| abstract |
An extrusion method and apparatus are described for producing ceramics, glass, glass-ceramics, or composites suitable for use as proppants. The method includes forming one or more green body materials, extruding the green body materials to form a green body extrudate, separating and shaping the green body extrudate into individual green bodies, and sintering the green bodies to form proppants. The apparatus includes a means for forming an intimate mixture of green body materials, means to produce a green body extrudate, means for separating and shaping the green body extrudate into individual green bodies, and means to sinter the green green bodies to form proppants. |