Kiln Operation Basics

Manufacturing Process overview

 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Content

• Cement manufacturing overview

• Let’s have a closer look at the different stages
• Plant visit

EVA Communication kit February 2008 - 2

 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Content

• Cement manufacturing overview

• Let’s have a closer look at the different stages
• Plant visit

EVA Communication kit February 2008 - 3

 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

What is cement?
Reminder….
• Cement is an artificial mineral powder…

• Powder:
• Cement is obtained by co-grinding of clinker, sulfates & potentially
other material (cement additives)
• Mineral :
• To make Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), we need 4 main mineral
elements (raw materials):
• Lime CaO or C
• Silica SiO2 or S Limestone
• AluminaAl2O3 or A
• Iron Oxide Fe2O3 or F
• Artificial: Clay
• Manufactured in an industrial environment
• Clinker is obtained by combustion of raw materials, at a temperature
of 1450°C

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview
What is cement? - Reminder
Limestone Clay

clinker
gypsum
additives

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview
…
mind
p in
Kee Symbols used in the cement industry

Cement industry
Chemical symbol
symbol

C CaO Lime
S SiO2 Silica
A Al2O3 Alumina
F Fe2O3 Ferric oxide

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Cement manufacturing…a kind of cooking

Ingredients Flour, Eggs, Butter, S, A, F, C

Sugar, milk… Silica/ Alumina, Iron,
Lime

Raw line
Proportions 250g flour, 100g Weighing / Dosing Raw
butter, 4 eggs…

Preparation Mix…, aerate …, (Pre)homogenisation,

add… drying, grinding

Cooking 30 minutes at From 100 to 1450°C

Combustion
180°C From 20’ to 4 hours

line
Cooling Free Quenching & cooling Clinker
to 100°C in 30’

grinding
Finishing The cherry on the Grinding with additives,

Finish
cake! bagging Cement
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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

The main steps of cement manufacturing

- Quarry
- Pre homogenisation
Raw Mix
- Raw grinding
PREPARATION
- Homogenisation

- Combustion at 1450°C
- Cooling at 100°C
COMBUSTION

- Gypsum
Clinker - Additives
GRINDING

- Silo storage
Cement Storage
SHIPPING
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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

The main steps of cement manufacturing

Manufacturing line

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Exercise 1

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Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Content

• Cement manufacturing overview

• Let’s have a closer look at the different stages
• Plant visit

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Raw mix preparation

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Quarry

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

What are the raw materials?

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

What are the raw materials?

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

What are the raw materials?

• Manufacturing cement requires four basic elements:

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Raw mix regularity

• Having regular raw mix is very important to obtain a consistent
product:
• Impact on end product quality
• Impact on process stability
 Needs to be mastered

• Most frequent (“traditional”) solution:

• Pre homogenisation / Pre blending
• Limited correction at mill inlet
• Homogenisation

• « Modern» solution:
• No mix of raw material before mill inlet
• High frequency, or on line analysis
• Correction at mill inlet

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Regularity: traditional solution

PRE HOMOGENISATION

QUARRY
Dosing

Recreate an artificial quarry

Crushing of raw materials:

Limestone, Silica... Feed the Raw mill in the right
proportions

HOMOGENISATION
RAW GRINDING

Reduce crushed material in a fine

Obtain an homogeneous
powder
material => better combustion
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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview
…
mind
p in
Kee Raw mix preparation
• Very high regularity must be attained.
• But raw material can vary a lot…

• Raw mix regularity can be achieved by:

• The quarry characteristics
• The preparation process used (prehomo, homo,…)
• The weighing equipment and its use

• More aspects of raw mix preparation & control will be

covered later in the training program

• Raw grinding is also an important stage for raw mix

preparation

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Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Grinding

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Why do we need to grind ?

General state:

• To create surface area for good chemical reactions

to occur
• Combination in the kiln (Raw grinding)
• Hydraulic reactions in the concrete (Cement grinding)
• Good combustion in the kiln flame (Coal grinding)

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Where do we grind in the overall cement

manufacturing process?

Quarry Storage Raw

Grinding

Fuel Combustion
Grinding

Storage

Cement
Grinding
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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Ball mill

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Burning

BURNING

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Burning

Raw Mix

Series of transformations
occurring in the kiln: chemical
reactions & physical
transformation
Clinker

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Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Clinkering reactions will

be covered later in the
course
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Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Kilns

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Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Preheater kilns

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 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Content

• Cement manufacturing overview

• Let’s have a closer look at the different stages
• Plant visit

EVA Communication kit February 2008 - 30

 Kiln Operation Basics – Manufacturing Process Overview

Plant visit

• Let now go for a site visit

• Let’s follow the flow of the material
• Let’s make sure we understand each step in the
manufacturing process

• Can also use Slideshow Standard Visit Cement

plant_Le Teil.ppt (to be customised)

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