WORLD CEMENT

®
March 2013

March 2013

Increased productivity at a push of a button?

Naturally.

ABB’s cpmPlus Expert Optimizer helps plant operators meet production, operational
and quality objectives. To profitably run a cement plant, the users have to take
complex decisions in real time to meet business targets and process constraints.
Every decision made has an immediate effect on the whole production process. Thus
it is essential to monitor the processes continuously and consider all data before
making a decision. cpmPlus Expert Optimizer is ABB’s advanced process control
platform that assists you in achieving industry-leading productivity. For more
information, visit us at www.abb.com/cement
www.worldcement.com

Global Product Group Cement

5405 Baden 5 Dättwil, Switzerland
E-mail: minerals@ch.abb.com

OFC_WCT_March2013.indd 1 21/02/2013 14:44

Advanced process control with cpmPlus Expert Optimizer
Advanced process
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process with with
control cpmPlus Expert
cpmPlus Optimizer
Expert Optimizer

The cement industry today is facing many challenges: Producing high-quality

cement, sustainably improving production while keeping costs low and
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IFC_WCT_March2013.indd 2 21/02/2013 14:42
 Increased productivity at a push of a button?
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us at www.abb.com/cement

Global Product Group Cement

5405 Baden 5 Dättwil, Switzerland
E-mail: minerals@ch.abb.com
Global Product
Global Group
ProductCement
Group Cement
5405 Baden
54055 Dättwil,
Baden 5Switzerland
Dättwil, Switzerland
E-mail: minerals@ch.abb.com
E-mail: minerals@ch.abb.com

IFC_WCT_March2013.indd 3 21/02/2013 08:31

14:42
ANUNCIO Estanda A4.indd 2 1
02_WCT_March2013.indd 07/02/13 11:55
25/02/2013 10:18
 March 2013
t Optimizer WORLD CEMENT

CONTENTS
®
cing high-quality
March 2013

s low and
cessfully you need March 2013
with our innovative
ng productivity.
ol application
nt production lines

ver far away — our life cycle

ent it is impossible for anyone to

and processes. Therefore, ABB
packages to provide maximum
our installation. This includes ABB
ficient technical and engineering
days/year) or maintenance of
pplications — including an on-site

Plus Expert Optimizer 7.0, a

oftware, with new user-friendly
Increased productivity at a push of a button?
WORLD CEMENT REGULARS
n-linear Model Predictive Control
supports and enhances the
maintain applications on his
Naturally.

[07] Guest Comment

QR code reader on your mobile

y Generic Expert Optimizer brochure

ABB’s cpmPlus Expert Optimizer helps plant operators meet production, operational
and quality objectives. To profitably run a cement plant, the users have to take [09] Comment
[11] News
complex decisions in real time to meet business targets and process constraints.
Every decision made has an immediate effect on the whole production process. Thus
it is essential to monitor the processes continuously and consider all data before
making a decision. cpmPlus Expert Optimizer is ABB’s advanced process control
platform that assists you in achieving industry-leading productivity. For more

[19] Keynote: Cement Grinding – VRM or

information, visit us at www.abb.com/cement
www.worldcement.com

Global Product Group Cement

5405 Baden 5 Dättwil, Switzerland
E-mail: minerals@ch.abb.com
Ball Mill?
Mark Mutter, JAMCEM, UK, tackles the question of
ball mills vs VRMs for cement grinding.
OFC_WCT_March2013.indd 1 21/02/2013 14:44

[83] Product News

This month’s [88] 15 Facts...
front cover REGIONAL REPORT: CHINA
[24] China’s Urbanisation Challenge
ABB releases cpmPlus Expert Paul Maxwell-Cook takes a look at the challenges facing
Optimizer 7.0, a new version of its China’s cement industry and its new leadership.
proven software for the deployment
of advanced process control
applications to increase product TAKING CARE OF THE KILN
quality, energy efficiency and [31] Tailor-Made Refractory Solutions
productivity in the cement industry.
Denis Franc, Refractory Coach at the Lafarge Europe Technical
The software operates cement
Center, France, reviews a project to solve refractory failure at
plants more stably and efficiently by
coordinating actions on the process
the Aberthaw plant.
such as rotational speed, fuels or [35] Faster Kiln Heat-Ups
chemical additives. It maximises Dr Volker Wagner, Calderys Group, and Michael Louen,
overall plant efficiency by looking at
Calderys Deutschland GmbH, discuss the application of quick
the interactions between variables
drying refractory linings to enable faster kiln heating.
and makes decisions according to the
plant goals.

www.worldcement.com

Palladian Publications Ltd

15 South Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7QU,
FEATURED ARTICLES
ENGLAND
Tel +44 (0)1252 718999
Fax +44 (0)1252 718992
Email: mail@worldcement.com
Website: www.worldcement.com

Volume 44: Number 3

World Cement
March 2013 ISSN 0263 6050
[March 13] |3
03-06_WCT_March2013.indd 3 22/02/2013 11:34
 CONTACTS
Managing Editor James Little
james.little@worldcement.com

Editor Katherine Guenioui

katherine.guenioui@worldcement.com

Editorial Assistant Louise Fordham

louise.fordham@worldcement.com

Contributing Editor Paul Maxwell-Cook

pmc@worldcement.com

Production Natalie Callow

natalie.callow@worldcement.com

Advertisement Director Rod Hardy

rod.hardy@worldcement.com

Advertisement Manager Ian Lewis

ian.lewis@worldcement.com

Advertisement Executive Paul Heyworth

paul.heyworth@worldcement.com

Website Editor Callum O’Reilly

callum.oreilly@worldcement.com

Circulation Manager Victoria McConnell

victoria.mcconnell@worldcement.com

Subscriptions Laura Cowell

laura.cowell@worldcement.com

Reprint/Marketing Assistant Catherine Gower

catherine.gower@worldcement.com

Publisher Nigel Hardy 67

[Turn to
SUBSCRIPTION page 47]
RATES A high performance
instrument with
Annual subscription (published monthly): £160 UK including
postage/£175 (E260) overseas (postage airmail)/US$260
79 enhanced spatial and
thermal resolution is a
USA/Canada (postage airmail).
Two year subscription (published monthly): £256 UK
including postage/£280 (E416) overseas (postage
must.
airmail)/US$416
USA/Canada (postage airmail).
Claims for non receipt of issues must be made within
4 months of publication of the issue or they will not be
honoured without charge.
Applicable only to USA and Canada
WORLD CEMENT (ISSN No: 0263-6050, USPS No: 020-
996) is published monthly by Palladian Publications and
distributed in the
USA by SPP, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831.
Periodicals postage paid at New Brunswick, NJ.
POSTMASTER:
send address changes to WORLD CEMENT, 17B S
Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831.
Copyright© Palladian Publications Ltd 2013. All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the
copyright owner. All views expressed in this journal are
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the opinions of the publisher, neither do the publishers
endorse any of the claims made in the articles or the
advertisements.
Uncaptioned Images courtesy of www.bigstockphoto.com
Printed in the UK.

03-06_WCT_March2013.indd 4 22/02/2013 11:34

 March 2013
CONTENTS

41

[39] Back-Up Bricks ADDITIVES

David Datukashvili and Pavel Lebedev, Skamol RUS
LLC, and Leo F. Juhl and Peter H. Trane, Skamol A/S,
Denmark, discuss the benefits of rotary kiln insulation.
[41] Work From the Bottom
Keith Post, Bricking Solutions, talks us through
his wealth of experience on matters of proper
refractory installation.
[47] The Big Thermal Picture
Gildas Chauval, HGH, France, presents the
benefits of a large field of view thermal scanner
and a case study from the E-Sheng cement plant.
[67] Opening Up to Optimisation
Keith Marsay and Mike Sumner, Grace
Construction Products, UK, explore the
application of modern cement additives in
open circuit mill systems.
[75] Spot the Difference
P. Recchi, M. Magistri and P. Forni, Mapei Spa,
Italy, outline the development of an
alkanolamine-based grinding aid with low
iron-staining effect.

Q&A
[52] Consultant Q&A
Recently, World Cement challenged a selection of
consultants with four pressing cement industry issues.
Representatives from Penta, PEG, Jamcem, CPI and
Cemcon rose to the occasion.
NANOTECHNOLOGY
[79] Nanotechnology’s Strong
Potential
Dr Armando García Luna discusses
the applications and practicalities of
nanotechnology in the construction industry.

World Cement
[March 13] |5
03-06_WCT_March2013.indd 5 22/02/2013 11:34
 A new
century dawns!
In our calendar the year 2013 marks the beginning
of the second century. This fills us with pride and
motivates us to develop as many new things as over
the past 100 years.

MAAG TM drive systems for the mineral and cement

industry provide maximum efficiency combined with
the utmost reliability. Because ultimately only
one thing counts for our customers: increasing
productivity. Set out with us – into a new century.

Watch the firework using the QR code

and visit us on:
www.FLSmidthMaagGear.com/anniversary

03-06_WCT_March2013.indd 6 25/02/2013 10:19


Ted Richardson, Director, Columbus Office, EDG, Inc.
tkrichardson@edg.net
My first
year as
Chairman
of the IEEE/
IAS Cement
Industry Committee is shaping up to be an extraordinary
year as our committee and the industry evolves to meet
the challenges set before us. As we look to the future,
our committee, as well as the technical conference co-
sponsor, the Portland Cement Association’s Education
Foundation, and the cement producer member companies
that comprise the PCA, are focusing on the major
environmental, technology and employee issues with
which we are faced. We believe now is the time, along
with our international colleagues, vendors and suppliers,
to reflect upon where we have been, and to plan for the
future of the industry.
As an example of the conference’s broad appeal,
32 countries were represented at last year’s conference.
For those of you who have attended recent conferences,
you will have noticed a full, fast paced programme and
this style has expanded even further for this year’s event.
We hope that those of you who have never attended, or
have not recently attended, will join us at this premier
event to expand your understanding of the cement
industry.
The 55th annual IEEE/IAS – PCA Cement Industry
Technical Conference, being held from 14 – 18 April at
Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Resort, in Orlando, Florida,
USA, will likely be remembered as one of the most
unique conferences ever held by our combined resources.
A synopsis of the conference is provided below. We
believe this conference, perhaps more so than any other
cement industry conference in the world, provides a
comprehensive viewpoint, educational opportunities and
knowledge transfer concerning nearly all aspects of the
industry. Individuals can view more details, or register at:
www.ieeepcaconference.org
The programme begins on Monday with five tutorials.
Attendees choosing to participate in one of these
programmes can do so at no additional charge.
Tuesday and Wednesday, also included in the
registration fee, will be a mix of concurrent and non-
concurrent sessions, featuring:
07-08_WCT_March2013.indd 7
March 2013
GUEST
COMMENT
 Two economic perspectives presented on the North
American and the global cement market.
 A primary technical session comprised of 26 technical
papers and three panel discussions. The IEEE working
groups will be presenting panel discussions on
sustainability, waste heat recovery and roller press
technology for clinker grinding. Paper topics include
workplace safety, power generation and distribution
issues, a variety of environmental related papers,
timely drives and related products presentations,
and a number of papers concerning recycling of raw
materials and alternate fuels.
 A PCA sponsored half-day session, including an
address by the Chairman of the PCA, a review of the
work done by MIT on concrete sustainability, and a
workshop related to attracting, hiring, training, and
retaining employees while facing continued pressures
to control costs. Panelists will focus on workforce
development:
 Defining potential career paths with industry-
recognised credentials.
 A job skills assessment system for selection,
recruitment, training and retention of employees.
This will include organisational guidelines and
benchmarks for employee selection and development.
 Qualify the level of knowledge necessary for
maintenance and reliability and their integration and
application in the workplace. This will include the
role of international affiliations, as well as domestic
public and private partnerships to support a body
of knowledge needed for those who use such a
programme.
Thursday, departing from the traditional plant tour
day, and in conjunction with the Disney Institute, we
are offering three unique learning experiences. These
presentations are comprised of half-day workshops
centred on one of our most important resources: human
capital. Topics covered will be: Approach to Leadership
Excellence, Approach to Quality Service and the unique
Business Behind the Magic. All are designed to enable your
organisation to see firsthand how business theory drives
operational excellence.
We trust that this wide-ranging programme will
challenge many levels of your company’s employees and
we look forward to seeing you in Orlando.
World Cement
[March 13] |7
21/02/2013 12:09
 ACCORDING TO OUR RESEARCH, THIS
WONDERFUL INDUSTRIAL PLANT
SHOULD BE CALLED A BEETLE
OR BETTER A SWISS

WATCH
Now it’s time for our grinding technology. For further information please call
+49 211 53 53 0 or visit www.loesche.com

07-08_WCT_March2013.indd 8 21/02/2013 12:09

1205557_LOESCHE_AZ_A4_01_watch.indd 1 18.09.12 17:35

Katherine Guenioui, Editor
katherine.guenioui@worldcement.com
Some of
you may
have seen
the small news item from
Casper, Wyoming, last month
telling of Michael Palmer’s
award for research into green cement. No? Well that may be
because Michael Palmer is an eighth grade student and the
award was at a county science fair. Michael’s project involved
testing four samples of cement – OPC as well as a variety
of ‘green’ cement mixes – to see which could withstand the
greatest amount of pressure. Michael told the Casper Journal
that he hopes his green cement mix, which incorporated flyash
and glass, will one day replace Portland cement. Somebody
give that kid a job.
I have written before about the difficulty of attracting
engineers into the cement industry, and indeed attracting
students to engineering. This is an international problem, but
it is especially going to hit emerging markets where industry
is growing more rapidly than the pool of skilled workers.
Currently, 11% of China’s labour force are college graduates,
but, according to a study by McKinsey Global Institute, that is
still going to leave China short of 23 million college-educated
workers by 2020. It is a problem caused by a combination of
factors: an ageing population; enormous growth in the service
sectors and in more skill-intensive manufacturing; the outward
migration of skilled workers; inflexible labour laws.
So how to solve this problem? In December, The Economist
published a blog on its website called ‘The great mismatch’,
Mark Mutter tackles the question of Cement
[19] Grinding: VRM or Ball Mill? in this month’s Keynote.
Paul Maxwell-Cook takes a look at China’s
[24] Urbanisation Challenge and its impact on the
cement industry.
09-10_WCT_March2013.indd 9
March 2013
EDITOR’S
COMMENT
in which the author points out that the goals of education
and employment need to be better aligned: ‘educators and
employers operate in parallel universes…a big part of the
solution lies in bringing these two universes together, obliging
educators to step into employers’ shoes, employers to step
into educators’, and students to move between the two’. In
accordance with this, the author suggests a ‘revamp’ of the
vocational education system. With employers on board,
such a system could be a win-win. For example, looking at
Germany, which has had huge success with its vocational
programmes, Haver & Boecker and Siemens are working with
the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences to offer
extra-occupational degree courses in Oelde. Bachelor degrees
in Arts and Engineering can be fitted around apprenticeships
and existing jobs. Haver & Boecker has further extended its
relationship with the university by establishing a joint research
agreement, which will offer students in Oelde the opportunity
to participate in product development. The company benefits
from an increase in skilled workers; the student benefits from
the practical experience gained during the course.
This experience, one could argue, is as valuable as the
degree itself. For students entering the world of work, it is
common to see recruitment adverts stipulating a certain
level of work experience that recent graduates are unlikely to
have. Perhaps for some jobs, the actual degree isn’t nearly as
necessary as you might think, in which case apprenticeships
could be the way forward. In the meantime, the challenge
for the cement industry will be to manage the skills gap
as experienced workers retire and newcomers (perhaps
Michael Palmer) enter the workforce.
Denis Franc discusses a Tailor-Made Refractory Solution
[31] for the Aberthaw plant.
World Cement poses four challenging questions in the
[52] Consultant Q&A.
World Cement
[March 13] |9
21/02/2013 12:11
 anunciocemengal.pdf 1 07/02/13 11:52

CM

MY

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CMY

GRIND
PLUG by Cem en gal

www.plugandgrind.com www.cemengal.com

09-10_WCT_March2013.indd 10 21/02/2013 12:11


[Zimbabwe] PPC subsidiary to build
1 million tpa cement plant
PPC’s Zimbabwe subsidiary, Portland Holdings Ltd
(PHL) plans to set up a new 1 million tpa cement plant in
the country to supply the markets in Harare and central
Mozambique. A preliminary study and exploratory drilling
have been carried out in Mashonaland province. A full-
scale feasibility study will now begin and an equipment
supplier chosen. A separate grinding facility will also
be constructed in the neighbouring territory of Tete,
Mozambique. Plans for the Zimbabwe plant, which were
announced at PHL’s centenary celebrations, form part of
PPC’s aim of increasing its non-South African revenue
from 21% to 40% by 2016.
[Europe] CRH awards software contract
to ABB
CRH Europe Materials has awarded a contract to ABB
for the supply of process optimisation solutions to 12 of
its plants across Europe and the US. As a member of the
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD) Cement Sustainability Initiative, CRH has set out
to meet certain environmental targets pertaining to CO2
and climate protection, emissions, fuels and raw materials.
ABB will provide cpmPlus Knowledge Manager software
to automate the collection of data used to calculate key
performance indicators, a process that was previously
carried out individually and sometimes manually. The
software will collect the information centrally from a
regional server.
Installation and commissioning began last year and
will continue in 2013. The initial installation process has
been completed in three cement plants thus far. The scope
of the contract includes software licenses, engineering and
commissioning.
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11-18_WCT_March2013.indd 11
March 2013
WORLD
NEWS
[UK] Emissions strategy established to
2050
The Mineral Products Association (MPA), representing
cement manufacturers in the UK, has published its
strategy for reducing emissions. The plan aims to cut
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 81% by 2050, against
the 1990 Kyoto Protocol baseline year. This proposal sets
out a slightly higher target than the UK government’s aim
to reduce GHG emissions by 80%.
The proposed measures for meeting the MPA’s target
include:
 Reducing cement clinker levels in finished cements
with low carbon substitutes.
 Lower carbon cements, which contain less
‘embodied’ CO2.
 Increased use of waste derived fuels in place of
traditional fossil fuels.
 The use of carbon neutral biomass fuels.
 Cutting transport emissions.
 Enhancing plant efficiency.
 The decarbonisation of the electricity sector.
 Carbon capture and storage to be implemented
when technically and economically viable.
The MPA has stressed that a reduction of 81% will only
be achievable if other bodies, including the government,
are able to aid measures outside of the cement industry’s
control, such as carbon capture and the decarbonisation
of the electricity sector. Without such help, it has been
predicted that only a 62% reduction in GHG emissions
will be possible.
To read more
about these
articles go to:
World Cement
[March 13] | 11
22/02/2013 10:59
 March 2013
WORLD
NEWS
[Worldwide]
[Worldwide] Lafarge Italcementi’s revenue
sees sales increase by comes in at e4.48 billion
3.5% in 2012

Lafarge saw its sales rise
by 3.5% to e15.8 billion in
its year-to-date results as
of 31 December 2012. The
increase was driven by price
actions taken in response to
cost inflation and growth
in the emerging markets.
Operating income also
increased for the Group, rising by 12% to e2.44 billion,
while EBITDA grew by 7% to e3.45 billion. Over 75%
of EBITDA for the year was generated by the group’s
operations outside of Europe, where low construction
activity levels and poor weather conditions in 1Q12 and
4Q12 affected results. EBITDA fell by 22% in Central and
Eastern Europe and by 17% in Western Europe. However,
it increased by 37% in Asia and 27% in North America.
Performance was also positive in Latin America and in the
Middle East and Africa, where EBITDA was up by 20% and
9%, respectively.
Growth in Latin America, Asia and areas of the Middle
East and Africa helped to mitigate the impact of the
economic downturn in Europe on sales volumes to some
extent. Cement sales volumes dropped by 2% on a like-
for-like basis from 145.3 million t in 2011 to 141.1 million t
in 2012. Sales of aggregates fell from 192.7 million t to
188.3 million t, and ready-mix concrete declined by 2% on
a like-for-like basis to 31.8 million m3.
Meanwhile, net debt decreased by e0.9 billion in 4Q12,
falling to e11.3 billion. The Group aims to reduce net debt
to less than e10 billion this year.
The Italcementi Group saw its
consolidated revenue decline
by 3.8% to e4.48 billion in
2012, as the effects of the financial crisis in industrialised
countries continued to impact the construction sector.
In Central and Western Europe, revenue fell by 9.8%,
although it increased in Asia and North America by
14.2% and 8.5%, respectively. Total cement and clinker
revenue came in at e2.9 billion, down 3% from the
e2.99 billion achieved in 2011. Revenue for aggregates
and ready-mix concrete dropped by 7.8% to e1.28 billion.
Consolidated cement and clinker sales volumes
declined by 6.6% to 45.9 million t. Volumes were hit
by falling sales in France/Belgium, as well as low
consumption levels in Italy. The impact of new operators
in Egypt also contributed to declining volumes, with
sales down by 5.4% in the country. Cement and clinker
sales fell by 16.1% to 16 million t in Central and Western
Europe and by 4.5% in Emerging Europe, North Africa
and the Middle East. However, sales were up by 0.3%
in North America to 4.2 million t and by 8.8% in Asia,
where 10.1 million t of cement and clinker was sold. Sales
volumes of ready-mix concrete came in at 12.9 million m3,
down 10.8% from 2011 but with increases in markets
outside of Central and Western Europe. Aggregates also
fell by 10.8%, down to 34 million t, although there was
growth of 11.5% in North America and 6.6% in Emerging
Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Net financial debt improved by around e100 million,
aided by the successful control of cash flow and a
rigorous investment policy that focused on efficiency.

14 – 18 April 2013 15 – 21 April 2013 23 – 25 April 2013

IEEE-IAS/PCA Conference bauma POWTECH
Orlando, FL, USA Munich, Germany Exhibition Centre Nuremberg
www.ieeepcaconference.org www.bauma.de www.powtech.de

24 – 26 April 2013 28 April – 1 May 2013 10 – 13 September 2013

Cementtech 2013 ICMA Conference UNITECR 2013
Beijing, China Chicago, USA Victoria, BC Canada
www.cementtech.org www.cemmicro.org www.unitecr2013.org

World Cement
12 | [March 13]

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 March 2013
WORLD
NEWS
[Turn to page 19]
to read about the comparative
advantages of the ball mill and the
vertical roller mill.
[Worldwide] Cemex’s operating
EBITDA up 10% y/y
Cemex has reported that net sales for full-year 2012
decreased by 2% y/y to US$15 billion, while operating
EBITDA increased by 10% y/y to reach US$2.6 billion.
Net operating earnings before other expenses came in at
US$1.3 billion in 2012, up 35% from the previous year.
In the majority of the markets in which Cemex operates,
demand was mainly driven by the infrastructure and
residential sectors.
In 4Q12, operating EBITDA grew by 13% y/y
to US$611 million and net sales remained stable at
US$3.7 billion. During the quarter, net sales increased
in Asia, the US and South and Central America and
the Caribbean, by 12%, 11% and 16% y/y, respectively.
Results were less positive in Northern Europe and the
Mediterranean, where net sales declined by 8% y/y
in both regions in 4Q12. EBITDA fell by 2% y/y to
US$80 million in Northern Europe and by 12% y/y to
US$82 million in the Mediterranean. In Mexico, net
sales were up by 2% from US$818 million in 4Q11 to
US$832 million in 4Q12. However, operating EBITDA was
down by 4% y/y to US$297 million.
Cemex Latam Holdings S.A. (CLH) saw net sales
rise by 25% to US$1.6 billion in 2012 on a pro forma
basis, while operating EBITDA increased by 44% to
reach US$548 million. In 4Q12, net sales were up by 23%
to US$404 million and operating EBITDA came in at
US$141 million, 38% higher than in 2011. The growth in
sales has been attributed to rising sales volumes, as well
as higher prices in local currency terms.
On a regional basis, net sales increased by 28% in
Colombia, from US$183 million in 4Q11 to US$235 million
in 4Q12. Operating EBITDA grew by 62% to reach
US$106 million. A positive performance was also reported
in Panama during the quarter, where net sales increased
by 17% to US$68 million and operating EBITDA rose by
21%. In Costa Rica, net sales were up 25% compared to
4Q11 and operating EBITDA grew by 22%, coming in at
US$12 million for 4Q12.
World Cement
14 | [March 13]
11-18_WCT_March2013.indd 14
[India] HeidelbergCement completes
commissioning of expansion projects
HeidelbergCement has completed expansion projects at
three sites in Central India. At the Narsingarh plant in
Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, clinker capacity has risen to
3.1 million tpa from a previous 1.2 million tpa. In addition,
a 20 km overland conveyor belt has been constructed to
transport limestone from the quarry to the site. Narsingarh
supplies clinker to HeidelbergCement’s Jhansi and Imlai
plants. Imlai, which is also located in Damoh, saw its
cement grinding capacity double to 2 million tpa, while
cement capacity at the Jhansi plant, Uttar Pradesh, rose
from 0.8 million tpa to 2.7 million tpa.
Commissioning was concluded following successful
trial runs in November 2012 – January 2013. Capital
expenditure for the expansion plans totalled e216 million.
As a result of the projects, HeidelbergCement’s subsidiary,
HeidelbergCement India Ltd, has increased its cement
production capacity from 3.1 million tpa to 6 million tpa.
[Germany] Loesche acquires majority
stake in aixprocess and aixergee
Loesche GmbH has acquired majority stakes in German-
based engineering companies aixprocess GmbH and
aixergee GmbH, thereby strengthening its optimised
process and systems offerings for international customers.
aixprocess GmbH develops modelling and computation
technologies for the simulation of complex processes, in
particular for reactive multi-phase flows. It has provided
solutions for power plants and process engineering
industries worldwide for over a decade. Specialising in
production process optimisation, aixergee GmbH provides
solutions to the cement industry through a combination of
customised numerical computation methods and industry-
specific knowledge. The company is well established
within the fields of alternative fuel firing, performance
improvement, reducing emissions and stabilising plant
operations.
22/02/2013 10:59
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 March 2013
WORLD
NEWS
[Worldwide] Loesche to deliver grinding equipment to Dangote and Spenner Zement
Loesche has received further orders to supply grinding
equipment to Dangote Industries PLC. The contracts were
awarded by Sinoma International Co. Ltd, which is acting
on behalf of Dangote.
Loesche will provide the Dangote plants with metal
detectors and mill rotary feeders, in addition to the mills
and mill motors. The supply is split between Loesche key
parts as well as a Chinese manufactured portion arranged
by Sinoma International under Loesche’s supervision.
Dangote’s new grinding terminal in Douala,
Cameroon, will receive a Loesche mill type LM 53.3+3C
with a mill motor capacity of 4600 kW to grind clinker
with components such as gypsum, limestone and
pozzolan. For clinker type CEM I A-L 42.5, the mill will
have a product rate of 155 – 168 tph at 3200 Blaine. For
Lagan Cement Group Ltd and Quinn Building
Products Ltd have ended discussions regarding
the possibility of a joint venture, which would have
involved a range of their cement and building products
businesses. The companies had signed a Memorandum
of Understanding about the proposal in December 2012.
HGH is to sell its 1000th kiln shell thermal scanner this
year. In 2012, 100 kilnscans were delivered on schedule.
McLanahan Corporation has acquired the assets of US-
based Eagle Iron Works, which provides washing and
beneficiating equipment such as sand classifying tanks
and screw washers. Eagle Iron works will remain at its
current location in Des Moines, Iowa, and will preserve
its own market identity.
CarbonCure has appointed Kevin Cail as Chief
Technology Officer. In his new role, Cail will lead the
company’s R&D activities. CarbonCure has recently
moved location to a larger facility in Dartmouth, USA,
in order to enhance its research and development
capacity for technical and material testing.
World Cement
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11-18_WCT_March2013.indd 16
The VRM will grind local and
imported steam coal at a rate
of 50 tph with a fineness of
12% R DIN 0.09 mm.
clinker type CEM II 32.5, the product rate will stand at
230 tph at 3600 Blaine. Due to high feed moisture, the
mill feed will be separated into a wet string (pozzolan
and gypsum) and a dry string (clinker and reject). The
grinding equipment is due to be delivered in early
2014.
Loesche will supply four mills to Dangote’s new
grinding plant in Menagasha, Ethiopia, which are
also scheduled for delivery at the beginning of 2014.
An LM 69.6 will grind cement raw material at a rate
of 450 tph to a maximum of 490 tph, with a fineness
of 10% R DIN 0.09 mm. A 6000 kW mill motor will
drive the unit. For coal grinding, an LM 28.3D with an
800 kW capacity motor will be installed. The VRM will
grind local and imported steam coal at a rate of 50 tph
with a fineness of 12% R DIN 0.09 mm. The final two
mills will be type LM 53.3+3C with a motor capacity of
4650 kW. These will be installed to grind clinker with
components such as gypsum, limestone and pumice.
In Nigeria, three Loesche mills are due to be delivered
to Obajana 4 at the end of 2013. These include two
LM 63.3+3C mills with a mill motor capacity of 6300 kW.
These mills will grind clinker type CEM I A-L 42.5 at a
rate of 310 tph at 3200 Blaine and CEM II 32.5 at a rate of
335 – 360 tph at 3200 – 3500 Blaine. An LM 69.4 will grind
cement raw material at a rate of 450 tph (to a maximum
of 540 tph) with a fineness of 10% R DIN 0.09 mm. The
motor capacity of the LM 69.4 will be 4300 kW.
In Germany, Spenner Zement has awarded Loesche
a contract for the supply and construction of a slag
grinding plant. The plant will be erected near to the
Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann steel plant in
Duisburg, with commissioning set for 1Q14. The scope
of supply consists of the complete grinding equipment
for the plant, from the slag conveying and dosing system
to the inlet of the product bucket elevator, including the
mill, hot gas generator, product bag filter and process
equipment. Loesche will also carry out engineering,
delivery and construction work. Loesche Automation
will provide electrical equipment and the automation
system.
The mill will be type LM 46.2+2, which, along
with two masters and two support rollers, will have a
throughput of 70 tph slag powder (dry base), at up to
5000 Blaine. A 2800 kW electric motor will drive the mill.
The plant will have a slag grinding capacity of more than
300 000 tpa.
22/02/2013 10:59
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 UBE VERTICAL MILL| Search

1980, Kogushi Okinoyama, Ube city, Yamaguchi Prefecture 755-8633 Japan

Tel: +81-836-22-6293, Fax: +81-836-22-6489
Website: http://www.ubemachinery.co.jp/ E-Mail: umc_mill_m@ube-ind.co.jp

11-18_WCT_March2013.indd 18 22/02/2013 10:59


e n t G r i n d i n g :
C e m
M o r B a l l M i l l ?
V R
[Mark Mutter] JAMCEM, UK, tackles the question of
ball mills vs VRMs for cement grinding.
Introduction
Vertical roller mills (VRM) have become the standard
for grinding raw materials in the cement manufacturing
process. However, despite the fact that more than
10 years has passed since the installation of the first
VRM for clinker grinding was almost completed, many
cement producers are still favouring ball mills for
cement production when designing new integrated
cement plants or grinding plants. The industry has
failed to fully adapt to this technological development,
which offers significant energy savings, as it did with
other technical developments such as the precalciner
kiln or high efficiency coolers.
Whilst it might be considered that the transfer of
technology between raw milling and cement milling
should be relatively simple, it should be remembered
that there are a number of differences in the two
applications, including:
 The cement raw materials fed to a VRM – clinker,
gypsum and other additives – are harder, finer and
contain less moisture than the raw materials for
kiln feed.
 Cement has to be ground finer than raw meal.
 The final product quality for cement grinding is
much more stringent – in raw milling the main
19-23_WCT_March2013.indd 19
March 2013
KEYNOTE
physical parameter that is measured is the 90 µm
residue, whereas in cement the particle size
distribution, the surface area and the residue are
extremely important.
Equipment suppliers have worked hard to develop
the VRM concept for cement grinding and some of
these developments are explained within this article.
In addition to this, some of the different considerations
that a cement producer should take when making their
decision on mill type, such as maintenance investment
costs, are outlined.
First principles of grinding
Ball mills and vertical mills use different forces to
achieve the necessary size reduction of clinker and
gypsum plus other materials – such as pozzolan,
flyash, limestone and slag – that may also be part of
the feed to the mill. In ball milling, the size of the
material is progressively reduced through the impact
and attrition forces on the feed material as the rotation
of the mill causes the tumbling action of the grinding
media. The most common configuration for a new
ball mill is a two chamber mill, with the first chamber
generally containing media from around 90 mm to
50 mm, and the second chamber from 40 mm down
to 10 mm media. This impact and attrition continues
World Cement
[March 13] | 19
21/02/2013 12:15
 March 2013
KEYNOTE
through the length of the mill and the material becomes
progressively finer. The cement materials have a long
residence time within the mill and, as the process is
relatively random in nature, a wide range of particle
sizes will be created. However, there is little control
over the exact degree of grinding within the mill itself
apart from the various proportions of the different
sized media in the mill, which is not easy to change
on a day-to-day basis. The process is also inefficient
– energy is supplied to turn the mill shell and create
the tumbling action of the media within. This energy
is then transferred into grinding energy but due to the
interaction between the grinding media, a significant
proportion of the energy that is input into the mill is
transformed into noise and heat.
By contrast, the principle of the vertical mill is to
apply forces to a thin material bed, which lies between
the mill table and the rollers. The high pressure forces,
supplied by a hydraulic system on the rollers, cause
the individual particles within the bed to fracture.
This type of grinding is much more efficient than the
ball mill system, as much more of the input energy
is transformed into grinding the material and less
noise and heat is generated. The material has a much
shorter retention time between the table and roller
and therefore requires a number of passes between
the roller and table before the final product size is as
required. The repeat passes between the roller and the
table is easily achieved due to the fact that the vertical
mill has an internal high efficiency separator. Material
that has passed between the table and the roller is
transported in the gas stream, which passes around
the edge of the table, to the separator – with the fines
passing out of the mill and the coarse particles being
returned to the table. Due to the repeated grinding of
the material, the internal circulating load (the ratio of
material in the mill compared to fresh feed) is much
higher in a vertical mill – sometimes up to 700 – 800%.
The method of high pressure grinding in the
VRM allows more energy to be transferred to the
material and therefore reduces power consumption.
Furthermore, less energy is wasted in the creation
of noise and heat as occurs with a ball mill. The
positioning of the separator within the mill also results
in a more consistent product with less over and under-
grinding, which can be a problem within the ball mill
circuit.
A good rule of thumb is that the kWh/t for the
motor power alone is around 50% less in a vertical mill
compared to a ball mill. However, the fan power for the
VRM system is higher due to the higher recirculating
load and the location of the separator within the mill
body. Overall, when the power consumption for the
World Cement
20 | [March 13]
19-23_WCT_March2013.indd 20
two circuits are compared, power savings between
25 and 40% have been achieved, with the higher power
consumption savings being achieved at the higher
product surface area cements.
Mill operation and maintenance
Operation of a ball mill is relatively simple, with no
moving mechanical parts within the mill itself. The
system is tolerant to variations in both mill feed quality
and quantity. By contrast, the VRM is a more complex
piece of equipment with a sophisticated hydraulics
system that operates the rollers. The material bed
between the rollers and the table is thin and it is
essential that the rollers and table do not come into
contact. A variable bed of material will cause vibrations
on the mill; this effect is somewhat reduced in VRMs
grinding kiln raw materials as the feed is larger than
the cement mill feed. The moisture content on the
kiln raw materials is also higher than the cement mill
feed, which is generally dry. In order to reduce these
vibration issues and adequately prepare the material,
the rollers in the cement VRM have been modified.
In some cases, grooved rollers are used to prepare to
de-aerate the material in a low pressure zone prior to it
passing into a high pressure grinding zone where the
particles are fractured. In other cases, smaller rollers
prior to the main rollers are used to achieve the same
result.
In terms of ongoing operations, the grinding media
in a ball mill has a much higher wear rate compared to
that of the table and rollers in a VRM. With a ball mill,
it is important to monitor the performance through
axial testing, to ensure that the media grading is correct
and that there is a sufficient quantity of top-size media
in the mill to sufficiently grind the mill feed materials.
If this is not the case, ‘nibs’ (large, unground material)
will collect at the end of the first chamber and block the
slots of the mill diaphragm. However, topping up the
mill with additional media is a simple task and most
cement manufacturers will re-grade their cement mill
media on an annual basis.
The other major repairs that take place on ball
mills are to replace the liners and diaphragms and
on a VRM to replace (or turn) the rollers and replace
the table. The liners on a ball mill generally last up
to 5 years in the first chamber and as long as 8 years
in the second chamber and therefore are infrequently
changed. Diaphragm plates will require changing more
frequently, but certainly not on an annual basis. Whilst
the wear parts on a VRM will not require changing
on an annual basis, work will be required. This could
be hard-facing the roller and table or reversing the
roller segments. Eventually the wear parts will require
21/02/2013 12:15
 THAT WAS A SAMPLE OF

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