Declaration

We declare that this project, entitled as, “Production and characterization of

bricks from spent kieselguhr using oil as a removing the mould bricks from mould box” is a
result of our efforts and hard work.
Name of student ID No Signature
Midakso Bekele 0904786 ________
Samuel Melsachew 0905050 ________
Samuel shiferaw 0905051 _________

Advisor : signature_________

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 Acknowledgement

First and foremost we would like to thank the Almighty Lord, Jesus for his giving us the strength to do
this work. None of the activity is done without the will of God. Secondly we would like to express our
deepest gratitude from the bottom of our heart to instructor Adane for his endless supporting and
guidance. We would also like to thank Bahir Dar Institute of Technology for offering a free environment
to do.

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Table of Contents

Declaration...................................................................................................................................................i
Acknowledgement.......................................................................................................................................ii
List of Acronyms........................................................................................................................................iv
Executive summery.....................................................................................................................................v
1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background.......................................................................................................................................1
1.3 Objective of the study........................................................................................................................2
1.3.1 General objective............................................................................................................................2
2. Literature review.....................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Process flow diagram of bricks production........................................................................................5
3. Materials and Methods............................................................................................................................6
3.1 Materials and equipment’s.................................................................................................................6
3.1.1 Materials.....................................................................................................................................6
3.1.2 Equipment’s................................................................................................................................6
3.2 Methods.............................................................................................................................................6
3.3 Benefits and Beneficiary of this thesis...............................................................................................7
3.3.1 Benefits.......................................................................................................................................7
3.3.2 Beneficiaries of this thesis(project).............................................................................................7
Reference................................................................................................................................................8

List of table

Table 1 Experimental Design......................................................................................................................6

Table 2: Work Plan....................................................................................................................................11
Table 3 Budget Plan..................................................................................................................................11

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List of equation

Co=P/A……………………………………………………………..equation 1 .......................................10
Absorption % = w2-w1/w1 x 100…………………………………..equation 2.......................................10

The volume was evaluated using Bulk Density = …equation 3.................10

P (%) = Ww-Ws /v x 100 % ……………………………………………………….equation 4................10

List of Acronyms
0c degree Celsius

Wt% weight percent

SiO2 _nH2O silica hydrates

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 Executive summery

In the brewing process, kieselguhr performs as a filtration medium and one generated
byproduct is a sludge containing kieselguhr, which is mainly composed of fragmented diatom
frustules associated to organic material retained during the clarification process. The physic
mechanic tests were performed on assemblages with brick composition and brewing spent
kieselguhr containing 3, 9, and 15 wt % incorporation levels of sludge, being extruded and
dried (105 ) before being submitted to slow firing at 900 , 950 , and 1000 . The
obtained results showed that, even when at its maximum incorporation level, the spent
kieselguhr for all firing temperatures do not cause important losses on the properties
exhibited by the clay without kieselguhr incorporation and the best incorporation levels are
3wt% when fired at 900 , 9wt% when fired at 950 , and 15wt% when fired at 1000 .
When fired at 950 , 15 wt% addition of spent kieselguhr increased by 27 % the porosity
and decreased by 10 % the bulk density of the brick paste.

Keywords: Brick; Diatomite and Kieselguhr; Brewing

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 1. Introduction
1.1 Background

Brick making is an important industry in many parts of the world. It is an activity that can
be place in many forms, in large modern factories to small rural businesses. Although the
process is simple, many techniques involved in the brick making process are subject to error,
possibly reducing the quality of bricks. This project is present a background of minimum
conditions needed to begin brick making production, as well as an overview of the process of
brick making from spent diatomaceous earth. This project is also considering possible
problems that occur in the brick making process that reduce the quality of the finished
product. There are many ways to increase the efficiency of energy use in the firing process of
brick making, and the final section of this project will shows some techniques that can be
employed to save energy and fuel during firing. Diatomite rock is a loose, earthy or loosely
cemented porous and lightweight rock of sedimentary origin, mainly formed by fragments of
armor (skeletons) of diatom algae (1)
Diatomite is a microscopic diatom alga whose size ranges from 0.75 to 1500 meter.
Sometimes this rock is called infusorial earth, kieselguhr, or mountain meal. The main
components of the siliceous armor are silica hydrates of a different degree of water content
(opals) SiO2 _nH2O. Diatomite rock belongs to the group of silica-bearing materials.
Diatomite has its origin from a siliceous, sedimentary rock consisting principally of the
fossilized skeletal remains of diatom, a unicellular aquatic plant related to the algae, during
the tertiary and quaternary period. Earning mechanical properties and the eco-toxicity
evaluation shows the safety of the brewing spent kieselguhr incorporation in ceramic
products (2).
1.2 Problem Statement
The breweries spent diatomaceous earth or Kieselguhr sludge is important due to their cheap
and easily availability in the brewery. In many breweries in Ethiopia the spent diatomaceous
earth has not gained consideration for further production rather than lands filling until now.
Spent diatomaceous earth of breweries mainly consist the silicon dioxide of the raw material
of the filter aid which is able to produce the simplest unit of bricks under successful
technological process. So as the spent diatomaceous earth becomes beneficial for the process
economy of the factories. Considering the importance of these materials in the context of

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environmental pollution this project will provides the production of bricks from those spent
brewery kieselguhr.

1.3 Objective of the study

1.3.1 General objective

The General Objective of this study is Production of Bricks from Brewery Spent
Kieselguhr sludge.
1.3.2 Specific objective
The specific objectives are to:
 Determine the effect of Kieselguhr waste on the bricks production.
 Characterized the qualified bricks.
 Understand the process description and needed materials of the bricks from spent kieselguhr
of breweries.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This particular work is beneficial for the company as an additional revenue as the
kieselghur, which is formerly being disposed to the environment going to be applied as a
potential feed stock for the bricks making process. Moreover, the solid waste which contains
kieselghur was become a treat for the community as it enhances the toxicity of the soil. The
outcome of the study reveals to show the performance efficiency of the brewery production
of bricks from spent kieselguhr. Because the brewery used more money for building of
construction and the company do not use its own brewery kieselguhr for production of bricks
to use for building of construction

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 2. Literature review

In brick-making terms, clay covers a range of naturally occurring raw materials which are used
to make a product. The clays vary considerably in physical properties, color, hardness and
mineralogical content. They do, however, have certain properties in common. They have the
ability to be crushed and mixed with water to form a plastic material which can be moulded into
various shapes. This can then be fired to a high temperature during which process it attains a
hard, weather resistant characteristic. (3)
The key, in geological terms, is the mineral content of the raw material. This is common to all
clay types. Pure clay mineral is formed from the erosion and weathering of primary igneous
rocks. The clay mineral is transported away by the action of water, wind, ice etc., and redeposited
elsewhere. In the process it picks up a number of impurities, quartz, mica, calcium
carbonate (lime), iron oxide etc, the subsequent deposit becomes a sedimentary rock. Due to
variances in the age of the deposit, the conditions of its deposition and the impurities involved
there will be variations between different clay types and even on occasions within the same
deposit. These variations may affect the brick making process and the properties of the finished
product. Clay preparation methods may have to accommodate the physical characteristics of the
raw material and special provision may have to be made to deal with certain impurities (4).
Preparation consists of transforming the clay rock into plastic moldable material by a process of
grinding and mixing with water. A typical factory might have a Primary crusher, these are used
to break down large lumps of rock to manageable size, which can then be fed to a Secondary
crusher, for example Pan mill, where the clay is reduced in size further. Water can be added
here or if it is a dry pan the clay is reduced to dust and water added later. Further crushing takes
place through conveyor rollers reducing the clay particles to about 1-2 millimeters. Tempering
is adding water to the clay soil in order to make it more workable. Too much water added to the
clay mix was decrease the quality (5).
Kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth) consists of silicic acid-containing shells of diatoms (algae)
this, when dead, settled to the bottom of the sea or lakes. Processed dicalite kieselguhrs consist
of almost pure amorphous and microcrystalline silicic acid (SiO2) and are largely inert.
An important advantage of dicalite Kieselguhr is its constant high quality. The high porosity and the
cavities it contains make kieselguhr an exceptional filter aid. The objective of kieselguhr filtration is the
production of brilliant, clean beverages.
Brick is one of the most widely used as conventional building materials around the world since
ancient times. Bricks are manufactured from variety of materials such as, lime, sand/flint,

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concrete and natural stone or kieselguhr, basically builds for masonry structure bonded with
mortar or grout. Fired brick is manufactured by shaping suitable kieselguhr to units of standard
size. A brick is a block or a single unit of a ceramic material used in masonry construction. Typically
bricks are stacked together or laid as brickwork using various kinds of mortar to hold the bricks
together and make a permanent structure. Bricks are typically produced in common or standard
sizes in bulk quantities.
A bigger brick makes for a thicker (and thus more insulating) wall. The correct brick for a job
can be selected from a choice of color, surface texture, density, weight, absorption and pore
structure, thermal characteristics, thermal and moisture movement, and fire resistance. Some
brick makers create innovative sizes and shapes for bricks used for plastering (and therefore not
visible) where their inherent mechanical properties are more important than their visual ones.(6)

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2.1 Process flow diagram of bricks production

Treating spent kieselguhr Drying the treating spent kieselguhr

Crushing and cleaning the spent kieselguhr

Molding Clay preparation

Mixing

Drying at 105 0c Firing at 900 oc Bricks

950 and 1000 oc

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 3. Materials and Methods
3.1 Materials and equipment’s
3.1.1 Materials
Materials that we will use for our thesis:-
1) Spent Kieselguhr: Used to increase the strength of the Bricks.
2) Water: Used order to make it more workable
3) Moulding box: Used to molded the brick
4) Balance: Used to measure the weight
5) Clay :Used to make bricks
6) Wood & Metal : Used for construct hand press machine

3.1.2 Equipment’s

1) Oven: used for drying purpose.

2) Digital or electronic balance: measure the weight of crushed Kieselguhr
3) Sieves (2mm): for separation purpose depending on size of partices.
4) Water basal: catch the water we used during activities.
5) Compressive machine: also for molding purpose
6) Stops watch: register time during a process of production and characterization.
7) Electrical furnace: used for burning of produced bricks.
8) Homemade press: for molding purpose
9) Meter: For a measuring purpose.
Generally the equipments lists from1-6 are used to characterize of the bricks and the equipments lists
from 7-9 are used to brick production.
3.2 Experimental Design

Table 1

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Parameter Brewing spent kieselguhr (wet mass)

Fired 0 wt% 3 wt% 9 wt% 15 wt

Temperature (0C) %

Compressive 900
strength
(N/mm2)
950

1000

Water 900
absorption (%)
950

1000

Bulk density 900

(kg/m3)
950

1000

Open porosity 900

(vol %)
950

1000

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3.2 Methods

3.2.1 Raw Material Collection

Raw material available for this project will be collected from different areas. The spent Kieselguhr will be
collected from directly from brewery factory and clay is collected from local areas near the bahir dar.
Other chemicals we use in this project will be collected from BiT laboratories and local market.

3.2.2 Raw material preparation

For studying the kieselguhr sludge, three samples in mass percentage (3 wt %, 9 wt %, and 15 wt %) is
taken from wet filtration spent kieselguhr are incorporated in to clay soil. One composition without spent
kieselguhr is also considered as blank (reference) sample.

3.2.3 Bricks formulation

According the content of the materials prismatic sample probes (19cm x 9cm x 9cm) will shape by
extrusion and it is dried at 105 in oven for 8 hours. The dried probes were fired at as low rate using a
laboratory electrical chamber kiln, under a heating rate of 2 /min, at 900, 950 and 1,000, for 2 hours.
Dried extruded specimens, with the spent kieselguhr of beer filtration were going to be tested in order to
determine strength, water absorption, porosity and bulk density.
Generally the frame work of this study is including preparation of spent kieselguhr and characterization of
brick production. Firstly spent kieselguhr from brewery and clay are collected and the spent kieselguhr
will treated, sampled and mixed with clay composition during brick production. Finally characterized of
bricks from spent kieselguhr will done.
3.2.4 Product characterization
The formulated bricks will be characterized by different parameters such as compressive strength, water
absorption, porosity and bulk density etc.
Compressive Strength of Bricks:- To evaluate the compressive strength of bricks we will Take five
random bricks samples and immerse them in water for 24 hours at room temperature. After 24 hours, take
them out, allow them to drain and then clean the surplus water. Now, fill their frogs (and any other voids)
by a layer of standard 1:1 mortar (1 part cement and 1 part sand). Store these bricks under damp sacks for
24 hours (to allow setting of mortar).Place the bricks in water for seven days. (This is to allow the mortar
to harden). Take the bricks out of the water, allow the water to drain and remove the surplus water. When
surface dry, each brick is tested for compressive strength individually. Place the brick flat-wise, with frog
end facing upward, between two plywood sheets. Brick so adjusted between the plywood sheets is placed

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on the bed of compressive strength of bricks testing machine and load is applied axially and at a uniform
rate of 140 kg/cm2/minute. (This is very important). Note the load at which the brick fails (gets broken).
This load (P) is divided by cross-sectional area (A) of the brick gives the compressive strength (Co).

Co=P/A…………………………..equation 1

The arithmetic mean of the compressive strength of bricks values of all the five bricks shall be taken as
the compressive strength of that lot of bricks represented by the test samples, (and not for all the bricks of
a kiln). The brick shall be classified accordingly on the basis of the (Co) obtained as above.(7)
Water Absorption:- Take five whole bricks randomly. Dry these samples to a constant weight by placing
them in a ventilated oven at 110° C +- 5°C. This may take 48 hours or more time. The specimens are
weighed individually after cooling. The dry, weighed samples are then immersed in water, at room
temperature, for 24 hours. After 24 hours the samples are taken out. Each sample is wiped dry and
weighed individually within three minutes after it is taken out from the water. Absorption value is
calculated by the simple relationship.

Absorption % = w2-w1/w1 x 100…………………………equation 2

where W1 is dry weight, and W2 is weight after immersion for 24 hours.

The average of five values for the five samples shall be taken as the water absorption of the brick.
It shall be within the specified limits for the classification of the bricks.(8)
Bulk density of bricks:- The weights of bricks were determined in the laboratory using digital balance.
Volumes of bricks were determined by a simple calculations based on the direct measurement of height,
length and width of the bricks since bricks were rectangle in shape.

The volume was evaluated using Bulk Density = …equation 3

(9)
Porosity of bricks:- The porosity of bricks will be determined based on the amount of water each sample
absorbs. A pre weighed bricks is immersed in water for 20 minutes. Then the Bricks is take out of
water and re weighed to obtain the wet weight of bricks. The weight of water absorbed will be
determined by subtracting dry weight of the bricks from wet weight of the bricks. The porosity
is calculated as the ratio of the mass of water absorbed to the mass of the sample bricks
immersed in water. Similar another batch is introduced and the same process is repeated
until the completion of the samples. It is calculated using;
P (%) = Ww-Ws /v x 100 % ……… equation 4

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 Where, P = porosity, Ws dry weight of the sample brick (g) and Ww = wet weight of the
sample brick after immersed in water. V = volume of bricks(10)

3.3 Benefits and Beneficiary of this thesis

3.3.1 Benefits
 Low cost
 To Reduce toxicity of soil
 To protect the environment from pollution
 To reduce the solid wastes by recycling kieselguhr sludge into valuable product
 Open the road for breweries factory how they recycle their waste product to produce bricks which
is used in different construction areas.

3.3.2 Beneficiaries of this thesis(project)

 Brewery factory.
 Construction industries.
 Farmers living around brewery factory which get kieselguhr sludge simply.

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 3.6. Work Plan

Table 2: Work Plan

Task Time

July August September

W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1

Title selection

Introduction
Literature
review
Problem
statement
Objective

Raw material
collection
Materials and
methods
Result and
discussion
Conclusion

Documentatio
n

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3.7. Budget Plan
Table 3 Budget Plan

Items Cost(ETB)

Kieselguhr

clay

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 Reference

1) fragoulis, D., Stamatakis, M., Papageorgious, D., & Chaniotakis, E. (2005). pysical and
mechanial properties of composite cement manufactured with calcareous and clay greek
diatomite mixtures.cement Concrete.
2) Ferraz, E., Gomes.C., & Rocha, F. (2010). materials and manufacturing process and
Appraisal of their relevant properties in order to be used in consturction ceramics.
3) Cuenca, M., Ciriani, A., & López, J. (1993). Mineralogic study and evaluation of
ceramics application of Miocenic clays from Muel area (Zaragoza province).
4) Akhtar, F., Rehman, Y., & Bergstrom, L. (2010). A study of the sintering of
diatomaceous earth to produce porous ceramic monoliths with bimodal porisity and high
strength.
5) Chaniotakis, E. (1996). The physical and mechanical properties of composite cements
manufactured with calcareous and clayey greek diatomite mixture.
6) Custodio-Garsio, E., & Acosta-Alejandro, M. (2007). Microstructural charactrization of
fired clay bricks. Chontalpa Region.
7) Li, C.-F., & Zhong, S. (2002). Kieselghur- mulite ceramic membrane substrate
fabricated by line compounding tecnique. J. Membrane Sci.
8) Rutherford, s., & coons, J. (2007). water absorption in silicon foam containing
diatomceous earth.
9) Gonzalez-Garcia, F., & Romero-Acosta, V. (1990). Firing transformations of mixtures of
clays containing illite,; kaolinite and calcium carbonate used by ornamenta tile
industries.
10) Jungk, A., Krcmar, W., & Linner, B. (1996). Reducing of the thermal conductivity of clay
masonry units by optimization of the body structure.

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