Cement and Refractory

Introduction
Cement may be described as a material possessing
adhesive and cohesive properties and capable of
binding materials like stones, bricks, building blocks
etc.
The principal elemental composition of cement used
for constructional purposes are Ca, Al and Si.
Cement have the property of setting and hardening
under water by virtue of certain chemical reaction.
Portland Cement
First invented by Joseph Aspdin in 1824.It resembles stones
found near portland.
It is a greenish- gray colored extremely fine ground powder
which turned into a solid material on reaction with water.
It is obtained by calcining an intimate & properly
proportional mixture of clay and limestone at 1500 C
followed by addition of Gypsum as additive.
It is most important and reliable cementing material used
for construction work.
Composition of Portland Cement
Name of the ingredients % Composition

Lime ( CaO) 60-67

Silica (SiO2) 17-25
Alumina (Al2O3) 3-8
Iron Oxide (Fe2O3) 2-4
Manufacturing of Portland Cement
Raw Materials: Limestone, Clay, Laterite &
Gypsum
Mixing of Raw Materials:
Raw Materials are extracted from Quarry and then crushed
into small size ( 80 mm) in a crusher.
The material after crushing is stored in the form of pile in
storage yard.
Continued
Grinding of Raw Materials:
Raw Materials are then grinded to fine powder in vertical
mills.
The moisture present in raw mix is also reduced to
minimum value with help of hot Gases.
The separation of coarse and fine particles takes place in
Vertical mills.
The fine particles are then transported and stored in Silos.
Continued
Pre Heating:
Pre heating of the raw meal is carried out in Pre- Heater by
passing it through a series of cyclones.
The moisture present in raw meal is removed and the
material is pre heated.
Continued
Calcination:
About 90-95 % of calciantion is carried out in Pre Calciner.
Here CaCO3 is decomposed into CaO and CO2.
Fuel is supplied in Pre – Calciner for decomposition of
CaCO3 into CaO and CO2.
CaCO3 CaO + CO2
Continued
Sintering:
Clinker formation occurs inside the Kiln which is a long
steel tube 5m in diameter and 78m in length lined inside
with refractory brick.
 Kiln is laid slightly at inclined position and capable of
burning at 4-5 rpm speed.
Burning of fuel is injected from outer side of kiln and while
feed is injected from inlet of kiln.
Continued
Remaining calcination is completed in calcination zone,
then clinker formation starts in burning zone which
consists of three sections.
 Upper Transition Zone
 Sintering Zone
 Lower Transition Zone
Clinker consists of four constituents
Continued
Clinker consists of four constituents
 Tricalcium Silicate ( C3S)
 Dicalcium Silicate (C2S)
 Tricalcium Aluminate (C3A)
 Tetracalcium Aluminoferite (C4AF)
Continued
In the lower part of the kiln where the temperature is 1400-
1500 C, CaO, SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 react with each other
to form hard grayish stone called Clinker.
3CaO+SiO 3CaO.SiO2 (45%)
2CaO+SiO2 2CaO.SiO2
3CaO+Al2O3 3CaO.Al2O3
4CaO+Al2O3+Fe2O3 4CaO.Al2O3.Fe2O3
Continued
Clinker Cooling:
Clinker is the cooled by passing through cooler.
Cooling is performed by supplying fresh air through
cooling fans installed at cooler.
Roller Crusher is also installed in the cooler for crushing
large sized Clinker into optimum size (20-25mm).
The Clinker after cooling is stored in clinker dome or in
open atmosphere.
Continued
Clinker Grinding:
Clinker Grinding is carried out in Ball mill or vertical
mills installed at the plant.
Gypsum (3-5%) is also added as additive ( acts as a
retarder during setting of cement).
The finely grinded material is then sent to cement
silos for storage and is then packed and transported.
Cement Manufacturing Flowchart
Raw Materials
Limestone
Quarrying Process Crushing Process
Clay
Laterite

Clinkerization and Pre- Heating and

Clinker Cooling Calcination Raw Mix Grinding

Clinker & Gypsum Cement Storage

Grinding Cement Transport
and Packing
Setting & Hardening of Cement
When cement is mixed with water, it absorbs water.
Initially it results in formation of gel which gradually
becomes very hard & resistant to pressure. This is known as
setting and hardening of cement.
It mainly occurs due to hydration and hydrolysis of calcium
aluminate and calcium silicate.
Role of Cementing Materials
1) Gypsum : Initial setting time retarder
2) Silica/CaO: Imparts Strength
3) Alumina: Imparts strength, makes the cement quick
setting.
4) Fe2O3: Impart Grey color, strength & hardness
5) SO3: Imparts soundness
6) Alkalies (MgO, Na2O, K2O): Lower the clinkering
temperature.
Refractories
Firebricks for furnances and ovens. Have High silicon or
aluminium oxide content.
Bricks product are used in manufacturing plant for iron
and steel ,non ferrous metals ,glass, cement, ceramics and
energy conversion, petroleum and chemical industries.
Used to provide thermal protection of other materials in
very high temprature application steel making, cement
manufacturing, metal foundry operation etc.
Continued
They are usually composed of alumina(Tm=2050 C) and
silica along other oxides MgO(Tm=2850 C), Fe2O3, TiO2
etc and have intrinsic porosity typically greater than 10 %
by volume.
Properties of Refractory
Any material can be described as a refractory if it can
withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids, liquids
or gases at high temprature
The various combination of operating conditons in which
refractory are used make it necessary to manufacture
arrange of refractory materials for different properties
Refractory materials are made in varying combination and
shapes dependent on their applications, general
requirements of refractory material are ,
Continued
Withstand high temperatures
Withstand sudden changes of temperatures
Withstand action of molten metal/slag glass, hot gases
etc.
Withstand load at service conditions
Withstand load and abrasive forces
Conserve heat
Have low coefficient of thermal expansion
Should not contaminate the material with which it comes
into contact.
Classification of refractory
Fireclay refractory:
Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material.
It is used extensively in iron and steel industry, non-
ferrous metallurgy, glass industry, pottery kilns, cement
industry
Fireclay refractory such as firebricks, siliceous fireclays and
aluminous. Clay refractory consist of aluminium silicates
with varying silica content of up to 78% and alumina
content of up to 44%.
These bricks are used in furnaces, kilns and stoves because
the materials are widely available and inexpensive.
Continued
High Alumina Refractory:
Alumina silicate refractory containing more than 45%
alumina are considered as high alumina material. The
alumina concentration ranges from 45- 100%.
Refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with
increase in alumina %.
Application of high alumina refractories include Hearth
and shaft of blast furnace, ceramic kilns, cement kilns,
glass tanks and crucibles for melting wide range of metals.
Continued
Silica Bricks:
It is a refractory that contains at least 93% of SiO 2.The
raw material is quality rocks.
Various grades of silica bricks have found extensive use in the
iron and steel melting furnaces and glass industry.
Advantages: The outstanding property of silica bricks is that
it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion
point is approached. This behavior contrast with that of many
other refractories e.g alumina silicate materials begin to fuse
and creep at temperature more than their fusion points.
Continued
High Resistant to thermal shocks
High Refractoriness
Flux and slag Resistance
Volume stability
Continued
Magnesite:
Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials,
containing at least 80% magnesium oxide. They are made from
naturally occurring Magnesite ( MgCO3).
The properties of Magnesite refractories depend on the
concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures.
Good quality Magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratios
of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration,
particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in
oxidizing & reducing conditions.
The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich
slags.
Continued
Chromite Refractories:
Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished.
Chrome-Magnesite Refractories, which usually contain 15-
35% chromite and 42-50% of MgO. They are made in wide
range of qualities and are used for building the critical
parts of high temperature furnaces. These materials can
withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high
refractoriness.
Continued
Magnesite-chromite refractories which contains at least
60% MgO and 8-18% chromite. They are suitable for
service at the highest temperatures and for contact with the
most basic slags used in steel melting.
Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance
than chrome-magnesite.
Continued
Zirconia Refractories:
Zirconium dioxide is a polymorphic material.
It is essential to stabilize it before application as a
refractory, which is achieved by incorporating small
quantities of calcium, magnesium and cerium oxide etc. Its
properties depends mainly on the degree of stabilization,
quantity of stabilization and quality of original raw
material.
Zirconia refractory have a very high strength at room
temperature which is maintained up to temperature as
high as 1500 C.
Therefore they are useful as temperature constriction
materials in furnaces and Kilns.
Thermal conductivity of Zirconium dioxide is much lower
than other refractories and the material is therefore used as
a temperature insulating refractory.
Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react
readily with the liquid metals, and is particularly useful for
making refractory crucibles and other vessels for
metallurgical purposes. Glass furnaces use zirconia because
it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react
easily with glass.
Continued
Oxide Refractories (Alumina):
Alumina refractory materials that consists of aluminium
oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure
aluminum.
Alumina is one of the most stable chemical oxides known.
It is mechanically very strong, insoluble in water, super
heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies.
It is highly resistant in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere.
Continued
Aluminium is extensively used in heat processing
industries. High porous alumina is used for lining furnaces
operating up to 1850 C.
Its properties make it suitable for shaping of crucibles for
fusing sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and sodium
peroxide.
Continued
Monolithics:
These are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such
as a ladle. They are rapidly replacing the conventional type
fired refractories in many application including industrial
furnaces.
Main advantage of monolitic are elimination of joints
which is a inherent weakness.
 faster application method.
Special Skills for installation not required.
Ease of transportation and handling.
Continued
Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs
Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate
specials shapes.
Heat Saving
Better spoiling resistance
Greater Volume stability
Monolithic are put into place using various methods, such
as ramming, casting, gunniting, spraying and sand slinging.
 End

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