Exploring the Refractories Comprehensively Used in the Cement Industry

Cement has played a very crucial role in the journey of mankind right from caves to skyscrapers. It has a lion’s share in the development and progression of modern civilization as a material for the construction of tall structures, tunnels, bridges, schools, hospitals, dams, and buildings of utmost importance such as the parliament of the country. Almost every human-made structure that is used in different domains of life can be attributed to cement without any second thought.

 

Cement is manufactured by a high-temperature reaction of shale with calcium oxide of limestone or chalk to frame solidifying stages like dicalcium silicate and tricalcium silicate. This reaction happens inside a reactor which is known as kiln. Refractories play a crucial role when it comes to containing high temperatures inside the furnace and different types of other equipment, and consistently making manufacturing possible on a large scale.

 

A refractory lining inside the reactor keeps up with the temperature range of the reactor within a moderate limit. The refractory covering likewise restrains the heat flow from within the reactor to the outside and consequently helps save energy, which offers cost-effectiveness to the process. Without the availability of proper refractory solutions, it is almost impossible to produce cement on a large scale, in a cost-effective manner.

1. Contains the high temperature needed for the process of delivering cement clinkers

2. Insulate the reactors to restrain the progression of energy out from the framework. 

 

Two distinct sorts of refractories are utilized to meet these two unique needs. In the principal case, the thick refractories are utilized to contain the temperature, and in the subsequent case, the insulating refractories are utilized to insulate the energy streaming out of the framework saving a significant amount. In the metallurgical and process enterprises, the refractory practices are changing faster, due to the changing demand for technology from the users, and the availability of advanced material produced by the refractory industry, which renders not only better performance but also greater economy. The cement industry is not an exception to that.

Refractories utilized in the preheater, kiln, and cooler, are provided either as pressed and fired brick unshaped as monolithic products, or in pre-projected, pre-fired shapes. The rotary kiln is on the whole fixed with blocks, while the preheater, cooler, and gas ducts are generally fixed with castables, plastics, or pre-projected shapes held by metal or clay anchors joined to the shell. 

Basic bricks are made up of magnesia or dolomite as the main component, followed by a secondary mineral that includes alumina and zircon. In most products, the major component concentration has variation between 60% and 95% by mass. 

High alumina bricks are considered to be the most effective material comprehensively used in the cement industry. Different types of high alumina bricks are specifically designed and created for cement kilns mainly due to their robustness, strength, and cost-effectiveness. 

Alkaline bricks are the primary types of materials widely used in the cement industry. They find applications mainly in rotary kilns and cement kilns. Due to the incredible chemical resistance properties, these bricks help maintain not only standard product quality but also long-term safe operations.

Fire clay bricks or refractory bricks for the cement industry are the best–selling refractory materials that the refractory industry in India produces at a large scale. Due to their alumina content, fire clay bricks are labelled as:

 

● High duty

● Superior duty, and

● Semi-silica. 

 

The primary purposes of making use of fire clay bricks are associated with kilns, fireboxes, line furnaces and so on in the cement industry. 

Refractory cement is one of the most comprehensively utilized refractory construction and building materials. This material is considered to be ideal for:

 

● Lining furnaces

● Cement kilns

● Rotary kilns, and 

● Other high-temperature refractories.

 

In addition to outstanding strength as well as cost-saving refractory properties, refractory cement is capable of withstanding high temperatures up to 3000° F.

Refractory castables are significantly utilized for cement kiln frameworks because of their convenience and adaptable attributes. Further, it is also the most common refractory material used in the cement industry. Be it the fixing of the complex structure related to the cement kiln preheater framework or any other systems, refractory castables always live up to expectations when it comes to meeting the demands of the cement manufacturing industry. 

Refractory materials are easy to acquire as well as highly cost-effective solutions for the cement industry. Here are some common applications areas of refractory materials in the cement industry:

 

● Cement Kilns

● Rotary Kilns

● Cement Plant 

● High-temperature Furnaces

● Roads & Highways 

● Preheater Systems

● Other Industrial Purposes.

Making use of refractory solutions made and supplied by the top refractory manufacturers in India calls for no expensive maintenance or service. It results in extremely low-cost operations. Additionally, such refractory materials also bring down the project repair cost with enhanced productivity.

Apart from reduced carbon footprint, cement manufacturers can save a lot of money by making use of refractory technologies. This would result in reduced labour costs, no downtime and shutdowns while delivering unmatched performance.

Refractory construction and building materials for the cement industry possess an unbreakable ability to withstand high temperatures up to 7000° F. They are also well-known for their high tensile strength. 

The driving force of the refractory industry - RHI Magnesita India is the leader in refractories the world over. The company has the largest number of locations around the globe to provide its valued customers with the most innovative, reliable products and services including electric arc furnaces, and refractory casting. Some of the speciality products manufactured and supplied by the company include Isostatically pressed Continuous Casting Refractories, Ladle to Tundish Shrouds, Monoblock Stoppers, Submerged Entry Nozzle/ Submerged Entry Shrouds, Convertor Tap Hole Sleeves, Slide Gate Plates, Nozzles and Well Blocks, Tundish Nozzles, Bottom Purging Refractories and Top Purging Lances, Slag Arresting Darts, Basic Spray Mass for Tundish working lining, Castables, High Alumina Bricks, and Magnesia Carbon Bricks.