Alumina Ceramic Balls

Alumina ceramic balls are ceramic fillers mainly composed of aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ∝), widely used in the fields of petrochemicals, fertilizer production, natural gas purification, and environmental protection. This product is made through high-temperature calcination or isostatic pressing process, and has the characteristics of high temperature resistance (up to 1790 ℃), acid and alkali corrosion resistance (acid resistance ≥ 98.5%), and high mechanical strength (maximum compressive strength 40kN/particle). According to the content of alumina, it can be divided into types such as feldspar (15% -30% Al ₂ O3), mullite (45% -70% Al ₂ O3), and corundum (≥ 90% Al ₂ O3), which have derived structural forms such as openings, bumps, and micropores to meet the requirements of catalyst support and tower packing in different reactors. In 2024, the relevant patented technology achieved automated billet grinding, increasing production efficiency to 80 pieces per hour.
Materials and Production Technology
Alumina ceramic balls are mainly made of α - Al ₂ O ∨, kaolin and refractory clay. After being granulated by spray drying, the green bodies are prepared by isostatic pressing or traditional mold forming process. The billet needs to be calcined at a high temperature of over 1600 ℃ to form a dense structure. The billet grinding technology invented by Zouping Xinli Machinery uses a pneumatic transmission system and a buffer mechanism to increase the grinding efficiency to four times that of manual operation, solving the problem of high billet damage rate in traditional processes. High purity products (Al ₂ O3 ≥ 99%) require the addition of rare earth oxides (La ₂ O3, TiO ₂) to improve sintering performance, and achieve microstructure optimization through three-level temperature gradient control.
Classification and performance parameters
According to its chemical composition and usage, it can be divided into:
Inert alumina ceramic ball: Al ₂ O Ⅲ content 20% -99%, acid resistance ≥ 98%, bulk density 1.4-2.0g/cm ³, used for catalyst support
Activated alumina ceramic balls: with adsorption function, used for specific catalytic reaction scenarios [1]
Functional ceramic ball: containing porous structure (porosity of 20-35%), concave convex surface and other shapes, enhancing the gas-liquid distribution effect
Typical performance indicators include:
Mohs hardness: ≥ 6.5 grade (conventional products) to ≥ 9 grade (high-purity corundum ceramic balls)
Compressive strength: The diameter of a 6mm sphere is greater than 0.4kN per piece, and the diameter of a 75mm sphere can reach 15kN per piece
Temperature tolerance: able to withstand sudden temperature changes of 250-800 ℃
Corrosion resistance: acid resistance ≥ 99.5%, alkali resistance ≥ 85%
Function and application scenarios
In the two-stage converter for ammonia synthesis, 99% high alumina ceramic balls can avoid bed blockage caused by reactions with fluorine-containing compounds due to their low SiO ₂ content (<0.5%). The hydrogenation reactor in the refinery uses 25mm ceramic balls as the bottom support material, and its design with a stack weight of 1550kg/m ³ can withstand an operating pressure of 4MPa. In the coal to methanol project with a capacity of 600000 tons per year, an inert ceramic ball system with multi-stage ratios (gradient filling from 50mm to 10mm) is used to increase the utilization rate of the converter catalyst by 12%.
Production standards and patented technology
Industrial production follows the HG/T3683.1-2014 standard, which enforces mandatory regulations on core parameters such as water absorption rate (≤ 3%) and acid resistance (≥ 98%). The HG/T3683.1-2014 standard, issued in 2014, specifies the testing method for thermal shock resistance under tower packing conditions. The patent for alumina ceramic ball billet grinding machine (CN107199413A) published in 2024 achieves a grinding size accuracy of ± 0.1mm through a dual axis synchronous drive system, resulting in a finished product surface roughness Ra<1.6 μ m.