Cement is made from using a variety of basic materials and procedures. . Clay and limestone combinations are calcined to create cement, a powdery material with a greenish gray hue. It becomes a hard and sturdy construction material when combined with water. Chemical processes are involved in each step of the production of Portland cement. Check out the complete process in this article today.
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Cement has a long history that dates back to the Roman Empire. The cement of today. In 1828, the Thames River tunnel project saw the first application of modern Portland cement. For example, British stone mason Joseph Aspdin created Portland cement in 1824 by cooking it in his home. He heated a powdered limestone and clay combination in the kitchen before grinding it into cement. It hardens when combined with water. The creator gave it the name Portland because it is similar to stone mined on the Isle of Portland.
Basic Elements of Cement
Calcium silicates and trace quantities of calcium aluminates are the main chemical components of a cement. It is this reaction with water that causes the cement to set. Clay, mudstone, or shale are the sources of silica and alumina. It comes from limestone. Gypsum at a concentration of 5% is then added to the mixture. It is for assisting to delay the cement's setting time.
Below is a description of how to make Portland cement.
- Raw materials mixing
- Burning
- Cooling and grinding.
- Packing and Shipping
1. Raw material mixing
Calcium, silicon, iron, and aluminum are the main basic elements utilized in perfect and best cement production. Depending on the mineral's availability, these minerals are useful in a variety of ways. The raw ingredients used to make Portland cement are on the table.
There are two ways to mix cement during production:
- Dry mixing
- Wet mixing
Dry Process
Gyratory crushers are for crushing the calcareous and argillaceous raw material to divide them into bits that are 2 to 5 cm in size. In a ball or tube mill, the previously crushed materials are once more ground into tiny particles.
After screening, each item that has been finely ground is put into a hopper. Combine these mineral powders in the necessary amounts to create the dry raw mix. It is subsequently held in silos and prepared for entry into the rotary kiln. To maintain the average composition of the finished product, the raw components are now blended in prescribed amounts.
Wet Process
The raw ingredients are ground into a powder, kept in silos, and then crushed again. The clinging organic materials contained in clay are then removed by washing the clay in washing mills. The water-washed clay and powdered limestone are directed to flow in the channels. Transfer to grinding mills where they are thoroughly combined and the paste, also known as slurry. The slurry is then guided into a collecting basin so that its composition changes. About 38–40% of the slurry's weight is made up of water, which is retained in storage tanks and prepared for the rotary kiln.You may like to read: Best 3 Ceramic Tile Companies in India, Features, and Reviews
2. Burning
Using hot gases from the kiln, the powders are combined (the “raw meal”) and cooked to around 900° C. Due to preheating, contaminants are burned off.
The material is then heated to 1500° C and burnt in a large rotating kiln. Decarbonization begins with heating, which removes CO2 from the limestone. Clinker is the term for the resultant partly fused product. 6000 tonnes of clinker may be produced each day in a contemporary kiln.
Heat and limestone (CaCO3) lead to lime (CaO) and CO2
3. Cooling and grinding
After cooling, the clinker is processed in a ball or tube mill to a fine powder. The clinker is crushed and ground in a ball mill. It is a spinning drum packed with steel balls of various sizes depending on the required fineness of the cement. Gypsum addition is a must during the grinding process to give a method of regulating the cement's setting.
One pound of cement includes 150 billion grains due to the fineness of the material. Various building projects may now utilize cement. It is currently prepared for delivery to ready-mix concrete businesses.
Although the dry process is the most recent and widely used method of making cement. Certain still employ the wet method. Except the wet method, which grinds the raw materials with water before feeding them into the kiln. Dry and wet the two procedures are equivalent.
4. Packing and Shipping
To make concrete, the cement is carried in bags. From cement grinding mills, cement is transported to silos which are huge storage tanks. There it is packaged in 20–40 kilogram increments. Only a tiny portion of the product is packaged for consumers that need little quantities. The majority is carried in bulk through trains, trucks, or ships.
