Hollow Glass Particle Processing With Naked-Flame Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing hollow spherical glass particles face challenges in efficiently manufacturing them in heating devices with large inner diameters due to difficulties in heat transfer, particularly when using tube furnaces with increasing diameters.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the preparation of precursor particles by mixing starting materials with a liquid, spray drying, and heat-treating them at high temperatures using a heating device with naked flames fed by a flammable gas, allowing for the production of hollow spherical glass particles in devices with large inner diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tube furnaces with large inner diameters are used for production, then production capacity is improved, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into multiple zones along the longitudinal direction of the reaction chamber, with different temperature regions optimized for specific processing stages. This allows efficient heat transfer in each segment while maintaining overall large production capacity
Solution Approach 2:
A circulating gas stream acts as an intermediary heat transfer medium, carrying thermal energy from the heating zones to the precursor particles. This gas-mediated heat transfer overcomes the limitation of direct heat transfer in large-diameter furnaces
2Manufacturing precision
If heating temperature is increased to 1500-1800°C, then hollow spherical glass particle formation is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The precursor particles are prepared in advance with optimal composition and moisture content (1-10%) through spray drying, so that they require less energy and shorter time to reach the desired transformation temperature, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining particle formation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The process maintains continuous heating and particle flow through the reaction chamber, ensuring that energy is continuously utilized for particle transformation without interruption or waste, optimizing energy efficiency at high temperatures
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
This method enables the production of boron-free hollow spherical glass particles with desired properties, such as low specific gravity, high heat resistance, and impact resistance, in a cost-effective and efficient manner, overcoming the limitations of traditional heat transfer issues in large-scale production.
Implementation Method 1
heat-treating the precursor-particles by contacting the precursor-particles with at least one naked flame
Implementation Method 2
contacting the precursor-particles with at least one naked flame
Implementation Method 3
spray drying, and heat-treating the precursor-particles
Data Source
AI summary
Process for the preparation of hollow spherical glass particles comprising at least SiO2, Al2O3, and an alkali metal oxide, wherein the process comprises the preparation of precursor particles comprising at least SiO2, Al2O3, and an alkali metal oxide by mixing the starting materials, slurrying the starting materials with water followed by spry-drying and heat-treating the obtained precursor-particles at a temperature from 1000° C. to 1800° C., preferably from 1300° C. to 1600° C. by contacting the precursor particles with at least one naked flame.