International Cement Review articles tagged under : Manufacturing Technology
Aluminium and iron in clinker
Aluminium and iron are two of the key components in Portland cement clinker. Varying their presence in clinker can have significant effects on the final clinker. Arthur Harrisson looks at some of the impacts of such variations. Figure 1: light grey aluminate and white ferrite very slowly cooled. The hexagonal blue alite crystal below centre is 30µm across The four essential con...
The intelligent enterprise
In a commoditised business such as cement, companies are using lean, intelligent processes to enable efficient production and timely delivery. Optimising processes and operations presents an opportunity for producers...
The ‘magic’ of magnesium
While petcoke is a less expensive fuel option, its use can lead to operational challenges for the cement plant, such as the formation of kiln rings and build-ups in the lower cyclones of the preheater. To optimise co...
Reducing cadmium volatility
A recent news report for the Journal of Engineering described some experimental work that has been carried out in China designed to investigate the behaviour of some heavy metals, especially cadmium, in cement clinke...
Sulphate in clinker
The amount of sulphate (SO 3 ) varies widely in cement clinker. Arthur Harrisson discusses the sources of SO 3 and its impact on clinker composition. Figure 1: relationship between the contents of sulphate an...
Kiln maintenance
Increasing competition within the cement industry and growing concerns about sustainable cement production have placed more rigorous demands on maintenance in cement plants, including the maintenance of the kiln. The...
Bring in the drones
In the last few years commercial drones have become increasingly common in quarries all over the world. But how does the use of drone technology impact quarry operations? For specific tasks drone technology can total...
Strength predictions
A prediction of strength in concrete can be made through a range of methods and with numerous variables. To facilitate this, Arthur Harrisson examines the key factors that control strength development in concrete. ...
Separation revisited
Even a high-performing system can be made more efficient, as global plant engineering and construction specialist thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions demonstrates with the sepol® separator. Thanks to technical optimisa...
Self-healing concrete
The formation of cracks in concrete is a common occurrence and in many cases is not regarded as a major issue. However, in some circumstances they may pose a threat to a concrete structure if its purpose is to preven...
As white as white
Producing white clinker and cement requires the right raw materials and mix, the right fuel and optimal plant process conditions. JK Cement Works Fujairah explains what action it takes to keep its white clinker and c...
Analysing raw mix control
The monitoring and control of the chemical composition of the raw meal is a key function at a cement plant, not only in terms of delivering a high-quality end product, but also for avoiding the negative impacts on a ...
Are you ready2grind?
Flexible deployment of grinding plants with rapid installation and commissioning enables cement companies to improve their competitive edge as market requirements change and different products are needed. To meet thi...
Flexible grinding
Modular grinding plants provide cement producers with greater flexibility when rapidly deploying assets in or near fast-expanding markets to benefit from their first-mover status. By Moisés Rodríguez Núñez and Eduard...
Industry 4.0: press ‘Start’
The application of Industry 4.0 concepts and its suite of buzzwords such as ‘IoT’, ‘Digital Transformation’ and ‘Big Data’ presents challenges to a range of industries, including cement. What can cement producers exp...
Into the future
There is no way we can imagine the world without cement and concrete. From 30 years ago, when International Cement Review was first published, until today, cement production on the planet has quadrupled. Depending on...