Cat box litter and process for producing same

Abstract

Abstract A process is provided herein for making absorptive pellets from clay "fines" having open pores spaces therein, the fines including clay particles that will pass through a 40-200 mesh screen. The process includes the first step of forming a mixture of clay "fines" with an aqueous solution of a binder material, e.g. a lignosol. The moistened clay-binder particles, at a moisture content of about 46% by weight, are subjected to the action of a pin-type solids conditioning and micropelletizing processor to convert the moistened clay-binder particles into partially-dried, multi-faceted, bulky aggregates, while substantially simultaneously flashing-off some of the excess moisture. This provides durable, bulky, partially-dried highly absorptive pellets having a maximum of about 25-29% by weight moisture, the durability being as tested in a manner to be described hereinafter. The pellets so formed are then preferably finally dried to a moisture content of about 5% and then may be used as cat box litter, since they are absorptive pellets having both a total surface absorption and an absorption capacity in the open pore spaces approaching the capacity of clay "fines" starting material, i.e. the surface absorption plus about 90-95% of the pore volume of the clay fines. It is also believed that the binder expands during the drying process to improve the pore volume of the pellets.

Inventors

• 👤 John Rosenfeld

Bibliographic Details