Expanded clay aggregate
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Expanded clay or lightweight expanded clay aggregate is a lightweight aggregate made by heating clay to around 1,200 °C in a rotary kiln. The heating process causes gases trapped in the clay to expand
Heat-expanded lightweight pebbles
Root ball of a hydroponically-grown cannabis plant with aggregate embedded in it
Cleaned root ball and main stem sitting atop the total amount of aggregate used to grow a single plant
LECA can be easily used for plant-growing substrate.
Rotary kiln
Videos
A rotary kiln is a pyroprocessing device used to raise materials to a high temperature in a continuous process. Materials produced using rotary kilns include:
Expanded clay aggregate
…Expanded clay (exclay) or lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) is a lightweight aggregate made by heating clay to around 1,200 °C (2,190 °F) in a rotary kiln. The heating process causes gases trapped in the clay to expand, forming thousands of small bubbles and giving the material a porous structure. LECA…
Rotary kiln (large rust-colored horizontal tube at center right) at a Wyoming cement plant
General layout of a direct fired countercurrent rotary kiln used in cement manufacture
Rotary kiln body, with drive gear and 2 tyres (riding rings)
Kiln tyre closeup showing tangential suspension supports