Production of Foamed Vermiculite from Conglomerates in Modular-Pouring Electric Furnaces

Abstract

A technology for firing vermiculite conglomerates with a high content of inert material is examined. The firing operation is completed in an additional “zero” module by the internal heat accumulated in the conglomerate itself. Heat is transferred by radiation from particles of the inert material to the vermiculite granules inside the conglomerate. At the same time, heat is being transferred by conduction from the outer layers of the granules to their inner layers. Such a method of using recuperated heat makes it possible to mitigate the temperature regime of the electric modules, reduce the consumption of electric power, and decrease the energy content of the process.