Body composition containing paper industry waste, lightweight ceramic product obtained with said composition and method for obtaining said product

Abstract

The subject of the invention relates to a body composition containing paper industry waste and thus enabling porous and lightweight ceramic products to be obtained as well as enabling the paper industry wastes with mineral content to be utilized in a new field, a porous and lightweight ceramic product obtained by the use of said composition, and a method for obtaining said ceramic product. The body composition according to the invention basically and preferably comprises the paper industry waste at a ratio of 1-20% by weight and the clay at a ratio of 80-99% by weight.

Description

[0001] BODY COMPOSITION CONTAINING PAPER INDUSTRY WASTE, LIGHTWEIGHT CERAMIC PRODUCT OBTAINED WITH SAID COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING SAID PRODUCT

[0002] Subject of the Invention

[0003] The subject of the invention relates to a body composition containing paper industry waste and thus enabling porous and lightweight ceramic products to be obtained as well as enabling the paper industry wastes with mineral content to be utilized in a new field, a porous and lightweight ceramic product obtained by the use of said composition, and a method for obtaining said ceramic product.

[0004] State of the Art

[0005] During the recent years, the natural raw material resources are being rapidly depleted upon the increase in the industrial material production, significant amount of waste is generated as a result of production and consumption and these wastes lead to environmental pollution. This situation has caused the issue of the utilization of the industrial wastes to gain importance. In addition to the industrial wastes, the carbon dioxide released into the environment during the production and transportation of the materials is also known to cause environmental pollution. Consequently, the issue of development of the production technologies enabling to reduce the carbon dioxide emission has also become important during the recent years. The ceramic material manufacturers have been conducting the studies, which are intended to develop ceramic materials that enable the sintering temperature, thermal conductivity and / or finished material weight to be reduced by the use of the current raw materials such as silicon carbide and magnesium oxide, for the purpose of reducing the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission. On the other hand, the manufacturers are still in search of industrial wastes, which may be used as raw materials in the production of such ceramic materials and which have properties and effects similar to those of the currently available raw materials, with a view to reduce the raw material costs and provide contribution to a decrease in the consumption of natural raw materials and in the environmental pollution.

[0006] The paper production wastes, which are among the primary recyclable solid wastes, are generally used as the source of cellulose in the paper production. During the production of the clean paper from the recycled waste paper in the paper mills, the pulp comprising the additives that contain the oxides such as AI2O3, SiCh, CaO, MgO, K2O, Fe20s, TiCh and Na2O is passed through the filters and collected in the waste ponds and remains unutilized. This part, which is referred to as the waste paper pulp, is quite suitable for being utilized as a pore-forming agent in the ceramic bodies, owing to its chemical and mineralogical contents.

[0007] Within the scope of the invention, a body composition, which contains the paper industry waste rich in minerals of the oxide group owing to said properties, and a porous and lightweight ceramic product, which comprises said composition, have been developed. Owing to the production of the porous and lightweight ceramic products by the use of the paper industry wastes, it will be possible to reduce the raw material costs, the carbon dioxide emissions and the amount of paper industry waste released into the environment, and thus, it will be possible to reduce the environmental pollution, energy consumption and consumption of natural raw material resources. In a study, the European Ceramic Industry Association described the production of the ceramic products containing lightweight and porous layers as an innovative step and stated that the use of such materials especially in the houses could become widespread in the coming years. The utilization of the paper production wastes as raw material in a field different than the paper production would be a significant step for the achievement of the industrial enterprises and the countries of their circular economy targets and would contribute to the efficient and sustainable use of the natural resources. Object of the Invention

[0008] An object of the invention is to develop a body composition, which contains the paper industry waste rich in minerals of the oxide group and which thus enables the porous and lightweight ceramic products to be obtained.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to develop ceramic products, which, owing to containing the paper industry waste rich in minerals of the oxide group, have a porous and lightweight structure.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to enable the paper industry waste to be utilized in a field different than the paper production, i.e. in the field of production of ceramics, and thus provide contribution to the efficient use of the natural resources, to the reduction of the amount of waste released into the environment and to the reduction of the raw material costs in the ceramic industry.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to enable, owing to the production of the porous and lightweight ceramic products, a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment during the production and transportation and a reduction in the energy consumption and thus provide contribution to the reduction of environmental pollution and to the achievement of energy saving in the ceramic industry.

[0012] Description of the Invention

[0013] The invention relates to a body composition containing paper industry waste and thus enabling porous and lightweight ceramic products to be obtained as well as enabling the paper industry wastes rich in the minerals of the oxide group to be utilized in a new field, a porous and lightweight ceramic product obtained by the use of said composition, and a method for obtaining said ceramic product.

[0014] The body composition according to the invention basically and preferably comprises the paper industry waste at a ratio of 1-20% by weight and the clay at a ratio of 80-99% by weight. Owing to their high water content, the waste papers may be utilized by means of the preliminary processes. Besides, they are capable of forming small pores within the body, as a result of their organic content. However, an increase in the amount of pores upon an increase in the amount of additive causes a decrease in the strength values of the finished product. Thus, the use of the waste paper in the prescribed ratio is critical for achieving the light weight while also ensuring that the strength and firing properties are not adversely affected.

[0015] The paper industry waste that is utilized may basically comprise 15-17% by weight AI2O3, 23-25% by weight SiCh, 18-40% by weight CaO, 2-16% by weight MgO and 0.5-5% by weight K2O. The paper industry waste may further comprise water at a ratio of 0-90% by weight.

[0016] The usage ratios of the raw materials in the body composition are determined taking into consideration their chemical contents, mineralogical properties and some physical properties like rheological behavior. The compositions prepared according to the recipes, which are specifically determined based on the user demands, industrial standards and finished product specifications, are weighed in the automatic weighing systems, transferred into the ball mills, ground for different grinding times according to the desired particle size and expanded. The raw materials included in the recipes of the ceramic materials are categorized into two, namely the plastic and stiff raw materials. The plastic raw materials contained in the body composition, such as clay and kaolin, are converted to the ceramic slurry with the help of expanding devices equipped with propellers, while the stiff raw materials such as feldspar and quartz are brought into the desired particle size by means of the ball mills. The slurry, prepared taking into consideration the appropriate rheological properties and solid matter ratios, is sprayed upward into the body of the spray drier by means of the pumps. Upon blowing the hot air downward in the system, the slurry is converted into granular / powder / masse form. The masse able to be obtained with different properties depending on the parameters like the spray nozzle, temperature and slurry rheological properties is transferred into the hoppers.

[0017] More than one method is employed in the masse forming step for the production of ceramic materials. For example, the press-forming method suitable for the product size, shape and quantity is generally preferred in the tile production. The semi-finished product obtained after the pressing is subjected to the moisture removal in the drying kilns so that it can achieve the green strength enabling the same to exhibit durability on the production lines. The pressure applied by the press, homogeneity, masse particle size distributions and moisture values are important parameters for the ability to confer high green strength to the product and to achieve the desired dimensional features in the subsequent steps.

[0018] The products processed on the glazing bands according to the finished material properties are conveyed to the kiln inlets. In the firing / sintering process, it is aimed to achieve high strength, achieve the compatibility of the glaze and body, and ensure the desired levels of water absorption and porosity. The firing / sintering duration and temperature are determinative for achieving these properties. The proportions of the raw materials present in the body composition play an important role in the determination of the duration and temperature of firing. While the firing / sintering process for the production of the wall and floor tiles takes place at a temperature in the range of 1000-1100°C, it takes at a temperature in the range of 1200-1230°C for the production of the porcelain tiles.

[0019] Accordingly, the method for obtaining the porous and lightweight ceramic products by the use of the composition according to the invention comprises in its most basic form the process steps of

[0020] • weighing the paper industry waste and clay in the automatic weighing systems and then feeding the same to the ball mills,

[0021] • grinding the obtained mixture in the ball mills via an appropriate grinding method that enables said mixture to have the targeted particle size distribution and expanding the ground mixture,

[0022] • obtaining the masse by passing the obtained slurry through the spray driers,

[0023] • obtaining the semi-finished product by subjecting the masse to press-forming,

[0024] • removing the moisture and increasing the strength by way of drying the semifinished product in the drying kilns, and sintering / firing the semi-finished product at the temperatures and for the durations that are suitable for the finished product properties desired to be obtained.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, 1-20% by weight paper industry waste and 80-99% by weight clay are weighed and fed into the ball mills.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the semi-finished product is dried in the drying kilns at a temperature in the range of 100-150°C, preferably at a temperature of 130°C.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the semi-finished product, the moisture of which has been removed, is fired / sintered in the kiln at a temperature in the range of 1000-1230°C.

[0028] The paper industry wastes having different physical properties may be subjected to the processes such as wet grinding, drying, dry grinding, sieving and / or incineration, depending on the use preferences. The drying process is performed preferably at a maximum temperature of 200°C, while the incineration process is performed preferably at a temperature in the range of 850-1000°C. In these preferred embodiments of the invention, the paper industry waste that has been wet-ground and / or dried and / or dryground and / or sieved and / or incinerated is used for the preparation of the body composition.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the paper industry waste is ground and passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 63 pm before being fed to the ball mills. In this embodiment, the paper industry waste containing the particles with size smaller than 63 pm is used for the preparation of the body composition.

[0030] The subject of the invention also relates to a ceramic product, which is obtained by using the body composition that contains the paper industry waste and by performing the described method steps. Said product may be a product for use in the fields including but not limited to surface coating materials, e.g. wall or floor tiles, sanitaryware, biomaterials, kitchenware, ornaments, switches, refractory materials, filter materials, abrasive materials, prosthesis or nuclear fuel systems, pistons and engine casings, space vehicles heat- and friction-resistant sheath production, metal alloy production, airstrip platforms and energy transmission systems.

[0031] Owing to the production of the porous and lightweight ceramic products by the use of the described body composition, it will be possible to reduce the raw material costs, the carbon dioxide emissions and the amount of paper industry waste, and thus, it will be possible to reduce the environmental pollution, energy consumption and consumption of natural raw material resources. The utilization of the paper industry wastes as raw material in a field different than the paper production would be a significant step for the achievement of the industrial enterprises and the countries of their circular economy targets and would contribute to the efficient and sustainable use of the natural resources.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A body composition enabling porous and lightweight ceramic products to be obtained and enabling the paper industry wastes rich in the minerals of the oxide group to be utilized in a new field characterized in that the body composition comprises the clay and the paper industry waste.

2. A body composition according to Claim 1 characterized in that the body composition comprises the clay at a ratio of 80-99% by weight.

3. A body composition according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterized in that the body composition comprises the paper industry waste at a ratio of 1-20% by weight.

4. A body composition according to any one of Claims 1-3 characterized in that the paper industry waste contains the water at a ratio of 0-90% by weight.

5. A body composition according to any one of Claims 1-4 characterized in that the paper industry waste comprises 15-17% by weight AI2O3, 23-25% by weight SiCh, 18-40% by weight CaO, 2-16% by weight MgO and 0.5-5% by weight K2O.

6. A body composition according to any one of Claims 1-5 characterized in that the paper industry waste is wet-ground and / or dried and / or dry-ground and / or sieved and / or incinerated.

7. A body composition according to any one of Claims 1-6 characterized in that the paper industry waste contains the particles with size smaller than 63 pm.

8. A porous and lightweight ceramic product characterized in that the porous and lightweight ceramic product is manufactured from a body composition according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A ceramic product according to Claim 8 characterized in that the ceramic product is a surface coating.

10. A ceramic product according to Claim 8 characterized in that the ceramic product is a wall tile or floor tile.

11. A method for obtaining the porous and lightweight ceramic products by the use of the body composition that contains the paper industry waste rich in oxide compounds characterized in that the method comprises the process steps of8• weighing the paper industry waste and clay in the automatic weighing systems and then feeding the same to the ball mills,• grinding the obtained mixture in the ball mills via an appropriate grinding method that enables said mixture to have the targeted particle size distribution and expanding the ground mixture,• obtaining the masse by passing the obtained slurry through the spray driers,• obtaining the semi-finished product by subjecting the masse to pressforming,• removing the moisture and increasing the strength by way of drying the semi-finished product in the drying kilns, and• sintering / firing the semi-finished product at the temperatures and for the durations that are suitable for the finished product properties desired to be obtained.

12. A method according to Claim 11 characterized in that 1-20% by weight paper industry waste and 80-99% by weight clay are weighed and fed into the ball mills.

13. A method according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 characterized in that the semifinished product is dried at a temperature in the range of 100-150°C in the drying kilns.

14. A method according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 characterized in that the semifinished product is dried at a temperature of 130°C in the drying kilns.

15. A method according to any one of Claims 11-14 characterized in that the semifinished product, the moisture of which has been removed, is fired / sintered at a temperature in the range of 1000-1230°C in the kiln.

16. A method according to any one of Claims 11-15 characterized in that the method comprises the step of applying at least one of the preliminary processes of wet grinding and / or drying and / or dry grinding and / or sieving and / or incineration to the paper industry waste before the paper industry waste is weighed and fed into the ball mills.

17. A method according to any one of Claims 11-16 characterized in that the method comprises the step of drying the paper industry waste at a maximum9temperature of 200°C before the paper industry waste is weighed and fed into the ball mills. A method according to any one of Claims 11-17 characterized in that the paper industry waste is incinerated at a temperature in the range of 850-1000°C before the paper industry waste is weighed and fed into the ball mills. A method according to any one of Claims 11-18 characterized in that the paper industry waste is passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 63 pm before the paper industry waste is weighed and fed into the ball mills.10