Customized Expanded Clay Aggregate Production Line

LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) is a great filler material for the drainage. It takes approx. 1 qt (1Litre) of LECA to fill the trough to the correct level.

LECA is nearly half the density of calcined clay and about the same density as horticultural charcoal, so it’s an ideal substrate option for filling the trough if you don’t want to culture springtails or other feeder insects. We recommend covering LECA with a material such as horticultural fabric or synthetic screening to prevent smaller-grained substrate materials from filtering down into it.

Clay extraction: The clay is extracted from clay pits normally located close to the plants, thus keeping haulage costs and carbon emissions to a minimum. The clay pits are restored and rehabilitated to both preserve biodiversity and create new natural habitats.

Pretreatment: The clay goes to the production line where the mechanical treatment took place and some additives are added to the clay.

Rotary kiln: The kilns are heated to temperatures up to 1.150ºC and this process transforms the clay into various sized lightweight aggregates with a hard ceramic shell and a porous core. The raw material is expanded approximate 5 times during the kiln process.

Cooling: A correct cooling process is essential to ensure a high-quality product. This process is made with air.

Final product: A sustainable light weight aggregate made for housing, infrastructure or water management applications.

Typical properties of LECA manufactured from natural and waste materials