Cement News tagged under: manufacturing technology
Loss on ignition28 September 2016, Published under Cement NewsThe loss on ignition of a raw material, cement or a clinker sample is the amount of weight lost through raising the temperature of the material to a predetermined level. As an indicator it can be used to monitor and improve the quality of the final product. Clinker stored outside in wet conditions will experience an increase in LOI Weight loss during heating can be due to the evaporation or volatilisation of a variety of components of the sample. Water is lost at 100-105˚C, orga... |
Keeping kilns cool12 September 2016, Published under Cement NewsKiln hotspots are one of the causes of mechanical stresses on cement kilns. However, this issue can be addressed with the use of a water- or air-based kiln cooling system. One Germany-based firm makes the case for water-based systems. By Alexander Scholl and Dirk Schmidt, Kima Echtzeitsysteme GmbH, Germany. A water-based kiln cooling system provides additional benefits to air-based equipment Increasing demands in terms of energy consumption, productivity, emissions and operation... |
Know your raw materials22 August 2016, Published under Cement NewsStackers and reclaimers play a large part in achieving the reliability that helps deliver a constant supply of homogenised raw materials to the mills. The storage solution must cope with quarry operations and logistics, as well as different raw material parameters. To ensure the reliability of stackers and reclaimers and to optimise their total costs, accurate raw materials characterisation is essential. By FLSmidth, Denmark. At Holcim Brazil's Barroso plant, the clay excavator was in... |
Crystal inclusions in Portland cement clinker10 August 2016, Published under Cement NewsThe nature of inclusions in clinker crystals provides clues about the burning environment and are therefore important indicators of clinker quality. Figure 1: blue belite inclusions in alite crystals Of the four main crystalline compounds that are found in Portland cement clinker, two are produced as solids and two are present in the burning zone of the cement kiln as a liquid, which then crystallises on cooling. Microscopic examination of clinker has been employed as a quali... |
Fly ash and slag cements27 July 2016, Published under Cement NewsWhile cements containing fly ash or GGBS have different strength properties to ordinary Portland cement, they also benefit from improved durability and workability. A key factor in strength development is the provision of calcium silicate hydrate. Concrete made with cement which includes fly ash or ggbs will have different strength properties than that made with cement which contains purely clinker and gypsum Although a particular material may be cheaper per kilogram or per t... |
Holcim New Zealand’s terminal shift18 July 2016, Published under Cement NewsHolcim New Zealand is building two new cement terminals at a cost of NZD105m in Timaru and Auckland to ensure the ongoing supply of cement to customers beyond the closure of the 58 year-old cement plant at Westport. By Robyn Flynn, Derek Williams and Ken Cowie, Holcim New Zealand, and Benjamin Davis, Domtec, USA. Cement unloading at Holcim's new Timaru terminal in New Zealand In mid-2014 Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd was granted approval by Holcim headquarters to move forward with th... |
Make the leap to the Big Data Cloud29 June 2016, Published under Cement NewsLogimine has long seen the benefit of real-time data to help improve management and operational efficiencies. The company’s TFT on-board technology for trucks and other quarry vehicles is now providing quarry supervisors with more key performance indicators to better manage their day-to-day running of the quarry and increase productivity. By Beatrice Atkinson, Logimine SAS, France. Ez-Scale is an 'on the move' weighing system for loaders delivering accuracy of ±0.5 per cent. It displa... |
Elevated savings27 June 2016, Published under Cement NewsDrones have quickly become a popular tool for quarry management. From planning to operations, they are saving companies time and money by assessing and measuring raw material stockpiles quickly and efficiently. By Rosalie Bartlett, Kespry, USA. Drones are increasing quarry efficiency in several ways. One example is through stockpile measurement. In the past, many aggregate companies would measure stockpiles using a combination of employees on the ground and third-party surveyors. Sur... |
Brazil gives OK to VRM20 June 2016, Published under Cement NewsBrazilian cement producers, like many others in the sector, have continually sought to improve their operations and advance their output by achieving higher grinding capacities, improved efficiencies, increased clinker substitution and finer product residues. Vertical roller mill technology has played a key part in this development. By Jared Weston, FLSmidth Inc, USA. Recent 36-4 OK TM cement mill installation in Brazil The Brazilian cement industry is a frontrunner in terms of... |
Well-rounded thinking06 June 2016, Published under Cement NewsUntil recently, square and rectangular explosion venting has been the norm in storing products prone to deflagration, but one US team has developed a round hybrid model for bulk-storage domes at two biomass companies in 2016. Dome Technology pioneers round explosion vents as a custom, stronger alternative to traditional square and rectangular vents. By Rebecca Long Pyper, Dome Technology, USA. As they are truss-and support free, storage domes offer benefits in terms of explosion preve... |