Simulation of the Process of Heat Treatment of Vermiculite Concentrates in Power Process Units with a Mechanical Base

— The article reviews the simulation of functional dependence of the heat treatment process time of vermiculite concentrates on their size groups (fractions) in power process units with a mechanical base plate, in which the movement of expanded vermiculite is set by vibro-transporting bulk material in the thermal field of electric heaters. At present we research the process of conductive layer-by-layer heat transfer into the vermiculite grains with the purpose to figure out the so-called “expected time” of temperatures balancing and the time of full expansion in the process of heat treatment of concentrates. The experimental data on the firing time of vermiculite concentrates from various deposits and their comparison with the results of analytical simulation are presented. It was firstly found that grain size of vermiculite concentrates depends on the duration of firing. This dependence was proved by the experimental results of the research.