CEMENT

BY- PRAMESH SHARMA 1

 SYLLABUS
Credit Hour - 4
➢ Explain introduction and raw materials for cement production.

➢ Give main steps in cement production (crushing and grinding, strong heating and final
grinding).

➢ Explain OPC and PPC cement.

➢ Explain Portland cement process with flow-sheet diagram.

➢ Explain cement Industry in Nepal

2
 INTRODUCTION
• Cement is an inorganic material which has adhesive and cohesive properties.

• In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that
sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together.

• Cement used in construction are usually hydraulic cement. Hydraulic cements

(e.g., Portland cement) harden because of hydration, they can harden even
underwater or when constantly exposed to wet weather.

3
 Raw Materials for Cement Production
➢ The principle constituent of cement are the compounds of Ca, Al and Si.
➢ Cement constituents of Ca compound is called calcareous whereas the constituents of Al
and Si is called argillaceous.
➢ Cement is essentially a mixture of calcium silicates and calcium aluminates with small
amounts of added Gypsum (CaSO4 .2H2O).

Calcareous materials: Contains predominantly calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and to use in

cement manufacture, it should have 42-43% lime (CaO) minimum.
In cement manufacture it is prime raw material and its usage would be 90- 93%. (Chalk,
clay, marine shale (sedimentary rock) and waste calcium carbonates)
Argillaceous materials: It contains more of silica (SiO2) and its usage should be 2 to 3% ,
alumina (Al2O3) and it's usage should be 2 to 3%, iron oxide (Fe2O3) and it's usage should be 1
to 2% in cement manufacture.
The raw materials mix composition would be 90-93% limestone, 2- 3% clay, 2-3%
Bauxite (Al2O3. 2H2O), 1-2% Iron ore in cement making. 4
Main Steps in Cement Production
❖ Crushing and grinding of raw materials (mixing the raw materials)
❖ Strong heating or burning ( formation of clinker)
❖ Cooling clinker and mixing additives
❖ Final grinding

➢ Cement production consists of grinding of raw materials into fine powder and mixing them
with various ingredients in suitable proportions followed by burning to about 1300-15000 C
in a large rotatory kiln where the materials fuse to produce clinker.

➢ At calcination zone (10000 C) lime stone fuses to give CaO, which then fuses with SiO2 , Al2O3
and Fe2O3 to form hot clinker material at clinkering zone (15000 C).

➢ At this zone lime and clay react to yield calcium aluminates and calcium silicates in the form
of hard and small stones known as cement clinker.

5
 The chemical reactions that occur during the process are as follows:

➢ The clinker is then cooled and grinded to fine powder, along with the addition of 2-3%
gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) in grinding mills.
➢ The addition of gypsum is necessary for the regulation of the setting time of the cement.

➢ The gypsum retards the dissolution of tri-calcium aluminates by forming tri-calcium

sulfoaluminate which is insoluble and prevents too early further reactions of setting and
hardening. 6
➢ The resulting product is commercial Portland cement used throughout the world.
➢ The cement thus obtained is packed in airtight bags to avoid contact with the moisture.

7
8
Step (I):
Dry process
➢ The material is gathered from quarry with the help of dumper to manufacturing plant.
➢ The material gathered is having content of limestone and clay which is calcareous component and
argillaceous component respectively.
➢ The material gathered is about more than 80 mm size

Step (II):
The collected material is fed into heavy crusher where size of the material get reduced to 60mm from
80mm and later this size is fed into light crusher (Tube mill / Ball mill) where the size reduced to 40-
60mm, finally it is stored in the tank.

9
Step (III):
Now, the grinding material called raw mix is fed into preheater (Heater before rotatory kiln),
the temperature is gradually increased up to 5000C due to this increase in temperature the
raw mix get fraction into smaller size nearly (25mm).

Benefits of Preheater:
a) It makes the process fast.
b) Fuel consumption is reduced because the burning time of rotary kiln is get reduced.

Now, this raw mix is fed into rotary kiln where the temperature is 800 – 10000C, 1000- 12000C,
1200 – 15000C, in three separate zones respectively.
The product obtained is of size 8 of 10mm from rotary kiln is called clinker.

10
Figure: Rotatory kiln 11
Zone - 1 (Drying zone):
In this zone the raw mix, is fractioned into more smaller size. In this zone if there is some
water or moisture exist in raw mix then it is also evaporated.

Zone - 2 (Nodule zone):

In this zone, the major breakdown of raw mix occur. In this zone the calcination of limestone
takes place .

Zone - 3 (Burning zone):

Now, the raw mix which is called nodules, is sloped down and major chemical reaction
between ingredient of clinker occurs i.e., lime, silica, alumina, iron oxides.

12
Now, from this rotatory kiln the product obtained is called clinker which is composed of
major and minor compounds.

Note: The clinker obtained has high efficiency to react with water and set immediately (flash
set) to prevent this immediately setting of clinker in presence of water is done by adding
gypsum in a tube mill.

➢ Now the clinker is cooled up to temperature of 1000C, after cooling it is fed into tube mill
where the gypsum is also added to it, the fine grinded powder having gray colour is
obtained which is called cement.
➢ It is packed in 50 kg bag having ±5% volume capacity.
➢ Now, after packing it is transported to dealers.

13
Figure: Flow sheet diagram of dry process 14
 Wet process:

• The clay is mixed to a paste in a wash mill - a tank in which the clay is pulverized (reduced
to fine particles) in the presence of water.

• Crushed lime is then added and the whole mixture is further grinded.

• Any material which is too coarse is extracted and regrinded. The slurry is then tested to
ensure that it contains the correct balance of minerals, and any extra ingredients blended
in as necessary.

15
Figure: Flow sheet diagram of wet process 16
 Types of cement- OPC and PPC
❑ On the basis of properties such as component, strength, heat generation, the percentage of
several components, durability, grades , cost, eco friendly nature, application, setting time,
etc.

On the basis of these parameters the cements nowadays are mainly classified as:
➢ Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and
➢ Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC):

➢ Most commonly used cement in the world because of the low cost of production
➢ It is prepared by the grinding the mixture of limestone and other raw materials like
argillaceous, calcareous and gypsum.
➢ The OPC cement has been classified into three grades namely 33 grade, 43 grade and 53
grade.

17
➢ The grade of the cement means its strength at 28 days when tested as per IS:4031-1988.
➢ This Indian Standard ( Part 6) (First Revision) was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards
on 10 March 1988.
➢ If the strength is not less than 33 N/mm2 , it is called 33-grade cement.

Characteristics of OPC cement:

• It is less durable in aggressive weather.
• It is costlier compared to PPC
• Its initial strength is higher than PPC
• It has lower resistance against alkalies, sulphates, chlorides etc.
• The emission of CO2 occurs during the manufacturing process
• The hydration process is fast and the heat of hydration is high thus making the cement
unsuitable for the mass concreting.

Uses: Useful for fast concreting

18
Portland Pozzolana cement (PPC)
➢ PPC is obtained by adding a pozzolanic materials i.e. fly ash and volcanic ash to the OPC.
➢ Pozzolana materials are added to the cement in the ratio of 15% to 35% by weight.
➢ The addition of these materials improve the strength and durability of the cement and
even reduces the costs of the manufacture
➢ PPC has low initial setting strength but hardens over a period of time with proper curing.
➢ PPC is available in one grade which has similar strength to 33 grade OPC after curing.

Characteristics of PPC cement:

• It is cheaper than OPC

• It has a slow setting hydration process and thus generates less heat than OPC, therefore is
suitable for mass concreting and makes concrete more durable
• Setting time of PPC is higher with an initial setting of 30 min and 600 min for the final sets.
• PPC uses the natural and industrial waste thus reducing environmental pollution

Uses: PPC is highly resistant to sulphate and chloride attack, hence it is used in the construction
19
of dams, foundations, buildings near the seashore, reservoirs etc.
 OPC PPC
Definition/ A mixture of limestone and other raw PPC is prepared by adding Pozzolanic materials to
Components materials like argillaceous, calcareous, OPC. So, the main components are OPC clinker,
gypsum is prepared and then grinded gypsum and pozzolanic materials (15~35%) which
to prepare OPC. includes calcined clay, volcanic ash, fly ash or
silica fumes.

Strength Initial strength is higher than PPC. PPC has higher strength than OPC over a longer
period of time.
Heat of Generates more heat than PPC in It has a slow hydration process and thus
hydration hydration reaction which makes it less generates less heat than OPC.
suitable for mass casting.
Durability Less durable in aggressive weather. More durable in aggressive weather.

Cost Costlier than PPC. Cheaper than OPC.

20
Environmental Emits CO2 during the manufacturing It constitutes industrial and natural waste which
Impact process. makes it eco-friendly.

Application It is suitable where fast construction It is suitable for all types of construction work. For
is required but not suitable for mass example RCC casting of buildings, mass concreting
concreting due to heat issue as for bridges and even plastering and other non-
mentioned above. structural works.

Setting Time Lower than PPC. Its initial setting Setting time of PPC us higher than OPC. Its initial
time is 30 minutes and final setting setting time is 30 minutes and final setting time is
time is 280 minutes. Its faster setting 600 minutes. Its slower setting time helps to get
time helps faster construction. better finishing.

Grades 33 Grade, 43 Grade, and 53 Grade No specified grade of PPC cement is available.
available OPC cement are available.

21
Manufacture of Portland cement with flow sheet diagram
Process: As mentioned earlier

Figure: Flow sheet diagram for the manufacture of Portland cement 22

Cement Industries in Nepal
The use of cement in Nepal begins from 1950’s but supply was diversified in 1965. in 1975, the
first cement plant, Himal cement a state owned company started manufacturing cement 160 tons
per day as its production capacity. Then Hetauda cement industry and Udayapur cement
industry limited were established. Currently, there are 53 cement factories operating in country
to produce 160 million sacks of cement annually.

Name of Industry
Public sector
1. Himal cement company limited
2. Hetauda cement industries limited
3. Udayapur cement limited.
Private sectors
1. Honsi cement 6. Goenka cement
2. Sarbottam cement 7. Sagarmatha cement
3. Shivam cement 8. Arghakhachi cement
4. Maruti cement
5. CG cement 23