Typically the Dry Method LECA Production Process

LECA production process features

The raw material for LECA production is mostly sedimentary clay materials, less frequently - metamorphic rocks (argillite, clay-based slate and other stone-like materials).

Their composition is intricate and they also include both clay minerals (hydrous micas, kaolinite, etc. ) and field spar, quartz, carbonates, organic and iron admixtures.

So what is the uncooked material for creation of this building material? Clays that contain no more than 30% of quartz are the best material for creation of LECA.

Specific research is conducted to determine if the particular material is suitable for production. The primary requirements for the raw materials:

1. capability to swell up during baking;

2 . high fusibility;

3. a specific swelling-up interval.

Sometimes special additives are released into raw materials to raise the swelling-up coefficient. Organic (diesel fuel, fuel oil residue, and so forth ), ferruginous substances, geological materials (perlite, alunite) or artificial substances can be taken as additives.

The item of the raw materials processing is uncooked granules of any specific size and composition. Such granules are subjected to temperature treatment: they are dried, baked and cooled. At the net stage the produced material is sorted in phrases of density, and is chipped into smaller particles. Right after sorting LECA is ready for storage space or shipment to the point of usage.

The main LECA production stages:

• delivery of the raw material;

• clay drying;

• raw material cooling;

• cooling of granules;

• fractionation;

• transportation and storage.

Methods of LECA granule manufacturing

There are four main LECA creation methods which are different in terms of their technology:

just one. dry;

2. moist;

3. powder and plastic;

4. plastic material.

Picking out a particular method will depend on the raw material quality.

Dry LECA manufacturing method

This can be the simplest method. It is utilized for stone-like natural material. First it is chipped and then charged into the rotary furnace. Such a method is most efficient if the rock is uniform, without damaging inclusions. It truly is characterized by modest costs and low strength consumption.

The method flow diagram of a typical LECA gravel production shop with the capability of 100 thous. m3 per year includes three rooms:

• preparatory forming room;

• furnace room;

• finished product storage area

The method contains the subsequent stages:

• nourishing, preparation and forming of the uncooked material;

• clay-based drying;

• clay-based baking;

• LECA cooling;

• feeding of the done product to the storage space.

LECA pluie cooling

After preparing LECA should be cooled. The chilling starts back in the rotary heater due to the incoming air. And then it continues on airslide conveyors and in drum coolers, and so forth

The material strength will depend on the granule cooling rate. When cooling was too fast, granules may crack. In case there is sluggish cooling the fabric quality may decrease because of this of softening and crumpling of lentigo.

That is why LECA is cooled to 800 to 900 degrees immediately after swelling up. Then it is cooled to six hundred to 700 levels for 20 minutes.

This is required in order that the hardening earnings without substantial energy stress and that crystal minerals form, which increase the strength properties of the material. Ffurther air conditioning may be carried out relatively quickly.

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