Process Engineering

Training Program
MODULE 1
Introduction to the Cement Industry
Section Content
1 Portland Cement in the Making

Presentations
Introduction to Cement Manufacturing
Introduction to Cement Uses
Introduction to the History of Cement
Introduction to the Manufacturing Process
 Blue Circle Cement

PROCESS ENGINEERING TRAINING

PROGRAM

PRESENTATIONS

Introduction to Cement Manufacturing

Introduction to Cement Uses

Introduction to the History of Cement

Introduction to the Manufacturing Process

 Blue Circle Cement

PROCESS ENGINEERING TRAINING

PROGRAM

PRESENTATION

Introduction to Cement
Manufacturing
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Blue Circle Cement

An Introduction to the
manufacture of cement
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Over to you……………..

A brief history of your time in the

cement industry

What department do you work in?

 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Workshop Objectives
• Broaden knowledge of the manufacturing
process
• Increase awareness of customer requirements
• To help develop a wider appreciation of how
each stage of the process can be an important
factor contributing towards Plant Profitability
and Final Product Quality
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

What is most important to our Customers?

Group Exercise
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Blue Circle Company Profile

BLUE CIRCLE INDUSTRIES
Company Structure

Corporate HQ
BCI Eccleston Square
LONDON

HEAVY
BUILDING PROPERTY BATHROOMS HEATING
MATERIALS
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Blue Circle Company Profile

HEAVY
BUILDING
MATERIALS

EUROPE N. AMERICA S. AMERICA ASIA AFRICA

UNITED STATES MALAYSIA

KENYA
UNITED KINGDOM CHILE
5 CEMENT PLANTS KANTHAN BAMBURI
8 CEMENT PLANTS CEMENT ATHI RIVER
2 GRINDING PLANT RAWANG
BRICKS AGGREGATES CONCRETE
KEDAH NIGERIA
CONCRETE TIMBER
PHILIPPINES WAPCCO
ASHAKA
REPUBLIC
ZIMBABWE
DENMARK MINDANAO / ILIGAN
CANADA MANRESA
FORTUNE
2 CEMENT PLANTS
CONCRETE EGYPT
SINGAPORE
ALEXANDRIA
CONCRETE
CEMENT INDIAN OCEAN

TECHNICAL CENTR E
 Blue Circle
UK Technical Training

Cement Works
Cement Dunbar

BCC

Companies Castle

Rugby
Cookstown Weardale

Ribblesdale S.Ferriby
Hope
Cauldon
Padeswood

Ketton

Rugby Barrington
Masons
Southam

Chinnor
Aberthaw
Northfleet
Rochester
Westbury

Plymstock
 BLUE CIRCLE / ST. MARYS CEMENT
NORTH AMERICAN OPERATING REGIONS

GREAT LAKES
REGION

Conniston

Bowmanville

St. Marys

Grand Solvay Boston

Green Bay Rapids Ravena
Buffalo New Haven
Milwaukee
Detroit Bayonne
Waukegan School EAST COAST REGION
Cleveland
Craft Sparrows Point
S. Beloit
Baltimore
Norfolk

Durham
Springfield
Charlotte
Tulsa SOUTHEAST
REGION Harleyville
Oklahoma City
Atlanta
Roberta
Savannah
Meridian
Terminal SOUTHWEST
Jacksonville
REGION
Plant
New Orleans
 Blue Circle
The World’s Worldwide Cement Production
Technical Training

Top Cement Ranked by Cement Capacity

Companies Holderbank

Lafarge

Italcementi

Heidelberger

Blue Circle

0 20 40 60 80 100
mt - 1998 Estimate
 Blue Circle
Kilns used within Blue Technical Training
Circle Worldwide
ROTARY KILN

Air
feed Coal

Clinker

Blue Circle Kilns

TOTAL = 52
Wet Process 14
Semi-Wet 5
Semi-Dry 3
Long Dry 7
Preheater 11
Precalciner 12
 Blue Circle UK, USA & Canada
Plant Output 1996
Ravena
Size of Plant Bowmanville
Hope
Northfleet
Dunbar
Cauldon
Atlanta
Harleyville
Roberta
Westbury
St Marys
Tulsa
Weardale
Cookstown
Aberthaw
Masons
Plymstock
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Million Tonnes
Data includes clinker exports
3 Kiln Streams producing over 9 mt each year
 Blue Circle Cement

PROCESS ENGINEERING TRAINING

PROGRAM

PRESENTATION

Introduction to Cement Uses

 Blue Circle
What is Concrete? Technical Training

• ONE PART of Cement

• TWO PARTS of Sand
• FOUR PARTS of Stones (aggregates)
• Plus Water

What is Mortar?
• ONE PART of Cement
• FOUR PARTS of Sand
• Plus Water
 Cement Applications………….
Le Pont de Normandie Bridge in France
Built 1994 - Longest cable-stayed bridge in the world
Cement Applications………….

Concrete Crash Barriers

USE OF CONCRETE

NETHERLANDS
FLOOD BARRIER
USE OF CONCRETE

REINFORCED STEEL
BAR
(REBAR)
USE OF CONCRETE

PRECAST
CONCRETE PIPES
USE OF CONCRETE

PAVING
Cement Applications………….

Bahai Faith
House of
Worship in
Chicago

Built 1921-51

Precast Panels
USE OF CONCRETE

ART
 Blue Circle
Technical Training
What is Important to
the Customer?
• A high quality product
• A very consistent product
• A low PRICE
• What we do in the process of making cement
effects both the quality level and the
consistency of the final product
 Blue Circle Cement

PROCESS ENGINEERING TRAINING

PROGRAM

PRESENTATION

Introduction to the History of

Cement
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

An Introduction to
the History of
Cement

Some pictures……...
POMPEII 75BC
HADRIANS WALL
200AD
SMEATONS LIGHTHOUSE
PLYMOUTH
1756
 Blue Circle
Technical Training
What is Cement?
• A grey powder which sets hard when mixed
with water
• Portland Cement was invented around the turn
of the 19th century
• It is made from materials which contain a
source of lime and silica which are fused
together in the kiln
• Natural “cement” type materials exist in the
world
• Cement is made to a National Standard
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Why have Standards for

Cement
• Protects the customer from product
contamination
• Sets minimum quality standard
• Helps to ensure durable products can be made
from the cement
 British NATIONAL STANDARDS
Standard TYPICAL CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED
IN NATIONAL STANDARDS

BS12 PARAMETER REASON FOR LIMIT

Insoluble To ensure cement or clinker

residue has not been contaminated by

Specifies limits argillaceous materials, kiln

bricks etc.

to certain To prevent unsoundness caused

by the hydration of free MgO
parameters MgO to Mg(OH) once the concrete
2
has hardened.

To prevent unsoundness caused

To ensure SO3
by the formation of ettringite
after the concrete has hardened.
freshness,
To ensure clinker or cement has
purity and not deteriorated in storage.
Also protects against adulteration
Loss-on-
durability -ignition
by calcareous materials.
 NATIONAL STANDARDS
INFLUENCE OF CEMENT MgO CONTENT ON

BS12 EXPANSION IN ASTM AUTOCLAVE TEST

Expansion %
12
Specifies limit 10
to amount of
8
MgO
6

4
The problem
2
of high MgO…
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
MgO Content %
 Blue Circle
What is Cement Technical Training

used for?
• Cement is usually mixed with other materials in
use
• To make Concrete structures:-
– Buildings, bridges, roads….
• To make concrete bricks, blocks, slabs…..
• To make Mortar to stick bricks and blocks
together
• To produce a decorative finish (render)
• ……….Countless other uses and applications
 Blue Circle

Blue Circle
Blue Circle UK CementUK
Sales
Technical Training

Cement 1978
Sales- 1995
1978-1997
10 Cement
Millions of tonnes

9
8 Sales
7
6
5
1978 1983 1988 1993
Year

Notes
Cement Sales vary each year
Need to produce the best quality at the lowest production cost
 Blue Circle UK Sales in 1998 Forecast
Bulk & Bagged Sales

Sulfacrete 3.3%
PC & OPC
Masonry 0.4%
79.3%
Mastercrete 9.4%

Ferrocrete 5.4%
Phoenix 1.5%
O
PLC 0.1%

Ordinary Portland Cement dominates sales

 Dunbar 1999 Forecast
Bulk and bagged sales

Super Ferrocrete 1.6%

PC 56.1%
Export bulk and bag 18.5%

Other 0.6%
Mastercrete 5.7%

OPC bag 13.1%

Low C3A 1.4%

Ferrocrete 3.1%
 UK Market
Sales by Customer Sector
48.5%

28.5%
23.0%

Ready-mix Concrete Products

Merchants
 Materials Used in the UK
to make Concrete

Slag 10.0% Fly Ash 4.0%

Cement 86.0%

1998 Estimate
Slag comes from the Iron Blast Furnace Process
Fly Ash comes from the Coal-fired Power Stations
 Blue Circle Cement

PROCESS ENGINEERING TRAINING

PROGRAM

PRESENTATION

Introduction to the Manufacturing

Process
Manufacturing Blue Circle
Technical Training

Process R a w M a te r ia ls F ro m
Q u a rry
S e le c tio n
B u y in

C ru s h e rs
R a w M a te r ia ls C ru s h
&
G r in d
G rin d in g P r e p a r a tio n
B le n d
M ills
B u rn fu e l
P ro d u c e M e lt r a w f e e d
K IL N C lin k e r P ro d u c e n e w
C h e m ic a l
Com pounds

F in is h M ake G r in d C lin k e r
C em ent Add G ypsum
M ill
S ilo s & S to ra g e A v o id c o n t a m in a t io n
P a c k in g P a c k in g K e e p d ry

P la n t D is tr ib u tio n
Simplified Flow Sheet
 Blue Circle
Stage One Technical Training

Select/Extract Raw Materials

• To make cement we need TWO particular
types raw materials
– A source of LIME and a source of SILICA
– We need to have a long term source of both
• The source of lime is normally Limestone or
Chalk/Marl and the source of Silica is usually
Clay or Shale
• Additional materials can also be very
important - iron oxide is often used in small
amounts
What do we need to make Portland Cement?
TWO MAIN INGREDIENTS…….

A Source of LIME

A Source of SILICA
 Blue Circle America Quarry
Ravena Plant - Several years ago

Waste heap - Why?

High Alkalis & MgO

Blue Circle America Quarry
Harleyville Plant

Different raw
material bands in the
quarry
 Typical Chalk Quarry in the UK

Soft material doesn’t need to be blasted.

Scraped or dug direct

 Stage Two -Prepare Blue Circle
Technical Training

Raw Materials
• Correct proportioning of the raw materials is
ESSENTIAL
• Crushing & grinding to the correct fineness is
very important
• Control of moisture/water content can save on
fuel costs
• Important to remember that some minor
components in the raw materials can have a
major effect on plant operation and final produc
quality
 Blue Circle
Technical Training
Raw Material Grinding
 Blue Circle
Technical Training
Stage Three - Blend
Raw Materials
• Why do we need to blend?
• Important to maintain equipment to ensure
efficient blending
• Overall aim is to produce a very consistent
product to feed to the kiln
 Importance of Blending

The Effect of Blending on Variability

150 150
140 LSF 140 LSF
130 Ex-Raw Mill 130
Ex-1st Stage Blending
120 120
LSF LSF
110 110
% %
100 100
Target Target
90
106% 90
106%
80 80
70 0600 0800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 0200 0400 70 0600 0800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 0200 0400
0700 0900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 0100 0300 0500 0700 0900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 0100 0300 0500

150 150
140 LSF 140 LSF
130 Ex-2nd Stage Blending 130 Kiln Feed
120
LSF LSF 120
% 110
% 110
100 100
Target Target
90 106% 90
106%
80 80
70 0600 0800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 0200 0400 70 0600 0800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 0200 0400
0700 0900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 0100 0300 0500
0700 0900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 0100 0300 0500
Blending together the finely ground raw
materials….Wet Process (Ravena)
Blending together the finely ground
raw materials….Dry Process
Blending Silos - Simple Schematic
 Blue Circle

Stage Four - Technical Training

Cement Kiln
• Crucial stage of the cement-making process
• The finely ground and well-blended raw feed
changes chemically in the kiln to form new
compounds
• Good control of the kiln is very important to
ensure high quality well-burnt is produced and
that fuel is not wasted
Simplified Flow Sheet
The Kiln Process…..
The Kiln Process…..Simplified Schematic
The Kiln Flame…..

Flame Temperature - Over

2000 Deg C (3600 Deg F)

Clinker Temperature
- Around 1500 Deg C
(2700 Deg F)
 The Cooler

For heat recovery & quenching the clinker

 The Cooler….

Not such a cool

place…….

Grate Cooler
Looking towards
the kiln end
 The Preheater Dry Process

What happens in the

Preheater Tower?

Heat recovery and pre-

Hope Works
heating of the raw meal
 The Precalciner Dry Process

Fuel
burnt in
the
Tower
Dunbar Works
in the UK
 Inside the kiln……..

Bricking

Why?

For heat
retention
and
protection
of the kiln
shell
 Blue Circle

Stage Five - Cement Technical Training

Finish Mill
• Final processing stage - important to get it right
• Gypsum is added to the clinker at this stage
• Fineness target is set to give desired cement
strength and setting time properties
• Grinding aids are often used to help improve
milling efficiency
Schematic of the Cement Milling System

Open & Closed Circuit Milling…..Quality Effects

 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Open & Closed Circuit Milling…..Quality Effects

• The importance of coarse cement

residues (+45 micron) on strengths
• Modern high efficiency separators
produce steep particle size distributions
 Blue Circle
Grinding Media - Important to Technical Training

maintain the correct grading

of balls
 Blue Circle
Stage Six - Storing & Technical Training

Packing
• Important to avoid cross-contamination of
products
• Silos rarely empty in exactly the same way that
they were filled (material will often flow down
through the centre of the silo)
• If the cement is particularly hot when stored it
can undergo further changes when the gypsum
loses water which can lead to lumps forming in
the silo
 Blue Circle
Final Stage - Technical Training

Distribution to the
Customer
• Ensuring the customer gets what he asked for,
when he wants it
• Giving technical support and advice when
necessary to assist the customer
• Quality Schemes are used in Blue Circle to give
the Customer extra assurance of the quality of
the product he receives
 Blue Circle
Technical Training

Final Stage - Distribution to the Customer

 Blue Circle
Building in Quality Technical Training

CEMENT MANUFACTURE
Building in QUALITY - Typical Testing
Schedule
QUARRY

RAW
RAW CRUSHING
MATERIAL
MATERIAL STORAGE
GRINDING
Testing of Blast
STACK Hole Drillings

Hourly Testing BLENDING

& For each daily physical
STORAGE test there is typically 60
additional tests
2 Hourly Testing
ROTARY throughout the process
DUST KILN
REMOVAL
Air
feed Coal

Clinker
CEMENT
GYPSUM
STORAGE Daily Physical 2 Hourly Testing
SILOS Testing
PACKING BAG &
PLANT BULK CLINKER
2 Physical STORAGE
tests/week 2 Hourly Testing

CEMENT
GRINDING
MILL
 The key to modern quality control…..

The XRF Analyser

Measures the chemical

constituents of the raw
materials, kiln feed,
clinker & cement.

Allows an estimate to be
made of the compounds
(C3S, C3A …etc)
Testing the product………...
The final result ….. dense durable concrete
A BLUE CIRCLE KILN
NO EXPENSE SPARED
 Blue Circle Cement

PROCESS
ENGINEERING
TRAINING PROGRAM

MODULE 1

Section 1

Portland Cement in the Making