Ceramic proppant with low specific weight

• US 20080070774A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Obschestvo S Ogranichennoy Otvetstvennostyu "Fores"
• Original Assignee: ILEM Research and Development Establishment
• Inventors: Shmotev, Sergey, Pliner, Sergey
• Granted Patent: US 7,521,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 501/69
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3201 Alkali metal oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3217 Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3272 Iron oxides or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. hematite, magnetite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3418 Silicon oxide, silicic acids or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. silica sol, fused silica, silica fume, cristobalite, quartz or flint
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3427 Silicates other than clay, e.g. water glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3463 Alumino-silicates other than clay, e.g. mullite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5436 micrometer sized, i.e. from 1 to 100 micron
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/652 Reduction treatment C04B2235/664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/656 characterised by specific heating conditions during heat treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/77 Density
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/80 Phases present in the sintered or melt-cast ceramic products other than the main phase
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/96 Properties of ceramic products, e.g. mechanical properties such as strength, toughness, wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 33/1322 Red mud
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 33/32 Burning methods
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/20 rich in magnesium oxide , e.g. forsterite C04B35/195 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0061 closed porosity
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/009 Porous or hollow ceramic granular materials, e.g. microballoons C04B18/027, C04B20/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/02 by adding chemical blowing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/068 Carbonaceous materials, e.g. coal, carbon, graphite, hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/80 Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/60 : Production of ceramic materials or ceramic elements, e.g. substitution of clay or shale by alternative raw materials, e.g. ashes

Abstract

A precursor composition for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly for ceramic proppants, comprises 20 to 55% by weight of magnesium orthosilicate, 20 to 35% by weight of MgO, and 2.5 to 11% by weight of Fe₂O₃. The resulting lightweight proppant material shows high mechanical strength. To further decrease the specific density of the proppant, the formation of small pores can be increased by adding 0.3 to 2.4% carbon as a gas-forming agent.

Claims

1. A precursor composition for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly for ceramic proppants,

comprising 20 to 55% by weight of magnesium orthosilicate, 20 to 35% by weight of MgO, 2.5 to 11% by weight of Fe2O3, and a glass forming component containing SiO2, particularly quartz or feldspar.

2. The precursor composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the composition comprises 3.5 to 10% by weight of Fe₂O₃.

3. The precursor composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the composition comprises up to 3% by weight of carbon C.

4. The precursor composition according to claim 3, characterized in that the composition comprises 0.3 to 2.4% by weight of carbon C.

5. The precursor composition according to claim 3, characterized in that carbon is present as graphite, coke, soot, boron carbide, iron carbide, silicium carbide, titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, or a mixture thereof.

6. The precursor composition according to claim 3, characterized in that the carbon C is present in the form of carbon containing particles with a size between 0.5 and 3 μ

m.

7. The precursor composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnesium orthosilicate is present in the form of magnesium orthosilicate containing particles with a size between 5 and 20 μ

m.

13. A method for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly ceramic proppant, comprising the steps:

pelletizing a precursor composition according to claim 1;

and

sintering the pellets at a temperature between 1160 and 1360°

C., and preferably between 1160 and 1260°

C.

14. A granulated ceramic material produced with the method according to claim 13.

15. The use of a precursor composition according to claim 1 for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly hydraulic fracturing proppant.

16. The use of a granulated ceramic material according to claim 14 as a hydraulic fracturing proppant.

17. The precursor composition according to claim 2, characterized in that:

the composition comprises up to 3% by weight of carbon C;

the composition comprises 0.3 to 2.4% by weight of carbon C;

carbon is present as graphite, coke, soot, boron carbide, iron carbide, silicium carbide, titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, or a mixture thereof;

the carbon C is present in the form of carbon containing particles with a size between 0.5 and 3 μ

m;

the magnesium orthosilicate is present in the form of magnesium orthosilicate containing particles with a size between 5 and 20 μ

m.

20. A method for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly ceramic proppant, comprising the steps:

pelletizing a precursor composition according to claim 17;

and

sintering the pellets at a temperature between 1160 and 1360 °

C., and preferably between 1160 and 1260°

C.

25. The use of a granulated ceramic material according to claim 15 as a hydraulic fracturing proppant.

8. A method for the production of a precursor composition, comprising the steps of:

preparing a precursor composition comprising 20 to 55% by weight of magnesium orthosilicate, 20 to 35% by weight of MgO, and 2.5 to 11% by weight of Fe₂O₃, by grinding a corresponding mixture of raw materials;

pelletizing the resulting composition;

sintering the pellets at a temperature between 1150 and 1280°

C.; and

grinding the sintered pellets, together with an amount of carbon containing raw material corresponding to 0.3 to 3% by weight of carbon C.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that in the second grinding step the sintered material is ground to an average particle size between 2 and 3 μ

m.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that in the second grinding step the carbon containing material is ground to an average particle size between 0.5 and 3.0 μ

m.

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the sintering step is carried out in a revolving kiln.

12. A precursor composition produced with a method according to claim 8.

18. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that:

in the second grinding step the carbon containing material is ground to an average particle size between 0.5 and 3.0 μ

m;

the sintering step is carried out in a revolving kiln.

19. A precursor composition produced with a method according to claim 18.

21. A method for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly ceramic proppant, comprising the steps:

pelletizing a precursor composition according to claim 12;

and

sintering the pellets at a temperature between 1160 and 1360°

C., and preferably between 1160 and 1260°

C.

22. A method for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly ceramic proppant, comprising the steps:

pelletizing a precursor composition according to claim 19;

and

sintering the pellets at a temperature between 1160 and 1360°

C., and preferably between 1160 and 1260°

C.

23. A granulated ceramic material produced with the method according to claim 21.

24. The use of a precursor composition according to claim 12 for the production of granulated ceramic material, particularly hydraulic fracturing proppant.

26. The use of a granulated ceramic material according to claim 24 as a hydraulic fracturing proppant.