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Advanced technologies for cement manufacturing to gain efficiencies, improve product quality and profitability
Cement manufacturing methods and processes must evolve with increasing speed to accommodate market demands, competitive pressures, new economic realities, and governmental regulations. Thermo Fisher Scientific continues to be your most trusted industry partner in developing and applying technologies that improve the cement manufacturing process with a focus on increasing your profitability. Explore advanced technologies and how they can be applied to benefit your operations.
Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis/Pulsed Fast Thermal Neutron Activation (PGNAA/PFTNA)
Used for real-time quality control in process optimization, PGNAA/PFTNA provides high frequency online elemental analysis of an entire raw material process stream. Analyzers using PGNAA/PFTNA are situated directly on the conveyor belt and penetrate the whole raw material cross-section, delivering minute-by-minute, uniform measurement of the entire material stream, not just a sample or surface reading. Cement manufacturers can benefit from this technology in two key ways: quality control of raw materials, and managing coal power generation at their plant.
The key elemental components for cement are calcium, aluminum, iron, and silicon. However, sometimes unwanted elements such as magnesium oxide, and alkalis such as sodium, potassium, and sulfur exist within the limestone, clay, and sandstone that are adverse to the process. In these cases, PGNAA technology allows the end user to monitor MgO levels in the limestone and adjust accordingly.
This technology is also useful to control the coal blend that powers the plant. This allows cement producers to “mix” low-cost coals with higher costs coals to provide additional cost savings in fuel and a consistent feed to the kiln.
X-ray fluorescence
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials. XRF analyzers work by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary) X-rays emitted from a sample when excited by a primary X-ray source. Each of the elements present in a sample produces a set of characteristic fluorescent X-rays, or “unique fingerprints.” These fingerprints are distinct for each element, making XRF analysis an excellent tool for quantitative and qualitative measurements. In cement manufacturing, XRF is used for analysis of raw materials, clinker, and finished product.
X-ray diffraction
Quickly obtain detailed phase and structural information of your crystalline materials using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a versatile and nondestructive analytical technique. The discovery of X-ray diffraction (Bragg’s Law) enabled physicists, chemists, material scientists and metallurgists to study structure-property relationships leading to a multitude of new discoveries in materials science and technology.
While X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis determines the elemental composition of a sample, it does not provide information about how the various elements are combined together. Such mineralogical information is only available through X-ray diffraction. In a typical crystalline sample, XRF might measure for example the total Ca concentration. XRD permits analysis of the phases or compounds in crystalline materials such as rocks, minerals and oxide materials and products. In the same sample, XRD takes the analysis a stage further and gives information about CaO, CaCO3, Ca(OH)2 contents and other Ca phases.
Radiation detection
Mining industries and those that utilize mined minerals are exposed to a variety of naturally occurring radiation sources. And because of the extensive use of radioactive measurement and analysis techniques (e.g. X-ray and Gamma ray analyzers) in cement production, the potential for exposure increases dramatically. Both natural and man-made sources of radiation are potentially dangerous and life threatening if not managed appropriately.
Detection of various types of radiation throughout the manufacturing process is paramount to worker safety and quality control. Radiation detection technology can be delivered by way of multiple devices, each suited for the type of radiation to be monitored, the environmental circumstances, and source.
Handheld radiation detection devices provide real time detection of gamma radiation with accurate dose rate measurements, verify the radioactive find and assess whether radioactivity is of natural or artificial (man-made) origin. Portable devices with high sensitivity neutron response and alarm threshold can be worn to monitor gamma sensitivity and energy compensated dose rate measurement.
Informatics
The advanced materials analysis instrumentation available to cement producers delivers unprecedented improvements in productivity, efficiency, and profitability. These improvements can be further extended through specialized software and informatics. Our systems offer connectivity across and between lab and field instruments, deliver rich information analysis, optimized management controls, and advance the usefulness of your equipment. By connecting XRF and PGNAA elemental analyzers, for example, you can compare data from both systems to ensure peak operational efficiency. Other specialized software enables benefits like the automatic, real-time adjustment of raw material feed rates for maximized productivity and quality control. Our advanced, specialized informatics systems for the cement industry add another layer of return on your technology investment.
Laboratory automation
Cement manufacturers can further drive process control and efficiencies in their applications with laboratory automation technologies. XRF spectrometers can be fully automated to increase throughput, improve analysis accuracy and decrease costs. This level of automation delivers a complete laboratory workflow solution and can reduce response times, increases sample processing cadence, and improve the availability of automatic sample preparation in highly critical production control environments.
Emissions analysis
We have devoted nearly forty years to perfecting the design and execution of demanding operational and environmental monitoring systems. Our state-of-the-art technologies, along with long-term distinguished industry performance, are qualities incorporated with each delivered system.
Our gas and particulate emissions analyzers detect and monitor a complete spectrum of process gases during various stages of production, including but not limited to NO, NO2, NOx, SO2, CO, CO2, Ozone, non-methane hydrocarbons and other gases that a user may require. Our analyzers utilize a variety of technologies which can include Nondispersive Infrared (NDIR), Chemiluminescence; Pulsed Fluorescence, and Flame Ionization Detection (FID), Atomic Fluorescence; transmissometers, ultrasonic monitors and full extractive and dilution extractive probes. Using a combination of these technologies, you can achieve compliance with regulatory guidelines while meeting your own specific air quality monitoring needs. These systems are designed to meet US EPA 40CFR Parts 60 and 75 standards while providing unsurpassed sensitivity, accuracy and reliability.
