directing element 13 is also basically adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the furnace shaft 4 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2. As in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the gap width 17 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 hardly varies in the circumferential direction 18 ands preferably essentially constant. This applies to all positions or regions along the conveying section 7 over which the directing element 13 extends, in particular in the region of the feed of the periite sand 1, i.e, in the case of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 in the region of the lower end 6. However, it should also be noted in this case that embodiment variants are also possible in which the gap width 17 varies significantly in the circumferential direction 18, although typically clearly less than in the conveying direction 12, e.g. at most by 5%.

[0110] Although FIG. 2 does not show a variation of the gap width 17 in the conveying direction 12, along the conveying section 7 or in the conveying direction 12, the gap width 17 can also vary much more than in the circumferential direction 18 in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2—for example by at least 50%—in order to specifically adjust the residence time of the pelite sand grains 1 in different regions along the conveying section 7.

[0111] In both embodiment variants shown, however, the gap width 17 is at most 10 cm.

[0112] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the directing element 13 is fixed in the diffuser 30, preferably removably. Accordingly, as viewed along the conveying direction 12, there is an extension of the gap 15 completely around the radial center 16.

[0113] in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, an absolute temperature measurement is basicaliy carried out (temperature sensors are not shown, however, for reasons of clarity). In addition, the power consumption of the heating elements 9 is determined or it is determined how this power consumption changes along the conveying section 7. Immediateiy after the expansion process and the associated drop in temperature, the temperature difference between the expanded granulated material 2 (not shown separately in FIG. 2 for reasons of clarity) and the heating elements 9 is significantly greater than between the periite sand 1 and the heating elements 9 immediately before the expansion process. Accordingly, the heat flow also increases, provided that the measured temperature is kept constant. This means that the observed change in heat flow or power consumption of the heating elements 9 from one heating zone 8 to the next is an increase, whereas due to the successive heating of the perlite sand 1 before the expansion process, the change in power consumption along the conveying section 7 is a decrease.

[0114] For regulation purposes, in particular for regulation alono the conveying section 7 remaining after the temperature drop, the heating elements 9 are connected to the regulation and control unit (not shown) so that, for example, an increase in the material temperature along the remaining conveying section 7 to or above the critical temperature can be specifically prevented or enabied.

[0115] The discharge of the expanded granulated material 2 from the furnace shaft 4 takes place (together with heated air) via a collecting section 32 adjoining the upper end 5 of the furnace shaft 4. By means of an air entrainment/suction flow 26, which operates with cod air 27, the expanded granulated material 2 are conveyed further. The cool air 27 or the cool aft 28 with expanded perlite sand 2 is thereby sucked in, as already mentioned, for example by a vacuum pump or a fan (not shown).

[0116] LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS [0117] 1 Perlite sand [0118] 2 Expanded granulated material [0119] 3 Furnace [0120] 4 Furnace shaft [0121] 5 Lipper end of the furnace shaft [0122] 6 Lower end of the furnace shaft [0123] 7 Conveying section [0124] 8 Heating zone [0125] 9 Heating eiement [0126] 10 Valve [0127] 11 Suction nozzle [0128] 12 Conveying direction [0129] 13 Directing element [0130] 14 Inner wall of the furnace shaft [0131] 15 Gap [0132] 16 Radial center of the furnace shaft [0133] 17 Gap width [0134] 18 Circumferential direction [0135] 19 Free space [0136] 20 Water-cooled chute [0137] 21 Process air [0138] 22 Position for temperature measurement [0139] 23 Temperature sensor [0140] 24 Thermal insulation [0141] 25 Position or range of the temperature drop [0142] 26 Air entrainment/suction flow [0143] 27 Cooi air of air entrainment [0144] 28 Cool air with expanded perlite sand or expanded granulated material [0145] 29 Supply container [0146] 30 Diffuser [0147] 31 Suction air flow [0148] 32 Collecting section [0149] 33 deter ing screw [0150] 34 Fan [0151] 33 Vibrating chute