Diatomite (diatomaceous earth) is a marine sedimentary rock. This substance can be found in lake deposits consists mainly of accumulated shells or hydrous silica secreted by diatoms which are microscopic organisms, chemically consists of silicon dioxide (SiO2) which is essentially inert; is ionically attacked by strong alkali and hydrofluoric acids. Other components of diatomite are: sand, clay, volcanic ash, magnesium carbonate, soluble salts and organic matter.
The types and amounts of impurities are highly variable and depend on the sedimentation conditions and the time of diatomite disposition. Diatomites are used primarily:
1) as filters
2) as insulating material
3) as filler material
In the first case the substances are used for waste sludge filters, due to its high porosity and heat resistance (melting point close to 1593° C.), this material is used as thermal insulator and for this its structure may be in the form of aggregate powder or bricks. Its use as a filler material is due to the fact that after this material is used, its reuse is not recommended, because it is contaminated by absorbed substances or products, hence its application for filling.
The uses of diatomaceous earth are very widely applicable, as the case of sugar refining, as well as in the production of solvents, antibiotics, fats and oils; these materials are also very importantly used in paint and paper industries.
This research bears some similarity to Patent CN 19969696118706, Dec. 31, 1997/Jun. 14, 1996 to Hong bin Liu, but in this case a rough concrete was developed for specific purposes, in our work, we are proposing a furnace to produce materials, such as bricks, lattices and ceramic materials for construction; also, in patent JP08319143A2, 3 Dec. 1996, Denki Kagaru proposed a method for obtaining a product which is mixed with cement, in our case, we propose a furnace, wherein the flue gases are absorbed and the obtained material has the adequate grain size to be mixed with binding agents for use in the building industry, diatomaceous earth has also been recycled to produce ceramic material according to patent JP00086397A2, Mar. 28, 2000. The difference with our work is that we start from waste to obtain a useful and highly competitive material.
There is other work on the incineration of waste JP54128477, Oct. 5, 1979 to which calcium sulfate is added and is solidified with an accelerator, our work involves obtaining material, grinding and screening the same prior to treatment with binding agents, so it also differs from this latest research.