Development and Utilization of Perlite Insulation Materials and Its Development Trend

The dominant use of perlite at home and abroad is to produce expanded perlite and its products. At present, the annual output of expanded perlite in China has exceeded 4 million m3, accounting for about 5% of the annual output of thermal insulation materials in China. It is the most widely used type of lightweight thermal insulation material in China. According to statistics from related departments, at present, the application proportion of China's expanded perlite in the market is about 60% for construction projects, about 30% for heat pipe insulation, and about 10% for decorative materials, so it is mainly used for building energy conservation and insulation of equipment and pipelines.

Although perlite is widely used in various fields, it is an industry of the end of Fangxing, but it has faced severe challenges in some areas. In the near future, many materials will replace perlite. In terms of substitute materials, as a heat-insulating material in the field of mortar and construction, flaky vermiculite is one of the most competitive materials. Lightweight aggregates such as pumice, expanded clay, shale and volcanic limestone, volcanic ash slag, or foamed cement are low in cost and high in structural strength over perlite.

In terms of thermal insulation, glass fibers, mineral wool, diatomaceous earth, asbestos, fibers and plastic foam are also powerful competitors. Among them, Xinyang Industrial City Hualan Thermal Insulation Material Factory is the most representative. It has the largest perlite production workshop in China and has two expanded perlite production lines. The production process uses the DCS (DISTRIBUTE CONTROL SYSTEM) system to use the company's TPS system for the entire The plant integrates process control, real-time operation and plant information. The gas-fueled expanded perlite production line is the largest production line of expanded perlite products and is specialized in the production of perlite filter aids. Taking full account of the quality of expanded perlite is a major factor affecting perlite filter aids. Due to the stable quality of expanded perlite and high particle strength, the quality of BN (AG) perlite filter aids is fundamentally guaranteed. Although diatomite is used as a filter material, silicalite, organic fibers and other materials are also used, but diatomite is the main substitute material.

Also used as fillers and additives are powdered talc, silica sand, clay, diatomaceous earth and limestone. In agriculture, meteorite, vermiculite and sawdust contend with perlite. Perlite is most vulnerable to various mineral products when used as adsorbents, abrasives, and additives. In cryogenic engineering, opaque aerosols and a film composed of aluminum and glass cloth can be substituted for perlite. In order to meet the challenges of other products and materials, perlite and perlite processing industry must first reduce production costs and improve product performance, and make full use of its own advantages to continuously develop new functional products, such as:

Lightweight waterproof and heat-insulating building materials are light in weight, difficult to age, and waterproof and heat-insulating. They are suitable for high-rise buildings, light walls, pipe insulation, and cold wall insulation. The composite lightweight functional board products have light weight and high strength, and can be cut into different shapes suitable for on-site needs, and products with high surface smoothness after polishing are processed.

The characteristics of vitreous architectural decorative plates are excellent physical and chemical properties, luxurious texture, and good decorative performance; their mechanical properties, weather resistance, gloss, etc. are superior to those of marble close to granite. Soilless culture substrates are promising applications for agriculture, plants and horticulture. Filter aids, practice shows that perlite and diatomaceous earth are used together, the effect is better than any filter aid alone.

Development Trend 1) In order to improve the product properties of expanded perlite, the development of spherical non-porous expanded perlite should be developed as soon as possible. First of all, the perlite ore into the furnace should be as close as possible to the spherical shape rather than the irregular shape of the previous size; the second is to improve the structure of the furnace and increase the strength of the expanded perlite.

2) Perlite ore can be widely used in rubber, plastics, cables, paints, inks and other industries through fine comminution, ultrafine grinding and surface chemical treatment to become a mineral filler with certain functions.

3) Perlite has been used for animal feed and growing crops and has achieved initial results, whether as an additive for animal feed, bedding in chicken cages, fillers, anti-skinning and additives for improving fluidity, or as a veterinary agent, insecticide Agents, fertilizers, carriers of trace elements, absorbents, or adsorbents, or for the separation of culture media and other purposes.

In short, the further use of filter paper and filter aids, horticulture and fillers will make China's perlite industry leap to a new level. China's perlite industry has a promising future.