Production of foamed sand using near infrared

Abstract

An arrangement for producing a bulk material consisting substantially of foamed or blown mineral or oxide particles by thermal treatment of a bulk material of basic particles. The arrangement includes NIR halogen radiators for generating a NIR radiation field of radiation with an active component in a near infrared, NIR, range having a wavelength in a range between 0.8 μm and 1.5 μm and which has a power density of at least 50 kW/m2 for thermally treating the basic particles, a conveying device for transporting a layer or stream of the bed of basic particles through the radiation field, and a controller that controls heating of the bed of basic particles such that a maximum temperature in the layer or stream is in a temperature range between 600 and 1500° C.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.