Refractory Materials and High Temparature

Corrosion in Cement Kilns

How to Protect the Kiln Shell

Against Corrosion

positive experiences from jura cement,

Wildegg cement plant

25 September 2014, Marcel Bieri

 Refractory Materials and High Temparature
Corrosion in Cement Kilns

Background jura cement, initial position

Protection with metal inserts
Preparations, Installation of metal inserts
Results & Outlook
jura cement, a company of
Initial position

Kiln: 1985, Krupp Polysius, 3,8 m / 4,2 m x 56 m,

4,1 rpm, 2000 t/day
Increasing usage of Alternative Fuels containing
chlorine like shredded plastics, waste solvents
and meat and bone meal
Kiln Corrosion -> replacement of kiln shell from
18 to 28 meter in 2008
Wear protection with flame spraying on kiln shell
showed no positive impacts (18-28 meter)
Alternative fuels development since 1985

80,0
%
70,0 used oil

60,0 solvents

diverse materials
50,0
dried sewage sludge
40,0
meat and bone meal
30,0
plastics
20,0
shredded peaces

10,0
tyres

0,0
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
 Increasing chlorine content in hot meal

X-RAY Polab Hot Meal

K2O Na2O Chlor SO3
% % % %
2006 2.87 0.22 1.3 3.96
2007 2.43 0.25 1.0 3.52
2008 2.72 0.33 1.3 3.06
2009 2.98 0.28 1.5 2.16
2010 3.07 0.3 1.5 1.91
2011 3.18 0.25 1.7 2.99
2012 3.23 0.24 1.8 2.67
2013 3.32 0.23 1.8 2.64

2013 weekly
Min 0.89 0.05 0.1 1.02
Max 5.25 0.51 3.3 4.91
Avg 3.32 0.23 1.8 2.64
Std 0.55 0.07 0.4 0.59
Kiln shell thickness January 2014
 Kiln shell protection

Yearly measurement of kiln

shell thickness in Wildegg with
a ultrasonic measurement:

To double-check at critical position drilling of 5mm

hole into the shell and measure the thickness.
Kiln shell protection

Recommendation from RHI to protect the kiln shell

with a metal insert
Started in Revision 2008 with two 3 m-wide
sections (21-24 and 29-32 m) with 0.4 mm thick
metal insert (steel grade 1.4301)
Revisions 2009-2012 Extended the sections with
metal inserts from 17-36 m. Changing to 0.6 mm
thick metal insets (steel grade 1.4404)
Preparation of kiln

• Complete removal of
refractory mortar
• Removal of deposit (FeCl)
formed by corrosion
• Cleaning of kiln shell with
high pressure cleaner (hot
water)

→ Dry, clean kiln shell

Installation of metal insert

Magnets

Wooden laths

Bricks

½ Metal inserts
Installation of metal insert

1. Fastening the „½ metal insert“ 2. Metal inserts fastened on the

on the kiln shell with wooden kiln shell with magnets.
laths. The sheets overlap Bricks of the lower half-shell
each other by 2-5 cm. installed on top.
Installation of metal insert
Overlapping of metal ¼ Metal inserts
inserts

Magnets

Scaffolding

Bricks

½ Metal inserts
Installation of metal insert

3. Use a scaffolding for

montage. Fit the already
prepared two „¼-metal
inserts“. Make an overlap of
2-5 cm with the already
installed „½ metal inserts“
and 5-20 cm on the common
overlap at the top. Metal
inserts fastened on the kiln
shell with magnets.
Scaffolding for bricks
montage.
Comparison with and without metal insert

Without metal insert significant The metal sheet corroded and

corrosion was noticed protected the kiln shell from heavy
corrosion
 Survey of metal insert after use

Removal of bricks / metal inserts Survey of removed insert parts

Ideally the metal inserts resist in In the section 21.6 to 28 m the

the kiln without dissolving metal inserts are dissolved
Test of copper inserts 2013-2014
After removal of bricks / metal fragments

Test with a standard copper inserts 0.6mm from 21.6m to 23.55m

Result: Worse then steel grade 1.4404. The copper inserts were
absolutely destroyed after one year in operation!
Test 2012-2014 with steel grades 1.4404
After removal of bricks / metal fragments

Kiln: 30m 31m

Test with steel grade 1.4404. After two years in operation the metal
inserts are in a good condition
Conclusions

The successful installation of metal sheets as part

of refractory work is feasible

With metal sheets the corrosion on the kiln shell

could be reduced significantly

Copper inserts were not successful

Still some critical sections with corroded metal

sheets -> we will test new materials to protect the
kiln shell completely