The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 07, 2017
Filed:
Oct. 04, 2012
Binder + CO Ag, Gleisdorf, AT;
Ernst Erwin Brunnmair, A-Graz, AT;
BINDER + CO AG, Gleisdorf, AT;
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand grain-shaped mineral material () with a propellant, wherein the material () is fed into a vertically upright furnace () from above and said material () falls along a drop section () through multiple heating zones () in a furnace shaft () of the furnace (), wherein each heating zone () is heatable using at least one independently controllable heating element (), and the material () is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces () of the sand grains () plasticize and the sand grains () are expanded by the propellant. In order to enable setting a closed surface of the expanded granulate in a purposeful fashion, it is provided in accordance with the invention that upon detection of a first reduction in the temperature of the material () between two successive positions () along the drop section () the heating elements () are controlled along the remaining drop section () depending on the critical temperature.