Cellular ceramic plates with asymmetrical cell structure and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A method for the continuous production of a cellular ceramic plate having asymmetric cells comprising thermally treating ceramic particles and a blowing agent in a foaming furnace while conveying said ceramic particles and said blowing agent at a first speed thereby forming a cellular ceramic plate, and annealing said cellular ceramic plate in an annealing lehr by cooling it down while conveying it at a second speed, larger than said first speed, thereby stretching and cooling said cellular ceramic plate.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for the continuous production of a one-piece continuous cellular ceramic plate comprising:
 a) a foaming furnace arranged to treat in one continuous piece ceramic particles and a blowing agent, said foaming furnace comprising a first conveyor adapted to convey at a first speed while heating said one piece continuous ceramic particles and said blowing agent to form a one-piece continuous cellular ceramic plate, wherein the first conveyor comprises an endless belt;   b) an annealing lehr arranged to anneal said one-piece continuous cellular ceramic plate by cooling said one-piece continuous cellular ceramic plate down, said annealing lehr being located downstream from said foaming furnace and comprising a second conveyor configured to convey said one-piece continuous cellular ceramic plate at a second speed, larger than said first speed; and   c) an intermediate conveyor arranged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor to transfer the one-piece continuous cellular ceramic plate from said foaming furnace to said annealing lehr, wherein the intermediate conveyor is configured to convey at a third speed larger than said second speed, wherein the intermediate conveyor comprises rolls, and wherein the intermediate conveyor is located at the beginning of the annealing lehr or in an intermediate lehr located between the foaming furnace and the annealing lehr.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said first and second conveyors are driven in such a way that the difference between the second speed and the first speed is between 0.1% and 25% of the first speed. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the difference between the third and second speed is between 0.1% and 10% of the second speed. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the first conveyor is resistant to higher temperatures than said second conveyor. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the first conveyor is resistant to a temperature up to 900° C. and wherein said second conveyor is resistant to a temperature up to 600° C. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate conveyor is resistant to temperatures in the range 600° C.-800° C. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the first conveyor is resistant to higher temperatures than said intermediate conveyor and said intermediate conveyor is resistant to higher temperatures than said second conveyor. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the first conveyor is resistant to a temperature up to 900° C. and wherein said second conveyor is resistant to a temperature up to 600° C. and wherein said intermediate conveyor is resistant to temperatures in the range 600° C.-800° C.