Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower
AssigneeCarbo Ceramics Inc.
InventorsClaude Krause, Benjamin Eldred, Steve Canova
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower and methods for making and using the ceramic particles are disclosed. The ceramic particle can include a sintered ceramic material formed from a mixture of a raw material and MnO. The sintered ceramic material can include about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % MnO, about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt % Fe2O3, and about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % Mn2O3. The ceramic particle can have a size from about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh.
Claims19
A ceramic particle for use in a solar power tower, comprising:
- a ceramic material formed from a mixture comprising a raw material and MnO, wherein the raw material comprises kaolin or bauxite or a mixture thereof, and wherein the ceramic material further comprises:
- about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % MnO,
- about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt % Fe2O3, and
- about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % Mn2O3;
- and
- wherein the ceramic particle has a size of about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh.
A method of manufacturing ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower, comprising:
- introducing a raw material and manganese oxide to a mixer, the raw material comprising about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % silica and about 30 wt % to about 99 wt % alumina;
- stirring the raw material and manganese oxide to form a dry homogeneous particulate mixture having an average particle size of less than about 15 microns;
- introducing water to the mixer to contact the dry homogeneous particulate mixture;
- stirring the dry homogeneous particulate mixture with the water to cause formation of green pellets;
- removing the green pellets from the mixer;
- drying the green pellets to provide dried pellets;
- and
- sintering the dried pellets to provide a plurality of ceramic particles, wherein the sintering oxidizes a first portion of the manganese oxide from MnO to Mn2O3.
A method of manufacturing ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower, comprising:
- introducing a raw material and manganese oxide to a mixer;
- introducing about 0.01 wt % to about 20 wt % FeO to the mixer;
- stirring the raw material, manganese oxide, and FeO to form a dry homogeneous particulate mixture having an average particle size of less than about 15 microns;
- introducing water to the mixer to contact the dry homogeneous particulate mixture;
- stirring the dry homogeneous particulate mixture with the water to cause formation of green pellets;
- removing the green pellets from the mixer;
- drying the green pellets to provide dried pellets;
- and
- sintering the dried pellets to provide a plurality of ceramic particles, wherein the sintering oxidizes a first portion of the manganese oxide from MnO to Mn2O3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.