Fluidized bed granulation of rehydratable alumina

US4704378A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Aluminum Company of America · US

Inventors

• Hubert L. Fleming · Lower Burrell, US
• Jon F. Edd · Monroeville, US
• Alan Pearson · Murrysville, US
• Chin-Liang Chou · Audubon, US
• Hisashi Kono · Ube, JP
• Ching-Chung Huang · Taipei, TW

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 19, 1987
• Grant date: Nov 3, 1987
• Expiry date: Feb 19, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C01P2006/82
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The process of the present invention for preparing granules of alumina includes pretreating an alumina powder by admixing with cold water in a mixer at a temperature below room temperature, e.g., such as below about 20.degree. C., to form a pretreated alumina having a pore volume saturated with water and further having a surface area of gel structure, and agglomerating the pretreated alumina in a fluidized bed to form granules sized in the range of about 1-3 mm. The process is particularly suited to producing activated alumina in macroporous granules. The process in one aspect further includes a cold hopper for cooling alumina powder prior to the pretreating step.