Proppants from mineralogical material

摘要

A process for producing proppants from waste mineralogical material. The process can include providing the waste mineralogical material in a form such as particles, fines, dust, powders, and the like, and forming a plurality of “green” pellets from the waste mineralogical material. Thereafter, the plurality of green pellets are fed into a provided flame drop tower that has a combustion flame, a hot zone, and a collection basin located downstream from the hot zone. The plurality of green pellets pass through the hot zone, are melted and subsequently solidified in the shape of a sphere downstream from the hot zone to form vitrified glass spheres. In some instances, the vitrified glass spheres are subjected to a devitrification step.

主权项

1. A process for producing proppants from waste mineralogical material, the process comprising:
providing a waste mineralogical material in a form selected from at least one of particles, dust and powders; forming a plurality of green pellets from the waste mineralogical material; providing a flame drop tower having a combustion flame and a hot zone proximate an upper portion of the flame drop tower and a collection basin located downstream the hot zone; feeding the plurality of green pellets into the flame drop tower, the plurality of green pellets passing through the hot zone, melting and solidifying in the shape of a sphere downstream of the hot zone and before reaching the collection basin.