Kiln operation parameter and their influence on the refractory life

Christof Kilb
Influences on the part of the cement producer

Refractory
installation thermal
chemical

kiln
storage burning
Lifetime conditions
of
refractories mechanical
Refractory
selection

Raw
Installation Production-
material
draw quality
quality

Influences on the part of the producer

Stresses on the Refractory Lining in Rotary Cement Kilns

loads on
refractory linings
 outlet zone lower burning zone upper safety zone
transition transition
zone zone

Lower transition zone Sintering zone Upper transition zone

• Unstable coating • Protection by stable coating • Unstable coating

• High thermal shock • Infiltration by liquid phase of • Increased alkali, chlorine and
clinker is possible sulphur attack
• High abrasion by clinker
• Thermal shock
• Alkali attack
• Redox load
• High thermal load
• Mechanical load due to
• Redox load ovality in tyre area
• Mechanical load due to
ovality in tyre area
 Tools – determining chemical conditions
cement moduli
cement modulus typical values statement
Lime standards 85-95 (Portland cement) content of CaO, which can
(KSt III) 95-100 (high-grade cem.) technically be bond to SiO2,
Al2O3 and Fe2O3
Hydraulic Modulus 1.7 – 2.3 ratio of CaO to the hydraulic
(HM) factors SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3

Silica Ratio 1.9 – 3.2 characterizes the ratio

(SR) (opt.: 2.2 – 2.6 !) solid/liquid, i.e. the amount of
liquid phases in the clinker

Alumina Ratio 1.5 – 2.5 characterizes the composition

(AR) (possibly: < 1.5; >2.5) of the melt and its viscosity

Alkali-Sulphate-Ratio 0.8 – 1.2 characterizes the ratio alkali

(ASR) versus sulphate
Thermal influences

Typical burning conditions

Clinker melt infiltrations

Concave/sloping erosion

Thermal shocks
Typical burning conditions
Clinker melt infiltration

Densification of the brick‘s hot face caused by clinker melt infiltration

- increased thermal influences

- variations of the kiln feed composition
Coating Coating – liquid phase

20 % 28 % Liquid phase
Clinker Granulation and Coating formation
Clinker granulation and coating formation is influenced by quantity (SR)
and viscosity (AR) of liquid phase.
Coating Behavior
AR
thick coating clinker ball very thin coating
or sinter ring formation dusty clinker
- 1.9 (plenty of viscous melt (little of viscous
phase) melt phase)
NORMAL
viscosity

- 1.6
COATING

thin coating thin coating

- 1.3 refractories attack
(plenty of fluid melt (little of fluid melt
phase) phase)
2.2 2.5 2.8 SR
Quantity
Concave/sloping erosion
(brickwork erosion)

constant thermal overloading of the brickwork

direct flame impact
coating free operating conditions with standard bricks with low refractoriness
RELATIONS BETWEEN BRICKS AND BURNER
AFTER 7 DAYS OF OPERATION
TEMPERATURE PROFIL :

"long" flame T
"short" flame

FOR CEMENT PRODUCERS :

BURNER EFFICIENCY IS TO CONTROL THE FLAME TEMPERATURE ALONG THE KILN
COAL REACTIVITY : COMBUSTION RATE OF CHAR ( AT 700c + AIR )
 IGNITION OF ANTHRACITE COMPARED TO STEAM COAL

ANTHRACITE OF VIET NAM STEAM COAL

1500
1500
Temperature (°C)

1000 1000

500 500

0 0 0,00 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00 6,00 7,00

Strong reducing and redox burning conditions
carbon disintegration, Boudouard reaction (CO2 + C <-> 2CO)

carbon horizon
16
Redox burning conditions
Local reduction and/or redox burning conditions caused by
incomplete combustion of fuels (coarse coal, ashes on the lining’s surface)

Basic brick grades with alpine magnesia (crystalline magnesia) are sensitive
to the high Fe2O3 content
Local overheating and redox burning conditions
Thermal shock influences

Too fast heating up or cooling down

Loss of coating

Optimizing:

Taking heating procedure into consideration/

cooling down slowly
Chemical influences

Salt infiltration
Corrosion of chrome spinel
Silicate corrosion
Redox burning conditions
“Alkali Spalling“
Corrosion of the kiln shell
Hydration of basic bricks
Influence of secondary fuels on the refractory lining and kiln system

Stronger chemical and physical attack against the basic bricks

Risk of irregular temperature profile in the kiln (local thermal overload)
Risk of formation of local reducing atmosphere
Stronger chemical attack against the aluminous and fireclay bricks
Stronger attack against the kiln/cyclone shell and the anchor system
Salt infiltration: alkali sources Salt infiltration: chlorine sources

Kiln feed raw material Coal 0.01 - 0.3 % Cl

Clay minerals Lignite 0.1 - 0.13 % Cl
Animal meal 0.6 - 1.6 % Cl
Feldspar (Na,K)AlSi3O8
Plastics »PVC«
Plagioclase (Na,Ca) (Si,Al) Al2Si2O8 20 % of the worldwide production of»plastics«
CH2=CHCl 30 % Cl
Additives (ashes, bentonite, etc.)

Alternative combustibles
Salt infiltration: sulphur sources

Kiln feed raw material: FeS2, PbS, ZnS, CaSO4, CaSO4·H2O

Oil 0.2 - 2.5 %
Pitch/Tar 1-6%
Coal 0.1 - 12 % SO3 in the ash
Petrol coke 5-8%
Lignite 0.2 - 15 % SO3 in the ash
Concentrations of salts in the cement kiln system
Circulation of volatile compounds

alkalis + Cl- alkalis + SO2/SO3

Calculation of the alkali-sulphate modulus (ASM)
in the cement clinker

K 2O Na2O Cl
+ −
ASM = 94 62 71
SO3
80

<1 1 >1

KCl + KCl + KCl +

K2SO4 + K2SO4 K2SO4 +
SO3 free K2O free
Examples of salt infiltration
Densification of different brick horizons
Infiltration of gaseous alkali chloride and/or sulfate components,
condensation and densification of the brick texture
Sulfate salts mostly in the lower transition zone and burning zone together
with alkali chlorides in the upper transition zone
Salt infiltration
Chrome spinel corrosion, surplus of alkalis in kiln atmosphere (ASM >1)
Corrosion of chrome spinel in the presence of free alkalis
at higher temperature
Formation of toxic, hexavalent alkali chromate sulfate
(yellow efflorescences = water soluble)
Contamination of ground water, mason eczema
Silicate corrosion, surplus of sulphur in kiln atmosphere (ASM <1)

refractoriness and the structural flexibility

are reduced

2 C2S + MgO + SO3 CaSO4 + C3MS2

C3MS2 + MgO + SO3 CaSO4 + 2 CMS
CMS + MgO + SO3 CaSO4 + M2S
K2O + 3 SO3 + 2 MgO K2Mg2[SO4]3
Silicate corrosion, surplus of sulphur in kiln atmosphere (ASM <1)

Silicate corrosion reduces the refractoriness

and the structural flexibility

2 C2S + MgO + SO3 CaSO4 + C3MS2

C3MS2 + MgO + SO3 CaSO4 + 2 CMS
CMS + MgO + SO3 CaSO4 + M2S
Increase of salt infiltrations and accumulation of other harmful substances
in the structure, balanced alkali-sulphate modulus (ASM ~1)
Salt infiltrations, alkali chromate formation and reducing burning
conditions in case of magnesia-chromite bricks
Possibly operational difficulties in the kiln system and to the clinker
composition caused by the high sulphur content in the kiln gas
atmosphere and/or surplus of sulphur in kiln atmosphere (ASM <1)

Sulphur will be retained as sulfates in the clinker (approach or exceed 2 %),

reducing the add of gypsum at the clinker grinding stage. The retarding of
hydration and setting of cement will be changed.

Formation of dusty clinker

Excess of sulphur in the clinker reduces the viscosity of clinker melt and the surface
tension of the liquid phases, which results in clinker structure loosening, and a
greater proportion of clinker dust is formed.
Possibly operational difficulties in the kiln system and to the clinker
composition caused by the high sulphur content in the kiln gas
atmosphere and/or surplus of sulphur in kiln atmosphere (ASM <1)

Formation of coating rings

and/or build-ups in the calcining
zone, inlet section, cyclones etc.
caused by the formation of
anhydrite (CaSO4), double sulfate salts
(calcium langbeinite, syngenite),
and spurrite phases (sulfate spurrite).
Effect of kiln shell corrosion and cyclone steel shell
Kiln shell corrosion

Migration and efflorescences of salts between brickwork and kiln shell

Chemical attack of salts under kiln operating conditions (high thermal corrosion)
Depending on the alkali-SO3-ratio and oxygen partial pressure bi- and trivalent iron
oxides and/or iron sulphides are formed.
Hydration
Cracks from the brick surface into the brick‘s internal texture
Basic bricks are sensitive to humidity and must be stored and protected against
humidity, rain and sea water.
MgO reacts with water to brucite (Mg(OH)2) which is accompanied by
volume increase (~ 53%).
Tropical/sub-tropical climate conditions accelerate this reaction.
Hydration
Mechanical influences

Thermal expansion

Loosenings of the lining

Kiln shell deformation (ovality)

Grooves in the lining

Pressure loads on the kiln retaining ring

Thermal Expansion

Axial and radial pressure

Æ Risk of thermal spalling

Convex spallings on the longitudinal joints

Too little allowance for expansion leads

to higher pressure within the brickwork.
Convex spallings finally occur.
Insufficient expansion space
Too fast heating-up

Frequent kiln stops after the burnout of

the cardboards
Thermal expansion of refractory bricks in relation to the kiln shell
Hot Kiln
face shell

1200 400
Compression
installation tolerance

1000 Point of equal expansion

temperature °C

300
800
Safe zone
600 200
thermal expansion of
400 the kiln shell
100
200 thermal expansion of bricks
high alumina bricks

-1 0 1 2 %
relative expansion
N/mm2
100 50 0
Thermal Expansion - Lack of Expansion Allowance
Cardboard Spacer
- too fast Heating-Up
Hot Face Temperature
~ 1400 degr.C

Cold Face Temperature

~ 400 degr,C

Lack of expansion allowance will result in excessive

mechanical pressure. Thermal expansion will increase with
rising temperature. Therefore the mechanical pressure is
magnified in the brick head.
Loosenings of the lining
Loosenings of the brickwork due to brickwork movements
Spiral twisting, tilting of bricks, shearing cracks, abrasion marks
on the brick‘s cold face
Wrong installation, frequent kiln stoppages, kiln shell deformations and ovalities
Kiln Maximum Stress Zones
Movements within the brick arch

releasing squeezing
Kiln shell deformation (ovality)
Local strong spallings in the tire section, the surrounding brickwork is intact.
Increased ovality in the tire section causes tensions and loosenings of the
lining.
The brick‘s hot face is more loaded (spallings).
Groove formation
Increased wear parallel to the kiln axis caused by groove formation, the other
brickwork is intact (spallings of 2 - 3 brickwork width)
Brickwork rings are closed too tightly, damage of the key bricks using a wrong
hammer

More than one iron plate within the brickwork rings

High pressure on the retaining ring section
Increased pressure of the brickwork onto the retaining ring. Shearing tensions
occur within the brickwork leading to cracks and spallings of brick parts.

Instable, deformed kiln shell or ovality increase this wear.

Essential control steps for best practice kiln operation

1. Control your chemical parameters

2. Observe your specific heat load

3. Control your mechanical conditions

High Grade Magnesia Products from REFRATECHNIK China

REFRAMAG AF PLEOMAG 90 TOPMAG A1 / AF