Refractory

Zoning of kilns and Brick selection

Kiln Zones

September
2010 2
 Kiln Zones

Burning Safety Preheating

Outlet
Zone Zone Zone

Lower Upper
Transition Calcining
Transition
Zone Zone
Zone

September
2010 3
Outlet

 Length
 0 to 1.2m

 Characteristics
 a frequent absence of coating, which renders the zone vulnerable to
chemical attacks
 the very abrasive nature of the clinker
 the very real possibility of the shell becoming deformed.

 Stresses
 Thermal stresses:
• No thermal stresses of any particular kind.
 Mechanical stresses:
• Mechanical stress caused by the thrust from other bricks in the kiln
and the vicinity of a tire.
 Chemical stresses:
• Chemical attacks from alkalis or sulphur
September
2010 4
Lower Transition Zone

 Length
 1.2 to 2 x D

 Characteristics
 Unstable coating
 Flame impacts
 Tire impact

 Stresses
 Thermal stresses:
• Thermal cycles, thermal shocks, high temperatures, potential
overheating
 Mechanical stresses:
• Ovality stresses in the vicinity of the tire, abrasion by the clinker
 Chemical stresses:
• Volatile elements, alkaline salts, CO2, SO2/SO3, reducing
atmosphere
September
2010 5
Burning Zone

 Length
 3xD

 Characteristics
 Stable coating. The coating offers some protection from chemical
attacks

 Stresses
 Thermal stresses:
• Thermal cycles, thermal shocks, high temperatures
 Mechanical stresses:
• Weight of the coating
 Chemical stresses:
• Chemical corrosion (redox reaction), infiltration of the clinker
components (liquid phase).

September
2010 6
Upper Transition Zone

 Length
 3xD

 Characteristics
 Unstable coating
 Quite high temperature (but less than in the discharge and lower
transition zone).
 Mechanical stresses.

 Stresses
 Thermal stresses:
• Thermal cycles, high temperature, thermal shocks
 Mechanical stresses:
• Ovality stresses in the vicinity of the tire, expansion behaviour of
the kiln shell due to coating formation
 Chemical stresses:
• Alkaline salts, CO2, SO2/SO3, attacks from volatile gases.
September
2010 7
Safety Zone

 Length
 2xD

 Characteristics
 no coating
 relatively high temperatures
 Drop in shell temperature due to change from basic to alumina bricks

 Stresses
 Thermal stresses:
• No specific stresses
 Mechanical stresses:
• No specific stresses
 Chemical stresses:
• Volatile cycles

September
2010 8
Calcining and Preheating Zone

 Length
 up to inlet cone

 Characteristics
 Lower temperatures than in the other parts of the kiln but possible ring
formations.

 Stresses
 No particular stresses if there is no back end firing.
 Thermal stresses:
• Low
 Mechanical stresses:
• No particular stresses
 Chemical stresses:
• Alkalis

September
2010 9
Kiln Zones

 Preheater kiln < 4.0m Ø with grate  Preheater kiln > 4.0m Ø with grate
cooler cooler

 Outlet zone: up to 1.2m  Outlet zone: up to 1.2m

 LTZ: 1–2xØ  LTZ: 1–2xØ

 BZ: 3xØ  BZ: 3xØ

 UTZ: 2-3xØ  UTZ: 3xØ

 SZ: 2xØ  SZ: 2xØ

 CZ (PHZ): up to inlet  CZ (PHZ): up to inlet

 Inlet Zone: approx. 1m  Inlet Zone: approx. 1m

September
2010 1
Brick Selection

September
2010 1
 Overview

Outlet LTZ BZ UTZ SZ Calcining

Dolomite
Forsterite
Hercynite Forsterite
Hercynite
Normal stress 75-85% Al2O3 MA-Spinel Hercynite 60-75% Al2O3 30-50% Al2O3
Galaxite
“Dolomite” Galaxite
MA-Spinel
MA-Spinel
Dolomite
MA-Spinel
Special Alumina Hercynite “Hercynite”
Thermal stress Magnesia (Zirconia) 60-75% Al2O3 30-50% Al2O3
MA-Spinel Galaxite MA-Spinel
“Dolomite”
MA-Spinel
“Hercynite” “Hercynite”
Special Alumina “Hercynite”
Thermo-Chemical
MA-Spinel MA-Spinel Special Alumina Special Alumina
stress
MA-Spinel MA-Spinel
Magnesia (Zirconia) Magnesia (Zirconia)
September
2010 1
1st step for brick selection:

 Identify these different zones in your kiln

 In order to do this:
 Measure the coating thickness and location during each stoppage
 Drilling results / visual inspection of cross section (infiltration horizon)
 Record these measures
 Compare with scanner measurements (if available) or manual shell
measurement

September
2010 1
2nd step for brick selection:

 What are the general characteristics of bricks needed for each

zone?

September
2010 1
3rd step for brick selection

 Fine tune your selection!

 Brick characteristics need to be analysed more in details

depending on plant specifics:
 Fuels / Alternative fuels
 Raw Mix quality
 Operation conditions
 Kiln mechanical constraints

 To do this, work with Technical centre & supplier

 Experience sharing is a very powerful tool!

September
2010 1
 Type of bricks available

Alumina 40-50%
Application Advantages Limitations

Preheating / Calcining Good insulating T° < 1250 °C

Zone properties

Resistance to abrasion

Good alkali resistance ! Check raw material

origin as alkali resistance
is strongly impacted !

September
2010 1
 Type of bricks available

Alumina 75-85% Chemical Analysis

SiO2 12
Application Advantages Limitations Al2O3 85
Fe2o3 1.5
Nosering Good insulating Lowest insulating Other 1-2
properties effect of alumina
brick

Resistance to Do prefer phosphate

abrasion bonding

Higher operating The higher the

temperatures alumina the lower
the alkali resistance

September
2010 1
 Type of bricks available
Chemical Analysis

SiO2 20.5
Al2O3 74
Alumina 60-75% Fe2o3 1.7
Other 3.8
Application Advantages Limitations

Safety Zone Good insulating properties Eutectic point @1200 °C with CaO
=> avoid contact with liquid phase

Nose ring Resistance to abrasion For severe abrasion switch to 75-

85%

Reasonable alkali Less resistant than 45%

resistance
(dependent on brick material)

September
2010 1
 Type of bricks available

Chemical Analysis

SiO2 64 - 69
Al2O3 22 - 26
Insulating Fe2o3 2.5

Application Advantages Limitations

Preheating / Calcining zone Excellent insulating Application temperature

properties

Excellent alkali resistance poor resistance to abrasion

Lightweight

September
2010 1
 Type of bricks available

Magnesia

Advantages Disadvantages

High Refractoriness High Thermal Conductivity

High chemical resistance High Thermal Expansion

Sensitiveness towards moisture

September
2010 2
 What is spinel?
 Generally means minerals crystallised in the cubic system and in
the form of RO*R’2O3
 R may be Mg, Fe or Mn and R’ may be Al, Fe or Cr.
 Best known is MgO*Al2O3 spinel, found in “magnesia spinel” or
“periclase spinel” (Almag 85, Magkor B or Ankral-R1, Ankral RC)
 Latest developments have shown that a new generation of spinel
containing bricks, the so-called magnesia hercynite bricks (FeO* Al 2O3)
or magnesia galaxite bricks (MnO* Al 2O3), have a high tendency to form
and hold a coating (Ferromag 90, Ankral-ZE/Z1 or Ankral X2, Ankral ZC)

September
2010 2
 Type of bricks available
Chemical Analysis

Magnesia Spinel CaO 0.4 – 1.0

MgO 80 - 90
SiO2 0.2 – 0.6
Al2O3 9 – 18
Fe2o3 0.1 – 0.5
Application Advantages Limitations

Transition zones Excellent thermal shock High cost

resistance

Burning zones when unstable Resistant to alkali salts Poor coating ability
coating

Resistant to abrasion High thermal conductivity

Prone to hydration

September
2010 2
 Type of bricks available
Chemical Analysis

Magnesia Hercynite- Spinel CaO 1.5

MgO 87 - 92
SiO2 0.5
Al2O3 4–6
Fe2o3 3–5
Application Advantages Limitations Examples

Burning zone Excellent coating Higher cost than Mag Ankral ZE

formation chrome

Transition Zones Resistant to abrasion Sensitive to REDOX Ankral Z1

atmosphere
(Ankral Z1)

Good thermal shock (Ferromag 90)

resistance

Prone to hydration

September
2010 2
 Summary: Kiln Zones & Refractory Selection

Nose Ring Lower TZ Burning Zone Upper TZ Safety Calcining

Normal Al 75-85 Spinel Spinel Spinel Al 60-75 Al 40-50

High Mg-
Thermal Mg-Spinel Spinel (Mg-) Spinel Al 75-85 Al 40-50
Spinel
load

Chemical Mg-
Spine Mg-Spinel Spinel Mg-Spinel Al 40-50
attack
l
Al = Alumina Bricks
Spinel = Hercynite, Galaxite, Mg-Spinel

September
2010 2
When to replace the lining?

 When do you replace your bricks in the kiln?

September
2010 2
General Rules

 As a general rule, basic bricks shall be replaced if the thickness is less

than 140mm.

 As a general rule, alumina bricks shall be replaced if the thickness is less

than 120mm.

 !! Depends on kiln shell temperature, duration of the next campaign, coating

formation, type and location of the bricks (i.e. over tyre or girth gear )

 AF users shall systematically replace each year the bricks in the UTZ due to
infiltrations by alkalines, sulphates and chlorines

September
2010 2