Wear Mechanisms

in Cement Rotary Kilns

Cement

ICTM R. Krischanitz March 2013

Wear Mechanisms
Chemical wear
Alkaline salt infiltration Clinker melt infiltration (due to improper raw meal composition)
REDOX Reactions Hydration

Thermal wear
Overheating (mostly of kiln feed clinker melt infiltration, rarely of brick) Thermal shock

Mechanical wear
Kiln shell deformation Excessive ovality Lining thrust Abrasion by clinker 48 Improper Wear Mechanisms Installation

Mechanical conditions

Factors Influencing the Refractory Performance

Mechanical condition of kiln

- Ovality - Deformed kiln shell

Refractory

Process

Process

Refractories
- Burnability of kiln feed - Kiln system - Fuel(s), burner - Production programme - Process Instabilities - etc.

- Selected material - Quality of product - Bricks vs castables - Installation

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Refractory Lifetime

Predominant Wear Mechanisms in Rotary Kilns

Outlet/LTZ CBZ UTZ SZ CZ IZ

thrust

most critical areas

most critical areas

mechanical load

abrasion thermal load / overheating

thermal load (no coating)

thermal shocks (unstable coating) chemical load (alk. salt infiltration) chemical load (alkali bursting)

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Chemical attack

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Wear Mechanisms

Wear Relevant Elements

Periodic Table of the Elements

alkalise Na2O, K2O SO3 Cl

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Wear Mechanisms

Enrichment of Volatile Elements

by evaporation / condensation between kiln and preheater originating from: Raw meal
SO3: as sulphate: gypsum CaSO4 x 2H2O and anhydrite CaSO4 as sulphide: pyrite FeS2, organic compounds Cl-: introduced by alkaline salts as halite NaCl or sylvine KCl Alkalis (Na2O, K2O): as interlayer cations in clay minerals and in feldspars endmembers orthoklas KAlSi3O8, albit, NaAlSi3O8, anorthit CaAl2Si2O8 plagioclase solid solution Ab-An alkalifeldspars solid solution Or-Ab

Or fuel
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Wear Relevant Elements of Alternative Fuels

Fuel Light oil Heavy oil Natural gas Rubber waste Anthracite Waste oil Petcoke Hard coal Waste tires Petrochemical residue Lignite Landfill gas PVC Fuller's earth Asphalt sludge Scrap wood, sawdust Rice husks Domestic refuse Cardboard, paper waste Dried sewage sludge Waste wood (contaminated) Hazardous waste Oil shale Animal meal (++) high input of wear-relevant elements (+) considerable input of wear-relevant elements (0) minor input of wear-relevant elements
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cal. value [MJ/kg] 42 40 37 36 34 30 - 38 33 30 25 - 32 16 - 22 16 - 21 16 - 20 19 13 - 18 16 16 16 15 15 10 7 - 20 4-8 2 - 16

Sulfur + ++ ++ + ++ ++ ++ + ++ + ++

wear-relevant elements Chlorine Alkalis Phosphorous

0 + 0 + + 0 + 0 + ++ + + ++ ++ + +

+ + +

+ ++ + ++

+ + + + 0

++

++

Alternative fuels tend to increase the input of wear relevant elements into the system!

Kiln Cycles

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Wear Mechanisms

Consequences of Alkali Salt Infiltration

There are two effects in case of alkaline salt infiltration

1. 2.

Densification of the microstructure

Reduction of structural flexibility

Depending on alkali sulphur ratio (ASR) corrosion of brick bonding loss of bonding strength
ASR >1 dens. + loss of flexibility Corrosion ASR ~1 dens. + loss of flexibility X X
1)

ASR <1 dens. + loss of flexibility X X

X

Corrosion
x x x

Corrosion X X

Magnesia Spinel Magnesia Chromite Alumina / Fireclay

X X
X

X
X

X 2)
1)

corrosion of the chromite 2) alkali bursting

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Na 2O K 2O Cl + 94 71 Balanced alkali/sulphur ratio ASR = 62 SO 3 ASR ~0,8 to 1,2 80

Wear Process: Alkaline Salt Infiltration

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Wear Mechanisms

Alkaline Salt Infiltration

Chemical analysis:
MgO Al2O3 SiO2 CaO MgO Al2O3 SiO2 CaO 81,90% 9,41% 1,55% 3,22% 77,90% 7,46% 0,32% 0,62% MgO Al2O3 SiO2 CaO 88,90% 8,72% 0,42% 0,78% K2O Na2O SO3 Cl K2O Na2O SO3 Cl 2,01% 0,26% 2,15% 0,05% 7,04% 0,45% 7,79% 0,05% K2O Na2O SO3 Cl 0,26% 0,05% 0,52% 0,05%

densification of the microstructure and loss of thermo-mechanical brick properties (flexibility)

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crack formation at the interface between infiltrated and not infiltrated brick area

Corrosion of Brick Bonding

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Wear Mechanisms

Corrosion of Calcium-Silicatic Brick Bonding

2Ca2SiO4 + SO3 + MgO Ca3Mg(SiO4)2 + CaSO4 Ca3Mg(SiO4)2 + SO3 + MgO 2CaMgSiO4 + CaSO4 CaMgSiO4 + SO3 + MgO Mg2SiO4 + CaSO4 The corrosion of the calcium-silicatic brick bonding leads to a severe loss of the bricks bonding strength. The new formed phases are present as isolated particles within the pores and do not contribute to the brick bonding. The consequences are crack formation and finally spalling of hot face brick parts.

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Wear Mechanisms

ASR > 1: Alkali Attack on Alumina Bricks

Physical attack: - Deposition of alkali compounds in the open pores
(densification of microstructure)

Chemical attack: V up to + 36% - Incorporation of alkali oxides into glassy phase up to saturation
(fireclay bricks)

- Reaction with cristobalite, quartz and mullite at T > 600C, formation

of orthoklase (KAS6), albite (NAS6), leucite (KAS4) and nepheline (NAS2) at T > 930C: Volume increase up to 36%

- Formation of -alumina (KA11) and K2O.Al2O3 at T 1000-1050C:

Volume increase up to 20%

- Spalling of shells even at small temperature changes due to the

increased thermal expansion of the reaction layers in comparison to mullite. nepheline ~ 3 mullite
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ASR > 1: Alkali Attack on Alumina Bricks

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Wear Mechanisms

Examples of Alkali Spalling

Alkaline spalling of andalusite bricks in the cooler front wall after 1 month.

Alkaline spalling of castables

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Alkali Attack:
Failure of Steel Shell due to Expansion of Alumina Refractory The strong volume increase related with alkali bursting can even lead to damages of the steel shell.

Calciner lifted by 15cm

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Thermal load

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Wear Mechanisms

Clinker Melt Infiltration

Increased clinker melt due to unfavourable clinker composition or overheating of the kiln feed. Clinker melt infiltration is observed only at the hot face, mostly adjacent to a thick clinker coating. The affected brick microstructure is severely densified and the matrix heavily corroded. Often also a coagulation of the matrix and the formation of coarse pores can be observed. The loss of thermomechanical properties leads to crack formation and finally spalling.
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Wear Process:
Clinker Melt Infiltration

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Wear Mechanisms

Overheating of High Alumina Bricks in the Outlet Zone

High alumina bricks after 7 months in operation. Formation of gehlenite C2AS, anorthite CAS2, nepheline NaAlSiO4 and other low melting Ca-alumosilicatic phases at the hot face in reaction with the kiln feed.

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Wear Mechanisms

Overheating of SiC Mullite Bricks in the Safety Zone

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Wear Mechanisms

Wear Process:
Effect of Frequent Thermal Shocks

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Wear Mechanisms

Thermal Shocks
An increased load by thermal shocks occurs mostly in the initial phase of kiln operation, when the operation condition are not stabile yet. Thermal shocks can effect the lining only in case of missing coating, particularly in case of loss of a thick coating area. The fall off of clinker coating always implies also a certain mechanical load, which is superimposed by the thermal-shock stress. Spalling of hot face brick parts are the consequence. Thermal shocks are especially severe in case that the microstructure has been pre-damaged or degenerated by thermo-chemical influences, as infiltration of clinker melt or alkaline salts.

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Wear Mechanisms

Too Fast Heating Up

Overstress at hot face!

Open gap at cold face

Spalling of brick heads of magnesia-chromite bricks due to too fast heating up.
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Combination of Wear Mechanisms

CBZ after 5 months
In practice there is often a combination of several wear mechanisms as this example demonstrates
Overheating at the hot face: Chemical analysis: 0.09% Cl, 0.67% SO3, 1.44% K2O, 2.08% Na2O, 2.08% CaO, 0.74% SiO2, 5.09% Al2O3 Alkaline salt attack behind the hot face (black, etched by water). Chemical analysis: 0.77% Cl, 2.47% SO3, 3.00% K2O, 1.28% CaO
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Mechanical load

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Wear Mechanisms

Reasons for Mechanical Load

Kiln shell torsions or deformations

Scratch marks on kiln shell

and instable lining

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Wear Mechanisms

Excessive lining thrust

Kiln shell Deformations

Permanent Due to Hot Spot

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Wear Mechanisms

Kiln Shell Deformations:

Reversible Deformation Due to too High Clearance

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Wear Mechanisms

Kiln Shell Deformations:

Kiln Shell Constriction Due to too Low Clearance

Too low gap can lead to strangulation of the kiln shell within the tire during the heating up procedure. Therefore it is important to monitor the tyre creep during the heating up procedure. To avoid any risk of kiln shell constriction and lining damage, keep tyre creep above 8 mm/rev during heating up and the temperature difference between shell and tyre above 150C.
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Reasons for mechanical load III

Not only the tyre clearance can influence the ovality values also other factors such as the alignment of the kiln axis, permanent kiln shell deformations or misalignment of the support rollers can lead to increased ovality values.
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Recommended Tyre Creep and Ovality

The ovality of the kiln shell depends on the tyre clearance, the distance between kiln shell and tyre. The higher the clearance the higher also the ovality. The acceptable clearance depends on the diameter of the kiln.

Ideal situation under hot conditions (on the example of a 4,8m kiln):
max. clearance = kiln [mm] /1000 (4800mm 4,8mm clearance) rec. creep = tyre clearance x (4,8 x PI = 15,1) The ideal creep value for a 4,8m diameter kiln should be around 15mm/rev.
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Possible Consequences

Increased ovality values and the thereby caused excessive mechanical load can lead to severe damages of the refractory lining (crack formation, spalling and spiralling).
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Influence of Tyre Ovality

Higher mechanical stresses within the tyre section lead to significantly lower residual thicknesses especially in case of simultaneous present chemothermal load, as often present ion the UTZ.
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Reasons for Mechanical Load

Wrong Installation

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Wear Mechanisms

Signs of Mechanical Overload

Formation of vertical cracks (white and red arrows) and a crumbly microstructure (circles) at the cold face as well as scratches (yellow lines) at the cold face are clear signs of increased mechanical load.
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Hydration

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Wear Mechanisms

Maximum Shelf Life

Fireclay and alumina bricks are not susceptible to hydration and can be stored indefinitely. Mortar should not be stored at customers warehouse for more than 12 months. Magnesia bricks are susceptible to hydration and should therefore not be stored for more than 12 months. Risk of hydration is higher tropical conditions and for bricks made from high purity, synthetic sintered magnesia. Under such conditions a further reduction of storage time can be necessary. Basic bricks should be installed shortly before kiln heat up, earliest 4 weeks before heat up.
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Hydration of Magnesia Bricks

The damage by hydration of unused magnesia bricks is characterized by one or several cracks in the brick and may lead to its partial sandlike decomposition.
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Hydration of Magnesia Bricks

Bricks with radial cracks have lost their mechanical strength and must be discarded

When knocked with a steel hammer, hydrated bricks sound dull and break easily
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Hydration
Hydration of periclase (MgO), key factors:
High humidity Temperature range of 40C to 120C Time

Transformation of periclase to brucite Mg(OH)2 under increase in volume of 115%

MgO + H2O Mg(OH)2

Brucite crystals on top of periclase (SEM)

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How to Check for Hydration

Typical indications: network like cracks (radial) bulged surface (ruler test) dull sound (sound test with hammer) loose or crumbly structure

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Hydration

Lab Test: Differential Thermogravimetry (DTG)

Gewicht, Abdampfrate vs. Temperatur
0 10

File: Datum: Nummer: Probe: Einwaage (mg): Mebereich (g): Bemerkung:

2562.TG 01.16.2003 4154-6 ANKROM-B65-R1 8233 0,2 1K/min 10l Luft/h

-0,05 0 -0,1 -10 -0,15 Abdampfrate in ppm/min

Gewichts%

-0,2

-20

Loss water 100C C Loss ofof water at 100

Loss ofof cristallwater at about Loss crystal water at about 350 C, due to to degeneration of 350 C, due degeneration of brucit Mg(OH)2.

-0,25

-30

-0,3 -40 -0,35 -50 -0,4

of brucit Mg(OH)2

-0,45 0 100 200 300 400 500 Grad Celsius 600 700 800 900

-60 1000

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Hydration

difficult to detect because already low amounts of brucite, which is analytically difficult to identify, can lead to formation of cracks

Wet Bricks
Magnesia bricks which have become wet, must be stacked openly and ventilated at ambient air temperatures until dried completely. Do not use hot air, do not expose wet bricks to the heat radiated from the kiln shell. After drying, check bricks carefully for crack formation.

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Hydration

Wet Lining Sections

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New lining sections which have become wet have to be removed and replaced by dry bricks. Hydration

Measures to Avoid Hydration

Stick to the RHI storage recommendations (storage under roof in well ventilated areas). Avoid long storing in countries with critical climate, supply of basic lining material if possible just in time shortly before lining. Avoid shipments during rainy season. Special brick packing with use of desiccants.

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Hydration

Thank you for your attention!

www.rhi-ag.com

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Wear Mechanisms