Cement News tagged under: Manufacturing technology
Digital twins24 April 2019, Published under Cement NewsEstablished for some time in industries such as automotive, logistics and even healthcare, digital twins are becoming more widespread. For the cement industry digital twins can also provide benefits as they enable accurate and faster prediction of changes in specific process conditions. By Matthias Mersmann, aixergee GmbH, Germany. Figure 1: digital twin of a turbine in a power plant Digital twins have become well known in many applications over recent years. The elegance of thi... |
Belite appearance in clinkers11 April 2019, Published under Cement NewsThis month Arthur Harrisson looks at the second-most abundant constituent of cement – belite – and its appearance in clinkers. Figure 1: Type I belite with multiple sets of parallel laminations. The blue crystals are alite Of the four main constituents of cement clinker, the tricalcium silicate known as alite is the most abundant and is the one that is conventionally maximised to react with water to produce calcium silicate hydrate, the material required to achieve strength in a... |
Modular miracles03 April 2019, Published under Cement NewsCement producers looking for fast entry into growing small- and medium-sized markets are increasingly looking at employing the light-asset approach. Modular and mobile grinding systems can provide a versatile and cost-effective means to gain a lead in such markets. By Dr Stanley Ko, CBMI Construction Co Ltd, South Africa. CBMI’s MMG v modular grinding station enables fast entry into new markets Modular grinding plants have recently gained in popularity with cement producers tha... |
Alternative clinkers11 March 2019, Published under Cement NewsThe drive to lower the carbon footprint of cement has led to the development of alternative cement clinkers to replace Portland cement clinker. Arthur Harrisson examines the potential of carbon reduction in four alternative clinker types, as proposed by Gartner and Sui. Belite in clinker Some years ago in ICR the possibilities for using alternatives to Portland cement clinker were discussed. 1 The particular cements examined were calcium aluminate cement (CAC), calcium sulphoal... |
Admixtures and sustainability28 February 2019, Published under Cement NewsWith reducing the environmental impact of cement manufacture high on the agenda for producers, sustainable cement additives based on renewable materials can contribute towards reducing a plant’s carbon footprint and lowering costs. By Leslie Buzzell, Alessandro Schibuola & Riccardo Stoppa, GCP Applied Technologies, USA. GCP announces the issuance of a patent for increasing the efficiency of cement grinding by using sustainable raw materials Modern cement producers face numero... |
FCB Horomill® turns 2525 February 2019, Published under Cement NewsThis year marks the 25th anniversary of the FCB Horomill ® , a breakthrough technology for raw meal, cement, slag and minerals grinding. Having actively participated in the development of the mill, Buzzi Unicem reflects on the evolution of the technology in terms of mechanical, wear protection, process and layout developments. By Giovanni Battista Auxilia & Luigi Buzzi, Buzzi Unicem, Italy. Buzzi Unicem’s Mexican associate Cementos Moctezuma employs the FCB Horomill to grind raw meal... |
Bearing the load20 February 2019, Published under Cement NewsDue to its inherent characteristics, cement production is one of the most severe processing environments and the bearings employed must be reliable, tough and robust to withstand such harsh operating conditions. By NSK Deutschland GmbH, Germany. NSK’s long-life vibrating screen series of spherical roller bearings Bearings employed in cement production must be resilient and able to withstand the impacts of water, dust, grit, extreme temperatures, vibration and high loads. Advance... |
Aluminium and iron in clinker06 February 2019, Published under Cement NewsAluminium 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 constituents of Portland cement clinker are usually listed as: • calcium oxide (CaO or, in cement chemi... |
The intelligent enterprise28 January 2019, Published under Cement NewsIn 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 to gain an edge. The intelligent enterprise provides a rapid and cost-effective route to optimisation. By Folkert Haag, SAP, Germany. In a commoditised business, the most cost-effective route to optimisation is to become a data-driven intelligent enterprise, with effic... |
The ‘magic’ of magnesium17 January 2019, Published under Cement NewsWhile 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 combustion and avoid these issues, Nuh Çimento has trialled a magnesium-based chemical additive that helps control the impact of high-sulphur fuels. By Seyda Arikan, Nuh Çimento, Turkey, and Jose Hernandez, EES Services, Mexico. Figure 1: vanadium oxide complexes and their ... |