Surface-Reacted Calcium Carbonate Granule Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional granulation processes for surface-reacted calcium carbonate result in unstable and fragile granules that require a high amount of binder, with a significant portion of the binder being lost in the porous structure, leading to poor stability and strength.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the saturation of surface-reacted calcium carbonate with a granulation liquid before adding a binder, under agitation, to reduce binder demand and enhance granule stability, involving steps such as providing surface-reacted calcium carbonate, saturating it with liquid, combining with a binder, and removing the liquid through drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional granulation processes are used for surface-reacted calcium carbonate, then granules can be formed, but the granules exhibit low stability and high fragility requiring a high amount of binder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by saturating the porous surface-reacted calcium carbonate particles with liquid binder solution before the granulation process. This pre-saturation ensures that the porous structure is filled with binder, preventing binder loss during granulation and ensuring adequate binder availability for forming strong granules, thereby resolving the contradiction between granule stability and binder quantity required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifically addresses the porous nature of surface-reacted calcium carbonate by utilizing this porosity to advantage. The porous structure is deliberately saturated with binder solution to capture and retain the binder, converting what would be a source of binder loss into a mechanism for binder retention and enhanced granule stability, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and binder consumption
2Strength
If a high amount of binder is added to improve granule stability, then granule strength increases, but a significant portion of the binder is lost in the porous structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent turns the porous structure from a source of binder loss into a binder retention mechanism. By controlling the saturation of the porous particles with binder solution before granulation, the binder is captured within the porous structure rather than being lost, thereby maintaining granule strength while minimizing binder loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of porosity (which causes binder loss and reduced granule strength) into a beneficial effect. The porous structure, instead of absorbing and wasting binder, is used to retain and distribute binder uniformly, transforming the previously harmful porosity into an advantage that enhances granule strength while reducing overall binder consumption
3Ease of operation
If surface-reacted calcium carbonate is used in granule form, then physical properties like wettability and flowability are improved, but conventional granulation methods result in fragile granules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-saturating the surface-reacted calcium carbonate particles with binder solution before granulation. This ensures that the particles are adequately coated and bonded from the outset, forming stable granules that maintain the improved flowability and wettability characteristics of surface-reacted calcium carbonate without sacrificing granule stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and distribution parameters of the binder by using a liquid binder solution that is sprayed or mixed with the particles before granulation. This parameter change ensures uniform binder distribution and adequate bonding, forming granules that maintain the desired flowability while achieving the required stability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces granules with improved stability and reduced binder usage, achieving stronger and more consistent granule formation with a wider size range, addressing the fragility and binder loss issues in conventional processes.
Implementation Method 1
saturating the surface-reacted calcium carbonate with one or more liquids
Implementation Method 2
due to its porosity, conventional processes do not provide the desired result
Implementation Method 3
combining the liquid saturated surface-reacted calcium carbonate with the one or more binder under agitation
Implementation Method 4
removing the liquid from the mixture of step d)
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for the production of granules comprising surface-reacted calcium carbonate by a) providing surface-reacted calcium carbonate, b) saturating the surface-reacted calcium carbonate with one or more liquids; c) providing one or more binder; d) combining the liquid saturated surface-reacted calcium carbonate with the one or more binder under agitation in an agitation device; e) removing the liquid from the mixture of step d); as well as to the granules comprising surface-reacted calcium carbonate obtained by this method.