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How to control kiln shell corrosion, SCL Beawar (Raj.) Page 1 SUMMER IN-PLANT TRAINING REPORT Shree Cement Ltd., Beawar(Rajasthan) Starting From 7 th May 2012-1 st July 2012 Project Title:- How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Submitted to: - Submitted by:- Shri Sanjay Jain Ankit Karwa HOD,Mechanical Dept. 4 th year UG, MSE Shree Cement Ltd.,Beawar IIT Kanpur

How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

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Page 1: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 1

SUMMER IN-PLANT TRAINING REPORT

Shree Cement Ltd Beawar(Rajasthan)

Starting From 7th May 2012-1st July 2012

Project Title-

How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion

Submitted to - Submitted by-

Shri Sanjay Jain Ankit Karwa

HODMechanical Dept 4th year UG MSE

Shree Cement LtdBeawar IIT Kanpur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 2

Acknowledgment I take immense pleasure in thanking Shri Vinay Saxena Plant head Shri Sanjay Jain HOD Mechanical Department and Shri Atul Sharma for having permitted me to carry out this project work

I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to Shri RPPareek and Shri SHawa for their able guidance useful suggestions and providing me necessary data which helped me in completing the project work in time

Needless to mention Shri Manoj Sharma who has been a source of inspiration and for his timely guidance in the conduct of project work I would also like to thank Shri sanjay Baldwa Shri Harshwardhan Shri Manish Purohit for all their valuable and timely assistance in the project work

Irsquod also like to express my gratitude towards the Mechanical Library and Shri Pankaj Sharma Librarian for helping me to make available different references during the project

Words are inadequate in offering my thanks to Shri Gopal Tripathi Sr Manager HRD for providing us such good facilities during the project

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Shri Vijay Vyas Officer HRD for his sincere helps throughout the project without which it seemed impossible to complete the project

Finally yet importantly I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my institute INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KANPUR and its Material Science and Engineering Department for providing me this opportunity to interact with this organization and understand the intricacies of the corporate world

Ankit Karwa

4th year under graduate

Material science and Engineering

IIT Kanpur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 3

Index 1) Acknowledgment helliphelliphellip2 2) Abstract helliphelliphellip4 3) Introduction helliphelliphellip5 4) About Shree Cement helliphelliphellip6 5) Manufacturing Process helliphelliphellip14 6) General Chemistry of Cement Manufacturing helliphelliphellip19 7) The Kiln System helliphelliphellip22 8) Literature Review helliphelliphellip30

A) What is Corrosion helliphelliphellip30 B) Types of Corrosion helliphelliphellip31 C) What are Refractories helliphelliphellip38 D) Types of Refractories helliphelliphellip41

9) Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar helliphelliphellip45 10) Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used helliphelliphellip48 11) Corrosion of Kiln shell helliphelliphellip51 A) Introduction helliphelliphellip51 B) Corrosion of Cement Kiln helliphelliphellip52 C) Mechanism of Cement Kiln shell Corrosion helliphelliphellip53 D) Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion helliphelliphellip55 E) Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion helliphelliphellip60 12)Recommendations helliphelliphellip62 13)References helliphelliphellip72

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 4

Abstract Corrosion damage is a major issue in cement plants The serious consequences of the corrosion process in cement plants have become a problem of worldwide significance Corrosion causes plant shutdowns waste of valuable resources loss or contamination of product reduction in efficiency costly maintenance and expenses over design can jeopardise safety

Typically once a plant or any piece of equipment is put into service maintenance is required to keep it operating safely and efficiently This is particularly true for aging systems and structures many of which may operate beyond the original design life

The type of corrosion mechanism and its rate of attack depend on the nature of the atmosphere in which corrosion takes place The first step in preventing corrosion is to understand its specific mechanism The second and most important as well as most difficult step is to design an effective type of protection mechanism

The Cement kilns are operating at higher thermal and volumetric loadings and utilizing alternate raw materials and fuels which are rich in volatiles creating thereby severe service conditions inside the rotary kiln Such conditions cause the corrosion of the rotary kiln shell to take place in hot running conditions Therefore investigations reported in the paper were unique in nature with a very specific target to understand the mechanism of such corrosion the role of various service conditions and process parameters on corrosion phenomena and establish such remedial measures which could impede reduce corrosion of rotary kiln shell in running conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 5

Introduction- Cement is a common construction material a binder in mortars and concretes that hardens in the presence of water Cement is called hydraulic when the hardened product is stable in an aqueous environment The most widespread hydraulic cement today is portland cement ndash a finely ground gray-to-white powder composed primarily of calcium silicates calcium aluminates and calcium ferrites derived from mineral ingredients (Figure below)

Fig 1Cement Powder

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with some other materials such as clay to about 1400degC in a kiln where a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated calcium oxide or quicklime is formed which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix The resulting hard substance called clinker is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make Ordinary Portland Cement or Portland Cement often referred to as OPC the most commonly used type of cement in the world Portland cement or clinker can be blended or interground with other materials to achieve certain properties There are five classes of blended cement commonly used They are as follows-

bull Portland blast-furnace slag cement bull Portland-Pozzolan Cement(PPC) bull Pozzolan-modified Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 6

bull Slag Cement bull Slag-modified Portland

The blended cement are gaining popularity because they require less energy to manufacture they can be made with by-product materials that would normally be disposed in a landfill thus reducing solid waste and offer performance benefits for certain applications

When mixed with water portland cement sets (stiffens) in a few hours and hardens over a period of weeks and months These phenomena are caused by chemical reactions associated with hydration between the components of cement and water The most common use of portland cement is in the production of concrete Concrete is a composite consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand) cement and water As a construction material concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened can become a structural (load bearing) element Portland cement is also used in mortars (with sand and water only) for plasters and screeds and in grouts (cement water mixes) placed into gaps to consolidate brick walls foundations etc

About Shree Cement- Cement industry falls in the category of manufacturing industry With the growth of economy cement industry is also taking substantial leaps One amongst the companies helping the cement industry to achieve its fast growth is Shree Cement Ltd It is located in central Rajasthan catering to the entire Rajasthan market with the most economic logistics cost

An ISO 90012000 Company established in the Year 1984 amp the Commercial Production of Unit-I started in the Year 1985 Shree Cement Limited has its registered office located at Beawar (Raj) amp Corporate Office at Kolkata (WB)

ldquoJO SOCHE VOH PAAVErdquo

SHREE CEMENT LIMITED is an energy conscious amp environment friendly business organization Having ten Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri BG Bangur the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri HM Bangur Managing Director Shri MK Singhi Executive Director of the company is looking after all day to day affairs The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality amp leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 2: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 2

Acknowledgment I take immense pleasure in thanking Shri Vinay Saxena Plant head Shri Sanjay Jain HOD Mechanical Department and Shri Atul Sharma for having permitted me to carry out this project work

I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to Shri RPPareek and Shri SHawa for their able guidance useful suggestions and providing me necessary data which helped me in completing the project work in time

Needless to mention Shri Manoj Sharma who has been a source of inspiration and for his timely guidance in the conduct of project work I would also like to thank Shri sanjay Baldwa Shri Harshwardhan Shri Manish Purohit for all their valuable and timely assistance in the project work

Irsquod also like to express my gratitude towards the Mechanical Library and Shri Pankaj Sharma Librarian for helping me to make available different references during the project

Words are inadequate in offering my thanks to Shri Gopal Tripathi Sr Manager HRD for providing us such good facilities during the project

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Shri Vijay Vyas Officer HRD for his sincere helps throughout the project without which it seemed impossible to complete the project

Finally yet importantly I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my institute INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KANPUR and its Material Science and Engineering Department for providing me this opportunity to interact with this organization and understand the intricacies of the corporate world

Ankit Karwa

4th year under graduate

Material science and Engineering

IIT Kanpur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 3

Index 1) Acknowledgment helliphelliphellip2 2) Abstract helliphelliphellip4 3) Introduction helliphelliphellip5 4) About Shree Cement helliphelliphellip6 5) Manufacturing Process helliphelliphellip14 6) General Chemistry of Cement Manufacturing helliphelliphellip19 7) The Kiln System helliphelliphellip22 8) Literature Review helliphelliphellip30

A) What is Corrosion helliphelliphellip30 B) Types of Corrosion helliphelliphellip31 C) What are Refractories helliphelliphellip38 D) Types of Refractories helliphelliphellip41

9) Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar helliphelliphellip45 10) Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used helliphelliphellip48 11) Corrosion of Kiln shell helliphelliphellip51 A) Introduction helliphelliphellip51 B) Corrosion of Cement Kiln helliphelliphellip52 C) Mechanism of Cement Kiln shell Corrosion helliphelliphellip53 D) Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion helliphelliphellip55 E) Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion helliphelliphellip60 12)Recommendations helliphelliphellip62 13)References helliphelliphellip72

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 4

Abstract Corrosion damage is a major issue in cement plants The serious consequences of the corrosion process in cement plants have become a problem of worldwide significance Corrosion causes plant shutdowns waste of valuable resources loss or contamination of product reduction in efficiency costly maintenance and expenses over design can jeopardise safety

Typically once a plant or any piece of equipment is put into service maintenance is required to keep it operating safely and efficiently This is particularly true for aging systems and structures many of which may operate beyond the original design life

The type of corrosion mechanism and its rate of attack depend on the nature of the atmosphere in which corrosion takes place The first step in preventing corrosion is to understand its specific mechanism The second and most important as well as most difficult step is to design an effective type of protection mechanism

The Cement kilns are operating at higher thermal and volumetric loadings and utilizing alternate raw materials and fuels which are rich in volatiles creating thereby severe service conditions inside the rotary kiln Such conditions cause the corrosion of the rotary kiln shell to take place in hot running conditions Therefore investigations reported in the paper were unique in nature with a very specific target to understand the mechanism of such corrosion the role of various service conditions and process parameters on corrosion phenomena and establish such remedial measures which could impede reduce corrosion of rotary kiln shell in running conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 5

Introduction- Cement is a common construction material a binder in mortars and concretes that hardens in the presence of water Cement is called hydraulic when the hardened product is stable in an aqueous environment The most widespread hydraulic cement today is portland cement ndash a finely ground gray-to-white powder composed primarily of calcium silicates calcium aluminates and calcium ferrites derived from mineral ingredients (Figure below)

Fig 1Cement Powder

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with some other materials such as clay to about 1400degC in a kiln where a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated calcium oxide or quicklime is formed which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix The resulting hard substance called clinker is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make Ordinary Portland Cement or Portland Cement often referred to as OPC the most commonly used type of cement in the world Portland cement or clinker can be blended or interground with other materials to achieve certain properties There are five classes of blended cement commonly used They are as follows-

bull Portland blast-furnace slag cement bull Portland-Pozzolan Cement(PPC) bull Pozzolan-modified Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 6

bull Slag Cement bull Slag-modified Portland

The blended cement are gaining popularity because they require less energy to manufacture they can be made with by-product materials that would normally be disposed in a landfill thus reducing solid waste and offer performance benefits for certain applications

When mixed with water portland cement sets (stiffens) in a few hours and hardens over a period of weeks and months These phenomena are caused by chemical reactions associated with hydration between the components of cement and water The most common use of portland cement is in the production of concrete Concrete is a composite consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand) cement and water As a construction material concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened can become a structural (load bearing) element Portland cement is also used in mortars (with sand and water only) for plasters and screeds and in grouts (cement water mixes) placed into gaps to consolidate brick walls foundations etc

About Shree Cement- Cement industry falls in the category of manufacturing industry With the growth of economy cement industry is also taking substantial leaps One amongst the companies helping the cement industry to achieve its fast growth is Shree Cement Ltd It is located in central Rajasthan catering to the entire Rajasthan market with the most economic logistics cost

An ISO 90012000 Company established in the Year 1984 amp the Commercial Production of Unit-I started in the Year 1985 Shree Cement Limited has its registered office located at Beawar (Raj) amp Corporate Office at Kolkata (WB)

ldquoJO SOCHE VOH PAAVErdquo

SHREE CEMENT LIMITED is an energy conscious amp environment friendly business organization Having ten Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri BG Bangur the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri HM Bangur Managing Director Shri MK Singhi Executive Director of the company is looking after all day to day affairs The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality amp leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

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Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

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Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

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flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

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Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

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Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

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The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 3: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 3

Index 1) Acknowledgment helliphelliphellip2 2) Abstract helliphelliphellip4 3) Introduction helliphelliphellip5 4) About Shree Cement helliphelliphellip6 5) Manufacturing Process helliphelliphellip14 6) General Chemistry of Cement Manufacturing helliphelliphellip19 7) The Kiln System helliphelliphellip22 8) Literature Review helliphelliphellip30

A) What is Corrosion helliphelliphellip30 B) Types of Corrosion helliphelliphellip31 C) What are Refractories helliphelliphellip38 D) Types of Refractories helliphelliphellip41

9) Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar helliphelliphellip45 10) Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used helliphelliphellip48 11) Corrosion of Kiln shell helliphelliphellip51 A) Introduction helliphelliphellip51 B) Corrosion of Cement Kiln helliphelliphellip52 C) Mechanism of Cement Kiln shell Corrosion helliphelliphellip53 D) Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion helliphelliphellip55 E) Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion helliphelliphellip60 12)Recommendations helliphelliphellip62 13)References helliphelliphellip72

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 4

Abstract Corrosion damage is a major issue in cement plants The serious consequences of the corrosion process in cement plants have become a problem of worldwide significance Corrosion causes plant shutdowns waste of valuable resources loss or contamination of product reduction in efficiency costly maintenance and expenses over design can jeopardise safety

Typically once a plant or any piece of equipment is put into service maintenance is required to keep it operating safely and efficiently This is particularly true for aging systems and structures many of which may operate beyond the original design life

The type of corrosion mechanism and its rate of attack depend on the nature of the atmosphere in which corrosion takes place The first step in preventing corrosion is to understand its specific mechanism The second and most important as well as most difficult step is to design an effective type of protection mechanism

The Cement kilns are operating at higher thermal and volumetric loadings and utilizing alternate raw materials and fuels which are rich in volatiles creating thereby severe service conditions inside the rotary kiln Such conditions cause the corrosion of the rotary kiln shell to take place in hot running conditions Therefore investigations reported in the paper were unique in nature with a very specific target to understand the mechanism of such corrosion the role of various service conditions and process parameters on corrosion phenomena and establish such remedial measures which could impede reduce corrosion of rotary kiln shell in running conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 5

Introduction- Cement is a common construction material a binder in mortars and concretes that hardens in the presence of water Cement is called hydraulic when the hardened product is stable in an aqueous environment The most widespread hydraulic cement today is portland cement ndash a finely ground gray-to-white powder composed primarily of calcium silicates calcium aluminates and calcium ferrites derived from mineral ingredients (Figure below)

Fig 1Cement Powder

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with some other materials such as clay to about 1400degC in a kiln where a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated calcium oxide or quicklime is formed which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix The resulting hard substance called clinker is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make Ordinary Portland Cement or Portland Cement often referred to as OPC the most commonly used type of cement in the world Portland cement or clinker can be blended or interground with other materials to achieve certain properties There are five classes of blended cement commonly used They are as follows-

bull Portland blast-furnace slag cement bull Portland-Pozzolan Cement(PPC) bull Pozzolan-modified Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 6

bull Slag Cement bull Slag-modified Portland

The blended cement are gaining popularity because they require less energy to manufacture they can be made with by-product materials that would normally be disposed in a landfill thus reducing solid waste and offer performance benefits for certain applications

When mixed with water portland cement sets (stiffens) in a few hours and hardens over a period of weeks and months These phenomena are caused by chemical reactions associated with hydration between the components of cement and water The most common use of portland cement is in the production of concrete Concrete is a composite consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand) cement and water As a construction material concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened can become a structural (load bearing) element Portland cement is also used in mortars (with sand and water only) for plasters and screeds and in grouts (cement water mixes) placed into gaps to consolidate brick walls foundations etc

About Shree Cement- Cement industry falls in the category of manufacturing industry With the growth of economy cement industry is also taking substantial leaps One amongst the companies helping the cement industry to achieve its fast growth is Shree Cement Ltd It is located in central Rajasthan catering to the entire Rajasthan market with the most economic logistics cost

An ISO 90012000 Company established in the Year 1984 amp the Commercial Production of Unit-I started in the Year 1985 Shree Cement Limited has its registered office located at Beawar (Raj) amp Corporate Office at Kolkata (WB)

ldquoJO SOCHE VOH PAAVErdquo

SHREE CEMENT LIMITED is an energy conscious amp environment friendly business organization Having ten Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri BG Bangur the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri HM Bangur Managing Director Shri MK Singhi Executive Director of the company is looking after all day to day affairs The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality amp leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 4: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 4

Abstract Corrosion damage is a major issue in cement plants The serious consequences of the corrosion process in cement plants have become a problem of worldwide significance Corrosion causes plant shutdowns waste of valuable resources loss or contamination of product reduction in efficiency costly maintenance and expenses over design can jeopardise safety

Typically once a plant or any piece of equipment is put into service maintenance is required to keep it operating safely and efficiently This is particularly true for aging systems and structures many of which may operate beyond the original design life

The type of corrosion mechanism and its rate of attack depend on the nature of the atmosphere in which corrosion takes place The first step in preventing corrosion is to understand its specific mechanism The second and most important as well as most difficult step is to design an effective type of protection mechanism

The Cement kilns are operating at higher thermal and volumetric loadings and utilizing alternate raw materials and fuels which are rich in volatiles creating thereby severe service conditions inside the rotary kiln Such conditions cause the corrosion of the rotary kiln shell to take place in hot running conditions Therefore investigations reported in the paper were unique in nature with a very specific target to understand the mechanism of such corrosion the role of various service conditions and process parameters on corrosion phenomena and establish such remedial measures which could impede reduce corrosion of rotary kiln shell in running conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 5

Introduction- Cement is a common construction material a binder in mortars and concretes that hardens in the presence of water Cement is called hydraulic when the hardened product is stable in an aqueous environment The most widespread hydraulic cement today is portland cement ndash a finely ground gray-to-white powder composed primarily of calcium silicates calcium aluminates and calcium ferrites derived from mineral ingredients (Figure below)

Fig 1Cement Powder

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with some other materials such as clay to about 1400degC in a kiln where a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated calcium oxide or quicklime is formed which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix The resulting hard substance called clinker is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make Ordinary Portland Cement or Portland Cement often referred to as OPC the most commonly used type of cement in the world Portland cement or clinker can be blended or interground with other materials to achieve certain properties There are five classes of blended cement commonly used They are as follows-

bull Portland blast-furnace slag cement bull Portland-Pozzolan Cement(PPC) bull Pozzolan-modified Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 6

bull Slag Cement bull Slag-modified Portland

The blended cement are gaining popularity because they require less energy to manufacture they can be made with by-product materials that would normally be disposed in a landfill thus reducing solid waste and offer performance benefits for certain applications

When mixed with water portland cement sets (stiffens) in a few hours and hardens over a period of weeks and months These phenomena are caused by chemical reactions associated with hydration between the components of cement and water The most common use of portland cement is in the production of concrete Concrete is a composite consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand) cement and water As a construction material concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened can become a structural (load bearing) element Portland cement is also used in mortars (with sand and water only) for plasters and screeds and in grouts (cement water mixes) placed into gaps to consolidate brick walls foundations etc

About Shree Cement- Cement industry falls in the category of manufacturing industry With the growth of economy cement industry is also taking substantial leaps One amongst the companies helping the cement industry to achieve its fast growth is Shree Cement Ltd It is located in central Rajasthan catering to the entire Rajasthan market with the most economic logistics cost

An ISO 90012000 Company established in the Year 1984 amp the Commercial Production of Unit-I started in the Year 1985 Shree Cement Limited has its registered office located at Beawar (Raj) amp Corporate Office at Kolkata (WB)

ldquoJO SOCHE VOH PAAVErdquo

SHREE CEMENT LIMITED is an energy conscious amp environment friendly business organization Having ten Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri BG Bangur the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri HM Bangur Managing Director Shri MK Singhi Executive Director of the company is looking after all day to day affairs The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality amp leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

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Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

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Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

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flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

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General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

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Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

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Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

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The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

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bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

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Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 5: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 5

Introduction- Cement is a common construction material a binder in mortars and concretes that hardens in the presence of water Cement is called hydraulic when the hardened product is stable in an aqueous environment The most widespread hydraulic cement today is portland cement ndash a finely ground gray-to-white powder composed primarily of calcium silicates calcium aluminates and calcium ferrites derived from mineral ingredients (Figure below)

Fig 1Cement Powder

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with some other materials such as clay to about 1400degC in a kiln where a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated calcium oxide or quicklime is formed which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix The resulting hard substance called clinker is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make Ordinary Portland Cement or Portland Cement often referred to as OPC the most commonly used type of cement in the world Portland cement or clinker can be blended or interground with other materials to achieve certain properties There are five classes of blended cement commonly used They are as follows-

bull Portland blast-furnace slag cement bull Portland-Pozzolan Cement(PPC) bull Pozzolan-modified Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 6

bull Slag Cement bull Slag-modified Portland

The blended cement are gaining popularity because they require less energy to manufacture they can be made with by-product materials that would normally be disposed in a landfill thus reducing solid waste and offer performance benefits for certain applications

When mixed with water portland cement sets (stiffens) in a few hours and hardens over a period of weeks and months These phenomena are caused by chemical reactions associated with hydration between the components of cement and water The most common use of portland cement is in the production of concrete Concrete is a composite consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand) cement and water As a construction material concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened can become a structural (load bearing) element Portland cement is also used in mortars (with sand and water only) for plasters and screeds and in grouts (cement water mixes) placed into gaps to consolidate brick walls foundations etc

About Shree Cement- Cement industry falls in the category of manufacturing industry With the growth of economy cement industry is also taking substantial leaps One amongst the companies helping the cement industry to achieve its fast growth is Shree Cement Ltd It is located in central Rajasthan catering to the entire Rajasthan market with the most economic logistics cost

An ISO 90012000 Company established in the Year 1984 amp the Commercial Production of Unit-I started in the Year 1985 Shree Cement Limited has its registered office located at Beawar (Raj) amp Corporate Office at Kolkata (WB)

ldquoJO SOCHE VOH PAAVErdquo

SHREE CEMENT LIMITED is an energy conscious amp environment friendly business organization Having ten Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri BG Bangur the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri HM Bangur Managing Director Shri MK Singhi Executive Director of the company is looking after all day to day affairs The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality amp leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

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Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 6: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 6

bull Slag Cement bull Slag-modified Portland

The blended cement are gaining popularity because they require less energy to manufacture they can be made with by-product materials that would normally be disposed in a landfill thus reducing solid waste and offer performance benefits for certain applications

When mixed with water portland cement sets (stiffens) in a few hours and hardens over a period of weeks and months These phenomena are caused by chemical reactions associated with hydration between the components of cement and water The most common use of portland cement is in the production of concrete Concrete is a composite consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand) cement and water As a construction material concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired and once hardened can become a structural (load bearing) element Portland cement is also used in mortars (with sand and water only) for plasters and screeds and in grouts (cement water mixes) placed into gaps to consolidate brick walls foundations etc

About Shree Cement- Cement industry falls in the category of manufacturing industry With the growth of economy cement industry is also taking substantial leaps One amongst the companies helping the cement industry to achieve its fast growth is Shree Cement Ltd It is located in central Rajasthan catering to the entire Rajasthan market with the most economic logistics cost

An ISO 90012000 Company established in the Year 1984 amp the Commercial Production of Unit-I started in the Year 1985 Shree Cement Limited has its registered office located at Beawar (Raj) amp Corporate Office at Kolkata (WB)

ldquoJO SOCHE VOH PAAVErdquo

SHREE CEMENT LIMITED is an energy conscious amp environment friendly business organization Having ten Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri BG Bangur the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri HM Bangur Managing Director Shri MK Singhi Executive Director of the company is looking after all day to day affairs The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality amp leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 7: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 7

The largest cement manufacturing plant at a single location in Northern India under the flagship of Executive Chairman Shri BG Bangur amp Managing Director Shri HM Bangur The Company is aiming for 20 Million Ton Annual production by the year 2015

The plant is located near the city of Beawar Dist Ajmer in Central Rajasthan sate ling the Beawar city at radius of 10 Kms However the Beawar subdivision is will connected through Rail and Road both situated on National Highway No 8

Fig 2 Shree Cement Unit I amp II Beawar(Raj)

Shree Cement is manufacturing 33 43 53 amp Shree ultra Red Oxide grade Cement in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) Pozzolana used in the manufacture of Portland cement is burnt clay of fly-ash generated at thermal power plants While Ordinary Portland cement is grey fine powder which is the result from crushing a dry mix made of clinker and gypsum Shree cement manufactures both kinds of cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 8: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 8

Cement Industry in India poised for healthy growth supported by following factors-

bull Growth of the Indian Cement industry directly influenced by GDP which is expected to grow at the rate of 7

bull With various infrastructure projects like roads and highways railways port power projected and real estate being implemented the demand for cement is expected to grow at a fast rate

bull Tax relief against interest on housing loans stable interest rates and increasing competition in housing finance would significantly help in growth of this sector

bull 16 Share in Rajasthan Cement Production Some of another plant located in RAS The RAS plants are far from Beawar at least 35 kms All the same activities are doing in this plant amp this plant is uses High grade material our compression in BEAWAR plant and this material send in BEAWAR plant amp mix both the Material amp get the superior quality product One of newly grinding unit started in KHUSHKHERA ndashDistt-Bhiwadi the plant is far from the BEAWAR plant almost 500 KM

UNIT -1 at Beawar Distt Ajmer

Incorporated in 1979

Established in 1985 Cement Production

(Expected)-120 million tones

UNIT -2 at Beawar Distt Ajmer Put up in 1997 Cement Production -210 million tones

UNIT -3 at Ras Distt Pali

Incorporated in 2005

Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -4 at Ras Distt Pali Cement Production - 10 million tones

UNIT -567 amp 8 at Ras Distt Pali

Production ndash 100 million tons each

(also having a world record of 367 days)

Khuskheda Grinding unit (Distt Alwar) Suratgarh Jaipur amp Roorkee Grinding units one grinding unit each

Green Power Project of 43 MW at Beawar amp RAS Thermal Power Plant of 100 MW at RAS

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

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Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

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Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

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flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

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Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

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General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

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Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

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Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

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The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

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In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

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bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

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Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

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Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

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raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

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Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 9: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 9

Production with Efficiency It has a track record of over 100 capacity utilization in the 18th yr of its existence Against the national industry average of 84 it has registered the highest record production of 302MT with 116 of capacity utilization The commercial production of Unit I started in the year 1985 The production augmented exponentially from the capacity of 06 MTPA in 1985 to around 48 million ton presently through modification capacity enhancement and continuous improvement The revised target is 25 MTPA by 2015

Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management bull Leadership in the use of alternative waste fuel bull Initiatives for Global warming reduction bull Partial utilization of waste heat bull Initiator in the use of pet coke for power generation in India

PROGRAMES bull Celebration of National Safety Day bull Celebration of National Safety Week bull Staff Training in the subject of Safety bull Environment Safety Day

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 10: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 10

Policies of the Company

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

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Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

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Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 11: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 11

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 12: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 12

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 13: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 13

Fig 4 Typical process flow diagram of a cement plant

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

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flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

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Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 14: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 14

Manufacturing Process

Minning Limestone is the main raw material of cement and is obtained from the mines Bore holes are made in the mines at various locations and samples are collected to test the CC (CaCO3 percentage) in the mines Limestone is retrieved by blasting the mines and then the rock material obtained from the mines is crushed This crushed limestone (raw material) is sent to the plant with the help of conveyer belts andor transportation

Stacking and Reclaiming A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications It is mainly used to arrange the incoming feed in piles It is important to maintain the homogenous and uniformity before discharging to further process A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels but the main operation is performed on a fixed place The main function of a Reclaimer is to recover the material and at the same time maintain uniformity At this stage the material is collected in hoppers via conveyer belts Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity which is often converted to th (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being reclaimed Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard and are generally electrically powered by means of a trailing cable

Pile of limestone is made by horizontal stacking of different CC limestone to get the required CC To obtain homogenized limestone for cement production vertical reclaiming is done

Raw Material Grinding Raw mill (Vertical Roller Mill) is a grinding equipment which is used to grind the incoming feed fed through hoppers There are three hoppers in each unit The first two carrying limestone and third hopper containing Laterite (zinc slag ie molten residue at the bottom of zinc smelter) Laterite has a high percentage of iron Raw mill is tall unit containing a horizontally movable disc and three vertical disc assembled a way to stand the vibrations with the virtue of the state of art suspension system Raw mill grinds the feed to very small size and the output is sucked through the provided vents The output is generally known as Raw Meal This raw meal is stored in Silos

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 15: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 15

Coal Grinding The heat required for heating and conversion is obtained by burning of grinded pet coke Pet coke is the residue of petroleum refining and is grinded again in a VRM (Coal mill) This grinded pet coke is stored in a storage bin

Clinkerisation The raw material powder is fed into a preheater in which suction is created with the help of suction gas pump This provides a larger residence time in the cyclonic preheaters which are placed in a zigzag manner The material reaches approximately 880oC at the end of the preheater In the preheater major reaction taking place is the decomposition of CaCO3 to produce CaO This material then enters the rotary kiln in which hot air is blasted from the opposite direction at a temp of about 1500oC CaO (C) Al2O3 (A) SiO2 (S) Fe2O3 (F) react in various parts of the kiln to produce C3A (10) C4AF (10) C2S (30) C3S (50) This mixture is called as clinker Clinker formed above is cooled with the help of the air in Grate coolers and then stored in clinker silos

The key component of the gas-suspension pre-heater is the cyclone A cyclone is a conical vessel into which a dust-bearing gas-stream is passed tangentially This produces a vortex within the vessel The gas leaves the vessel through a co-axial vortex-finder The solids are thrown to the outside edge of the vessel by centrifugal action and leave through a valve in the vertex of the cone Cyclones were originally used to clean up the dust-laden gases leaving simple dry process kilns If instead the entire feed of raw meal is encouraged to pass through the cyclone it is found that a very efficient heat exchange takes place the gas is efficiently cooled hence producing less waste of heat to the atmosphere and the raw meal is efficiently heated This efficiency is further increased if a number of cyclones are connected in series

The number of cyclones stages used in practice varies from 1 to 6 Energy in the form of fan-power is required to draw the gases through the string of cyclones and at a string of 6 cyclones the cost of the added fan-power needed for an extra cyclone exceeds the efficiency advantage gained It is normal to use the warm exhaust gas to dry the raw materials in the raw mill The hot feed that leaves the base of the pre-heater string is typically 20 calcined so the kiln has less subsequent processing to do and can therefore achieve a higher specific output

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 16: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 16

Fig 6Pyro Process

Cement kilns are used for the pyro-processing stage of manufacture of cement in which calcium carbonate reacts with silica-bearing minerals to form a mixture of calcium silicates Cement kilns are the heart of the cement production process their capacity usually defines the capacity of the cement plant As the main energy-consuming and greenhouse-gasndashemitting stage of cement manufacture improvement of their efficiency has been the central concern of cement manufacturing technology

The rotary kiln consists of a tube made from steel plate and lined with firebrick The tube slopes slightly (1ndash4deg) and slowly rotates on its axis at between 30 and 250 revolutions per hour Raw mix is fed in at the upper end and the rotation of the kiln causes it gradually to move downhill to the other end of the kiln At the other end fuel in the form of gas oil or pulverized solid fuel is blown in through the burner pipe producing a large concentric

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 17: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 17

flame in the lower part of the kiln tube As material moves under the flame it reaches its peak temperaturebefore dropping out of the kiln tube into the cooler Air is drawn first through the cooler and then through the kiln for combustion of the fuel In the cooler the air is heated by the cooling clinker so that it may be 400 to 800 degC before it enters the kiln thus causing intense and rapid combustion of the fuel

Fig 7 Cement Rotary kiln

Note - The details of Cement Rotary kiln are discussed in detail in later part of the report

Cement grinding The clinker leaving the cooler has a variable particle size typically of diameter 3-25 mm Thus it is necessary to grind the clinker to a more uniform particle size This can either be done directly after the cooler or the clinker can be transferred to a silo until it is needed see Figure 2-1 Cement clinker is however not a stable material It reacts readily with waterwater vapour and CO2 from the air This will result in pre-hydration and carbonation Extended storage periods may therefore have an effect on the cement properties In connection with the clinker grinding 3-6 wt- gypsum (CaSO49922562H2O) is added to the clinker The gypsum has a marked effect on both the strength and the setting of cement Additives such as coal fly ash sand or raw material may also be added at this point in order to contribute positively to the strength-giving properties of the cement Some of these Additives can replace a significant fraction of the clinker thereby saving energy needed for calcinations and clinker reactions Thus the additives have a great potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2-emissions per kg cement produced For this reason many cement companies seek to minimize their environmental impact by exploring the use of new Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) examples being volcanic ashes or kaolinite clays The grinding of clinker and additives can be performed with several different mill systems When a sufficient fineness is reached the final Portland cement product is transferred to a cement silo It is stored in this silo until it is being packed and shipped to the end users

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 18: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 18

Fig 8 Detail flow sheet of whole process

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 19: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 19

General Chemistry of cement manufacturing The Portland cement is made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay or other materials of similar bulk composition and sufficient reactivity ultimately to a temperature of about 1450oC Partial fusion occurs and nodules of clinker are produced The clinker is mixed with a few per cent of calcium sulphate and finely ground to make cement The calcium sulphate controls the rate of set and influences the rate of strength development It is commonly described as gypsum but this may be partly or wholly replaced by the other forms of calcium sulphate Some specifications allow the addition of other materials at the grinding stage The clinker typically has a composition in the region of 67 CaO 22 SiO2 5 Al2O3 3 Fe2O3 and 3 other components and normally contains 4 major phases

1 Alite

2 Belite

3 Aluminate

4 Ferrite

Alite Alite is the most important constituent of all normal Portland cement clinkers of which it constitutes 50-70 It is tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions Reaction of this phase with water is very quick and in normal Portland cements it is the most important of the constituentrsquos phases for strength development it ages up to 28 days it is by far the most important

Belite Belite constitutes 15-30 of normal Portland cement clinkers It is di calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4) modified by ionic substitutions and normally present wholly or largely as the β polymorph It reacts slowly with water thus contributing little to the strength during the first 28 days but substantially to the further increase in strength that occurs at later ages By one year the strengths obtainable from pure alite and pure belite are about the same under comparable conditions

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 20: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 20

Aluminate Aluminate constitutes 5-10 of most normal Portland cement clinkers Basically it is tri calcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6) substantially modified in composition and sometimes also in structure by ionic substitutions It has a rapid reaction with water This phase causes an undesirable rapid setting so we need a controlling agent for this phase (like Gypsum)

Ferrite It is tetra calcium alumina ferrate ie Ca2AlFeO5 substantially modified in composition by variation in AlFe ratio and ionic substitution It has variable reaction rate with waterInitially it reacts rapidly with water but reaction goes on slowing down with time which is due to the difference in the compositions or other characteristics

Clinker consists of MgO up to 4-5 If there is an excess of only 2 then it can cause expansion of hardened concrete on reaction with water This excess can occur as periclase (MgO) Same problem might happen with SO3 if it is not under the limit of 35

To produce white cement we increase the ratio of Al2O3 to Fe2O3 Dark color of the cement is due to ferrite

Reaction of cement with water is exothermic This total heat can be reduced by lowering alite and aluminate content in coarser grinding This can also be done by the addition of fly ash

Clinker Reactions After having passed the calciner the calcined raw meal is admitted to the rotary kiln where the remaining cement clinker reactions take place Calcined raw meal is also called hot meal in cement terminology in order to distinguish it from raw meal not yet calcined The names chemical compositions and abbreviations used in cement nomenclature for the four main constituents of Portland cement clinker are shown in Table 1 Belite and alite are the strength-giving minerals Alite reacts fast with water during hydration and accounts for the early strengths while belite reacts slower and gives the cement its late strengths Ferrite and aluminate do not contribute to the strengths of the cement But they possess important properties when burning clinker These properties of ferrite and aluminate will be explained later in this section

Name Chemical Composition Nomenclature Belite 2CaoSiO2 C2S Alite 3CaoSiO2 C3S Aluminate 3CaOAl2O3 C3A Ferrite 4CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 C4AF Table 1 Main Constituents of Portland Cement

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 21: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 21

Free lime (CaO) free periclase (MgO) earth alkali sulfates (CaSO4 MgSO4) Alkali sulfates (Na2SO4 K2SO4) and other minor components may also be found in the clinker

The requirements for the Portland cement clinker are

a) gt 67 wt- calcium silicates (C2S and C3S) The remainder must mainly be Fe2O3 Al2O3 and other oxides

b) lt 5 wt- MgO c) The CaOSiO2 ratio by mass shall not be less than 20

Clinker reactions occur at temperatures between 700-1450degC see Figure 9 The reactions forming the final clinker involve intermediate compounds and the clinker reactions may be affected by minor compounds The overall clinker reactions are described while a detailed overview of the chemistry phase relations etc

Fig 9 Phase Diagram for cement clinker production

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 22: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 22

The kiln system The Production of cement may be divided into three parts 1) Preparation of raw materials2)pyro-processing and 3)clinker processing storage and shipment Pyro-processing covers the thermal treatment of the raw materials necessary to obtain the cement clinker Pyro-processing takes place in the preheater calciner rotary kiln and cooler These sections are commonly referred to as the kiln system

Rotary kiln The rotary kiln is often referred as heart of cement plant This is where the chemical clinker formation reactions take place The rotary kiln is simply a long cylindrical tube consisting of an outer shell and an inner refractory lining Typical lengths and diameters for modern rotary kilns are between 40-100 m and 3-6m respectively Rotary kilns are inclined 1-4deg and rotate 1-5rpm in order to facilitate mass transport and ensure clinker forming processes such as nodulization Production capacity is typically 2000-4000 tonnes of clinker per day (tpd) but may be as high as 12000 tpd In the material outlet the rotary kiln is equipped with a burner The burnerrsquos main function is to form a flame to provide energy for clinker reaction to takes place The flame of the rotary kiln burner should be short narrow and strongly radiant in order to achieve a good heat transfer from the flame to materials in the bed Modern rotary kiln burners are often designed to burn a variety of fuels This is today achieved by using multi-channel burners with separate channels for fuels and primary air which make it possible to adjust primary air amounts injection velocities and momentum independently of the fuel flows Swirl may be used to enhance mixing and stabilize the flame The recent trend in multiple fuel burners is to use a single common fuel channel which allows more flexibity towards fuel particle size and type

Fig 10 Left Outer view of rotary kiln seen from above Right Inner view seen from burner end

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 23: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 23

In early cement plants the kiln system consisted only of a rotary kiln Raw materials were dried preheated calcined and burned to clinker on their way through the rotary kiln This process required very long rotary kilns often significantly longer than 100 m The raw materials were either introduced as dry raw meal or as waterraw material slurry and this type of plants were therefore commonly referred to as dry long kilns or wet long kilns respectively Due to a low energy efficiency this type of cement plants is very expensive to operate and are rarely constructed today The rotary kiln consists of an outer steel shell and an inner refractory lining for thermal insulation in order to maintain and resist the high process temperatures In a rotary kiln the refractory usually consists of bricks of special composition and sizes able to withstand high temperatures However the refractory may also be a cast lining of concrete The refractory lining is subject to a wide range of destructive influences through the mechanical dynamics of the rotary kiln the chemistry of the cement clinker process and the type of fuels used The intensity of these stresses varies according to the operating conditions and kiln sections The rotary kiln is therefore equipped with a range of refractory bricks with different properties to ensure appropriate kiln zone lining The burning zone refractory lining usually suffers the greatest wear due to the higher temperatures in the burning zone However the burning zone lining is protected by a coating layer which prolong the lifetime of the refractory lining The coating is a mass of clinker or dust particles that adheres to the wall of the kiln having changed from a liquid or semiliquid to a solidified state Generally the burning zone refractory lifetime is 9 to 12 months depending on the specific kiln type and operating conditions The refractory lifetime of the colder rotary kiln material inlet zone is typically 12 to 48 months Thus these different rotary kiln zones do not have to be replaced quite as frequently The most used brick types today are chromium-free magnesia-alumina-spinel bricks with MgO content of 80-95 wt- and Al2O3 content of 3-18 wt- Minor compounds are typically Fe2O3 Mn2O3 SiO2 CaO and ZrO2 These brick types are regarded as having the longest service life and the best priceperformance ratio The increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry may lead to higher levels of recirculating alkali metals and sulfur within the kiln systemRecirculating alkali metals and sulfur cause large quantities of salts to condense in and on the refractory lining predominantly in the temperature window 750degC to 1100degC Salt compounds enter into reactions with refractory bricks that contain alumina and the bricks can be destroyed by salt

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 24: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 24

crystallization and alkali spalling Sulfur oxides make the reactions even worse by formation of alkali sulfate salt Various strategies are used by the refractories industry to counteract these wear processes These include use of additives that produce low gas permeability and reduce the infiltration tendency of alkalis Other solutions are sealing or impregnating the refractory material to form a protective zone One of the most successful and widespread solutions is addition of 3-6 wt- Silicon carbide SiC which leads to an appreciable resistance to alkali attack The addition of SiC leads in situ to formation of liquid phases which seal the refractory surface and protect against alkali infiltration Increased circulation of inorganic volatiles such as sulfur and chlorine in the kiln system due to increased alternative fuel utilization also entails a higher risk of kiln shell corrosion (Joslashns and Oslashstergaard 2001) Efforts have been made to identify suitable refractory steels for cement rotary kilns with characteristics that are a compromise between good creep resistance high corrosion resistance in the presence of chlorine and sulfur and strong resistance to abrasion when hot

Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions

The rotary kiln thermal profile varies throughout its length depending on the temperature and chemical reactions involved during the process (see in Table 2)

The rotary kiln can be subdivided into several zones or regions that are exposed not only to thermal and chemical wear but also to mechanical stresses The influence of one or several of these factors to minor or greater proportion determines the refractory lining type required for each zone

A Decarbonation zone from 300ordmC to 1000degC (+)

This stage can occur either inside of the old wet process rotary kilns or in the preheater tower of modern units consisting of two steps Firstly between 300degC and 650degC where the raw meal heating occurs accompanied by a dehydration reaction Secondly between 650degC and 1000degC when the limestone decarbonation takes place generating CO2 and CaO

The first step is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of raw meal (there are no new mineral phases development)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 25: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 25

bull Erosion (due to raw meal flow at high velocities) bull low temperature bull Evaporation and dehydration (of water) chemically bonded to the raw material

In this zone it is very important that the refractory products have the capability to protect the rotary kiln drive (good insulation degree) and good resistance to impacts of anomalous build-ups Bricks with less than 45 Al2O3 content are suitable Besides that when alkaline salts are present a vitreous glassy layer can develop with the alkali on the brick surface preventing its propagation or later infiltration

In the second stage of these reactions the development of new mineralogical phases occurs

bull Formation of CaO and CO2 bull Formation of CA C12A7 and C2S bull Temperature variation bull Alkali attack

Usually the use of bricks with a 70 Al2O3 content is recommended which offers a high mechanical resistance low porosity and low thermal conductivity However the risk of eutectic reactions formations on the Al2O3-CaO- SiO2 system and alkali resistance is a limiting factor

B Upper transition zone from 1000ordmC to 1238degC (+)

It is the most unstable and difficult area for refractory specification Although the temperature range varies from 1000degC to 1338degC incidences of thermal overloads are frequent This fact is linked on the flame shape to the fuel type and to the design of the kiln main burner Therefore it is in this area where coating starts to develop as soon as first drops of liquid phase appear Coating becomes very unstable if the operational conditions present high variability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 26: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 26

Table 2

C Sintering zone from 1338ordmC to 1450degC (+)

In this area a full development of coating at 1450ordmC(+) is expected The presence of some liquid phase facilitates the dissolution of C2S in the same what promotes the reaction that generates C3S The highest temperature in the kiln is reached at this area Usually it should be around 1450ordmC for ordinary Portland Cements Liquid phase is also around 25 at 1450ordmC If process is under control coating will be stable and able to protect the lining during the whole campaign However if there is a big variability at ram meal control parameters or uneven fuels types shifting coating will be unstable and refractories submitted to an enormous thermo-chemical wear The refractory products must resist high temperatures infiltration of molten liquid calcium silicates andor alkaline sulfates and be able to hold a stable coating

Usually at this kiln zone it is possible to find

bull Presence of incipient liquid phase from 18 to 32 free lime and C2S bull Development of C3S by the reaction of CaO and C2S bull Clinker liquid phase infiltration and coating formation bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull High operational temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 27: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 27

D Lower transition zone from 1400ordmC to 1200degC (+)

This area usually operates between 1400degC and 1200degC Around 1200ordmC begins the crystallization of the clinker the mineral phases but not Although the liquid phase can still be present it is a stage of low chemical activity considering that most of C3S has already been formed with a remaining amount of free lime around 1 Nevertheless it is a zone submitted to temperature variations since it is right under the influence of the secondary air temperature coming from the cooler

This area is characterized by the following aspects

bull Presence of the clinker liquid phase bull Chemical attacks by alkaline sulfates bull Frequent temperature variations when flame impinges over the brick bull Continuous thermal shock bull Redox atmosphere when using alternative fuels with poorly designed burner bull Mechanical stress imposed by the tire station and kiln shell ovality

In order to support the temperature variations under mechanical stress this part of the process requires the use of basic bricks with high structural flexibility low permeability to gas high hot modules of rupture and abrasion resistance

E Pre-cooling zone from 1200ordmC to 1000degC (+)

Originally many kilns have been designed to promote the end of freezing and crystallization of the just developed clinker phases However nowadays the existence of this zone into the kiln depends of the clinker cooler type and the secondary air temperature entering into the kiln With old grate coolers it was around 700ordmC and for the modern high efficiency ones from 1150degC to 1100degC In this zone at that temperature range there is high abrasion (clinker nodules) accentuated discharge erosion (by the clinker dust carried by secondary and tertiary airs) and mechanic stresses (nose ring plates and retention ring for refractory products)

The main characteristics of this kiln zone are

bull High abrasion erosion bull Frequent thermal shocks bull High mechanical stresses (compressiontraction)

In most of the modern furnaces equipped with high efficiency coolers this zone is not inside the rotary kiln but in the first cooling compartment

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 28: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 28

Wet Process The original rotary cement kilns were called wet process kilns In their basic form they were relatively simple compared with modern developments The raw meal was supplied at ambient temperature in the form of slurry

A wet process kiln may be up to 200m long and 6m in diameter It has to be long because a lot of water has to be evaporated and the process of heat transfer is not very efficient

The slurry may contain about 40 water This takes a lot of energy to evaporate and various developments of the wet process were aimed at reducing the water content of the raw meal An example of this is the filter press (imagine a musical accordion 10-20 metres long and several metres across) - such adaptions were described as semi-wet processes

The wet process has survived for over a century because many raw materials are suited to blending as slurry Also for many years it was technically difficult to get dry powders to blend adequately

Quite a few wet process kilns are still in operation usually now with higher-tech bits bolted on However new cement kilns are of the dry process type

Dry Process In a modern works the blended raw material enters the kiln via the pre-heater tower Here hot gases from the kiln and probably the cooled clinker at the far end of the kiln are used to heat the raw meal As a result the raw meal is already hot before it enters the kiln

The dry process is much more thermally efficient than the wet process

Firstly and most obviously this is because the meal is a dry powder and there is little or no water that has to be evaporated

Secondly and less obviously the process of transferring heat is much more efficient in a dry process kiln

An integral part of the process is a heat exchanger called a suspension preheater This is a tower with a series of cyclones in which fast-moving hot gases keep the meal powder suspended in air All the time the meal gets hotter and the gas gets cooler until the meal is at almost the same temperature as the gas

The basic dry process system consists of the kiln and a suspension preheater The raw materials limestone and shale for example are ground finely and blended to produce the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 29: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 29

raw meal The raw meal is fed in at the top of the preheater tower and passes through the series of cyclones in the tower Hot gas from the kiln and often hot air from the clinker cooler are blown through the cyclones Heat is transferred efficiently from the hot gases to the raw meal

The heating process is efficient because the meal particles have a very high surface area in relation to their size and because of the large difference in temperature between the hot gas and the cooler meal Typically 30-40 of the meal is decarbonated before entering the kiln

A development of this process is the precalciner kiln Most new cement plant is of this type The principle is similar to that of the dry process preheater system but with the major addition of another burner or precalciner With the additional heat about 85-95 of the meal is decarbonated before it enters the kiln

Fig 11 Preheater

Precalciner Kiln

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 30: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 30

Since meal enters the kiln at about 900 C (compared with about 20 C in the wet process) the kiln can be shorter and of smaller diameter for the same output This reduces the capital costs of a new cement plant A dry process kiln might be only 70m long and 6m wide but produce a similar quantity of clinker (usually measured in tonnes per day) as a wet process kiln of the same diameter but 200m in length For the same output a dry process kiln without a precalciner would be shorter than a wet process kiln but longer than a dry process kiln with a precalciner

Literature Review

Corrosion bull What is corrosion bull Types of corrosion

Refractories bull What is refractory bull Types of refractories bull What is the composition of refractories used at SCLBeawar

What is corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material usually metals by chemical reaction with its environment In the most common use of the word this means electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen Rusting the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion This type of damage typically produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal Corrosion can also occur in materials other than metals such as ceramics or polymers although in this context the term degradation is more common Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength appearance and ability to contain a vessels contents

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to certain substances Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack or it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly corroding the surface Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled process it occurs on exposed surfaces As a result methods to reduce the activity of the exposed surface such

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 31: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 31

as passivation and chromate-conversion can increase a materials corrosion resistance However some corrosion mechanisms are less visible and less predictable

Types of corrosion

1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion This type of corrosion is chemical or electrochemical in nature However there are no discrete anode or cathode areas This form of corrosion is uniform over the surface of the metal exposed to the environment The metal gradually becomes thinner and eventually fails

The energy state of the metal is basically what causes this reaction Referred to as the ldquodust-to-dustrdquo process high levels of energy are added to the raw mmaterial to produce the metal This high energy level causes an unnaturally high electrical potential One law of chemistry is that all materials will tend to revert to its lowest energy level or its natural state After high levels of energy are added to the metal when it is exposed to the environment (an electrolyte) it will tend to revert to its natural state This process is normally extremely slow and is dependent on the ion concentration of the electrolyte that it is exposed to Only under very extreme conditions (acidic electrolyte) can this form of corrosion be significant The corrosion rate for steel climbs drastically at a pH below 4 and at a pH of about 3 the steel will dissolve

General corrosion tends to slow down over time because the potential gradually becomes lower Failures of pipelines or tanks would not quickly occur from this type of corrosion since no pitting or penetration of the structure occurs just a general corrosion over the entire surface (except under very extreme circumstances where the metal could dissolve in an acid electrolyte) However in nature the metal is not completely uniform and the electrolyte is not completely homogeneous resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells that greatly overshadow this mild form of corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 32: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 32

Fig 12 Uniform corrosion

2) Concentration Cell Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell The potential difference (electromotive force) is caused by a difference in concentration of some component in the electrolyte Any difference in the electrolyte contacting the metal forms discrete anode and cathode regions in the metal Any metal exposed to an electrolyte exhibits a measurable potential or voltage The same metal has a different electrical potential in different electrolytes or electrolytes with different concentrations of any component This potential difference forces the metal to develop anodic and cathodic regions When there is also an electrolyte and a metallic path the circuit is complete current flows and electrochemical corrosion will occur Soil is a combination of many different materials There are also many different types of soil and even the same type of soil varies greatly in the concentration of its constituents Therefore there is no such thing as truly homogeneous soil

These soil variations cause potential differences (electromotive force) on the metal surface resulting in electrochemical corrosion cells Liquids tend to be more uniform but can vary in the concentration of some components such as

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 33: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 33

Fig 13 Concentration Cell Caused by Different Environments

oxygen varies by depth and flow rates Biological organisms are present in virtually all-natural aqueous environments these organisms tend to attach to and grow on the surface of structural materials resulting in the formation of a biological film or biofilm These films are different from the surrounding electrolyte and have many adverse effects Following are examples of common forms of concentration cell corrosion

I Dissimilar Environment II Oxygen Concentration

III MoistDry Electrolyte IV Non-Homogeneous Soil V Concrete Soil Interface

VI Backfill Impurities VII Biological Effects

3) Galvanic Corrosion This type of corrosion is caused by an electrochemical corrosion cell developed by a potential difference in the metal that makes one part of the cell an anode and the other part of the cell the cathode Different metals have different potentials in the same electrolyte This potential difference is the driving force or the voltage of the cell As with any electrochemical corrosion cell if the electrolyte is continuous from the anode to the cathode and there is a metallic path present for the electron the circuit is completed and current will flow and electrochemical corrosion will occur

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 34: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 34

I Dissimilar Metals

The most obvious form of this type of corrosion is when two different kinds of metal are in the electrolyte and metallically bonded or shorted in some manner All metals exhibit an electrical potential each metal has its distinctive potential or voltage (paragraph 2-4) When two different metals are connected the metal with the most negative potential is the anode the less negative metal is the cathode An ldquoactiverdquo metal is a metal with a high negative potential which also means it is anodic when compared to most other metals A ldquonoblerdquo metal is a metal with a low negative potential which also means it is cathodic when compared to most other metals Dissimilar metal corrosion is most severe when the potential difference between the two metals or ldquodriving voltagerdquo is the greatest

Fig 14 Galvanic Corrosion Cell Caused by Different Metals Examples of active metals are new steel aluminum stainless steel (in the active state) zinc and magnesium Examples of noble metals are corroded steel stainless steel (in the passivated state) copper bronze carbon gold and platinum One example of this type of corrosion occurs when coated steel pipelines are metallically connected to bare copper grounding systems or other copper pipelines (usually water lines)

II Dissimilar Alloys The most obvious example of this type of corrosion is different metal alloys For example there are over 200 different alloys of stainless steel Also metals are not 100 percent pure They normally contain small percentages of other types of metals Different batches of a metal vary in content of these other metals Different manufacturers may use different raw materials and even the same manufacturer may use raw materials from different sources Each batch of metal may be slightly different in electrical potential Even in the same batch of metal the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 35: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 35

concentration of these other materials may vary slightly throughout the finished product All these differences will produce the electromotive force for this type of corrosion to occur

III Impurities in Metal No manufacturing process is perfect Small impurities may be mixed into the metal as it is produced or cooled Impurities at the surface of the metal may become part of the electrolyte causing concentration cell corrosion or if metallic they may be anodic (corrodes and leaves a pit behind) or cathodic (corroding surrounding metal)

IV Temperature Metal that is at an elevated temperature becomes anodic to the same metal at a lower temperature As previously discussed a more active metal is anodic to a more noble metal Since elevated temperature makes a metal more active it becomes anodic to the rest of the metal This electrochemical corrosion cell may cause accelerated corrosion on metals that are at elevated temperatures

4) Stray Current Corrosion This type of electrochemical corrosion cell is caused by an electromotive force from an external source affecting the structure by developing a potential gradient in the electrolyte or by inducing a current in the metal which forces part of the structure to become an anode and another part a cathode This pickup and discharge of current occurs when a metallic structure offers a path of lower resistance for current flowing in the electrolyte This type of corrosion can be extremely severe because of very high voltages that can be forced into the earth by various sources

The potential gradient in the electrolyte forces one part of the structure to pick up current (become a cathode) and another part of the structure to discharge current (become an anode)

Stray current corrosion occurs where the current from the external source leaves the metal structure and enters back into the electrolyte normally near the external power source cathode The external power source is the driving force or the voltage of the cell Stray current corrosion is different from natural corrosion because it is caused by an externally induced electrical current and is basically independent of such environmental factors as concentration cells resistivity pH and galvanic cells The amount of current (corrosion)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 36: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 36

depends on the external power source and the resistance of the path through the metallic structure compared to the resistance of the path between the external sourcersquos anode and cathode

Fig 15 Stray Current Corrosion Cell Caused by External Anode and Cathode An example of stray current corrosion is caused by impressed current cathodic protection systems where a ldquoforeignrdquo electrically continuous structure passes near the protected structures anodes and then crosses the protected structure (cathode) This corrosion is usually found after failures in the foreign structure occur Stray current corrosion is the most severe form of corrosion because the metallic structure is forced to become an anode and the amount of current translates directly into metal loss If the amount of current leaving a structure to enter the electrolyte can be measured this can be directly translated into metallic weight loss Different metals have specific amounts of weight loss when exposed to current discharge This weight loss is normally measured in pounds (or kilograms) of metal lost due to a current of one amp for a period of one year (one amp-year) For example if a stray current of just two amps were present on a steel pipeline the result would be a loss of 182 kilo grams (402 pounds) of steel in one year For a coated pipeline this could result in a penetration at a defect in the coating in an extremely short period of time sometimes only a few days

5) Crevice Corrosion Crevice Corrosion refers to the localized attack on a metal surface at or immediately adjacent to the gap or crevice between two joining surfaces The gap or crevice can be formed between two metals or a metal and non-metallic material Outside the gap or without the gap both metals are resistant to corrosion

The damage caused by crevice corrosion is normally confined to one metal at localized area within or close to the joining surfaces

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 37: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 37

Fig 16 a type 316 stainless steel tube and tube sheet from a heat exchanger in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant suffered crevice corrosion due to the presence of crevice (gap) between the tube and tube sheet

6) Pitting Corrosion Certain conditions such as low concentrations of oxygen or high concentrations of species such as chloride which complete as anions can interfere with a given alloys ability to re-form a passivating film In the worst case almost all of the surface will remain protected but tiny local fluctuations will degrade the oxide film in a few critical points Corrosion at these points will be greatly amplified and can cause corrosion pits of several types depending upon conditions While the corrosion pits only nucleate under fairly extreme circumstances they can continue to grow even when conditions return to normal since the interior of a pit is naturally deprived of oxygen and locally the pH decreases to very low values and the corrosion rate increases due to an auto-catalytic process In extreme cases the sharp tips of extremely long and narrow corrosion pits can cause stress concentration to the point that otherwise tough alloys can shatter a thin film pierced by an invisibly small hole can hide a thumb sized pit from view These problems are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect before a part or structure fails Pitting remains among the most common and damaging forms of corrosion in passivated alloys but it can be prevented by control of the alloys environment

Fig 17 Scheme of pitting corrosion

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 38: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 38

What are Refractories Any material can be described as a lsquorefractoryrsquo if it can withstand the action of abrasive or corrosive solids liquids or gases at high temperatures The various combinations of operating conditions in which refractories are used make it necessary to manufacture a range of refractory materials with different properties Refractory materials are made in varying combinations and shapes depending on their applications General requirements of a refractory material are

bull Withstand high temperatures bull Withstand sudden changes of temperatures bull Withstand action of molten metal slag glass hot gases etc bull Withstand load at service conditions bull Withstand load and abrasive forces bull Conserve heat bull Have low coefficient of thermal expansion bull Should not contaminate the material with which it comes into contact

Depending on the area of application such as boilers furnaces kilns ovens etc temperatures and atmospheres encountered different types of refractories are used

Some of the important properties of refractories are

a) Melting Point Pure substances melt instantly at a specific temperature Most refractory materials consist of particles bonded together that have high melting temperatures At high temperatures these particles melt and form slag The melting point of the refractory is the temperature at which a test pyramid (cone) fails to support its own weight

b) Size The size and shape of the refractories is a part of the design of the furnace since it affects the stability of the furnace structure Accurate size is extremely important to properly fit the refractory shape inside the furnace and to minimize space between construction joints

c) Bulk Density The bulk density is useful property of refractories which is the amount of refractory material within a volume (kgm3) An increase in bulk density of a given refractory increases its volume stability heat capacity and resistance to slag penetration

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 39: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 39

d) Porosity The apparent porosity is the volume of the open pores into which a liquid can penetrate as a percentage of the total volume of the refractory This property is important when the refractory is in contact with molten charge and slag A low apparent porosity prevents molten material from penetrating into the refractory A large number of small pores is generally preferred to a small number of large pores

e) Cold Crushing Strength The cold crushing strength is the resistance of the refractory to crushing which mostly happens during transport It only has an indirect relevance to refractory performance and is used as one of the indicators of abrasion resistance Other indicators used are bulk density and porosity

f) Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE) The lsquorefractorinessrsquo of (refractory) bricks is the temperature at which the refractory bends because it can no longer support its own weight Pyrometric cones are used in ceramic industries to test the refractoriness of the (refractory) bricks They consist of a mixture of oxides that are known to melt at a specific narrow temperature range Cones with different oxide composition are placed in sequence of their melting temperature alongside a row of refractory bricks in a furnace The furnace is fired and the temperature rises One cone will bends together with the refractory brick This is the temperature range in oC above which the refractory cannot be used This is known as Pyrometric Cone Equivalent temperatures

Fig 17 Pyrometric cones

g) Creep at high Temperature Creep is a time dependent property which determines the deformation in a given time and at a given temperature by a refractory material under stress

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 40: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 40

h) Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures The contraction or expansion of the refractories can take place during service life Such permanent changes in dimensions may be due to

bull The changes in the allotropic forms which cause a change in specific gravity bull A chemical reaction which produces a new material of altered specific gravity bull The formation of liquid phase bull Sintering reactions bull Fusion dust and slag or by the action of alkalies on fireclay refractories to form

alkali-alumina silicates This is generally observed in blast furnaces

i) Reversible thermal expansion Any material expands when heated and contracts when cooled The reversible thermal expansion is a reflection on the phase transformations that occur during heating and cooling

j) Thermal Conductivity Thermal conductivity depends on the chemical and mineralogical composition and silica content of the refractory and on the application temperature The conductivity usually changes with rising temperature High thermal conductivity of a refractory is desirable when heat transfer though brickwork is required for example in recuperators regenerators muffles etc Low thermal conductivity is desirable for conservation of heat as the refractory acts as an insulator Additional insulation conserves heat but at the same time increases the hot face temperature and hence a better quality refractory is required Because of this the outside roofs of open-hearth furnaces are normally not insulated as this could cause the roof to collapse Lightweight refractories of low thermal conductivity find wider applications in low temperature heat treatment furnaces for example in batch type furnaces where the low heat capacity of the refractory structure minimizes the heat stored during the intermittent heating and cooling cycles Insulating refractories have very low thermal conductivity This is usually achieved by trapping a higher proportion of air into the structure Some examples are

bull Naturally occurring materials like asbestos are good insulators but are not particularly good refractories

bull Mineral wools are available which combine good insulating properties with good resistance to heat but these are not rigid

bull Porous bricks are rigid at high temperatures and have a reasonably low thermal conductivity

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 41: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 41

Type of Refractories Refractories can be classified on the basis of chemical composition end use and methods of manufacture as shown below

Classification method Example Chemical Composition ACID which readily combines with bases

Silica Semisilica Aluminosilicate

BASIC which consists mainly of metallic oxides that resist the action of bases

Magnesite Chrome-magnesite Magnesite-chromite Dolomite

NEUTRAL which does not combine with acids nor bases

Fireclay bricks Chrome Pure Alumina

Special

Carbon Silicon Carbide Zirconia

End use

Blast furnace casting pit

Method of manufacture

Dry press process fused cast hand moulded formed normal fired or chemically bonded unformed (monolithics plastics ramming mass gunning castable spraying)

Table 3 Classification of refractories based on chemical composition

a Fireclay refractories Firebrick is the most common form of refractory material It is used extensively in the iron and steel industry nonferrous metallurgy glass industry pottery kilns cement industry and many others

Fireclay refractories such as firebricks siliceous fireclays and aluminous clay refractories consist of aluminum silicates with varying silica (SiO

2) content of up to 78 percent and

Al2O

3content of up to 44 percent Table 4 shows that the melting point (PCE) of fireclay

brick decreases with increasing impurity and decreasing Al2O

3 This material is often used in

furnaces kilns and stoves because the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 42: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 42

Brick Type Percentage SiO2

Percentage Al2O3

Percentage other constituents

PCE degC

Super Duty 49-53

40-44

5-7 1745-1760

High Duty 50-80

35-40 5-9 1690-1745

Intermediate 60-70

26-36 5-9 1640-1680

High Duty Siliceous

65-80

18-30

3-8 1620-1680

Low Duty 60-70

23-33

6-10 1520-1595

Table 4 Properties of fireclay Bricks

b High alumina refractories Alumina silicate refractories containing more than 45 percent alumina are generally termed as high alumina materials The alumina concentration ranges from 45 to 100 percent The refractoriness of high alumina refractories increases with increase in alumina percentage The applications of high alumina refractories include the hearth and shaft of blast furnaces ceramic kilns cement kilns glass tanks and crucibles for melting a wide range of metals

c Silica Brick Silica brick (or Dinas) is a refractory that contains at least 93 percent SiO2 The raw material is quality rocks Various grades of silica brick have found extensive use in the iron and steel melting furnaces and the glass industry In addition to high fusion point multi-type refractories other important properties are their high resistance to thermal shock (spalling) and their high refractoriness The outstanding property of silica brick is that it does not begin to soften under high loads until its fusion point is approached This behavior contrasts with that of many other refractories for example alumina silicate materials which begin to fuse and creep at temperatures considerably lower than their fusion points Other advantages are flux and stag resistance volume stability and high spalling resistance

d Magnesite Magnesite refractories are chemically basic materials containing at least 85 percent magnesium oxide They are made from naturally occurring magnesite (MgCO3) The properties of magnesite refractories depend on the concentration of silicate bond at the operating temperatures Good quality magnesite usually results from a CaO-SiO2 ratio of less than two with a minimum ferrite concentration particularly if the furnaces lined with the refractory operate in oxidizing and reducing conditions The slag resistance is very high particularly to lime and iron rich slags

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 43: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 43

e Chromite Refractories Two types of chromite refractories are distinguished

bull Chrome-magnesite refractories which usually contain 15-35 percent Cr2O

3 and 42-50

percent MgO They are made in a wide range of qualities and are used for building the critical parts of high temperature furnaces These materials can withstand corrosive slags and gases and have high refractoriness

bull Magnesite-chromite refractories which contain at least 60 percent MgO and 8-18 percent Cr

2O

3 They are suitable for service at the highest temperatures and for

contact with the most basic slags used in steel melting Magnesite-chromite usually has a better spalling resistance than chrome-magnesite

f Zirconia Refractories Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a polymorphic material It is essential to stabilize it before application as a refractory which is achieved by incorporating small quantities of calcium magnesium and cerium oxide etc Its properties depend mainly on the degree of stabilization quantity of stabilizer and quality of the original raw material Zirconia refractories have a very high strength at room temperature which is maintained up to temperatures as high as 15000C They are therefore useful as high temperature construction materials in furnaces and kilns The thermal conductivity of zirconium dioxide is much lower than that of most other refractories and the material is therefore used as a high temperature insulating refractory Zirconia exhibits very low thermal losses and does not react readily with liquid metals and is particularly useful for making refractory crucibles and other vessels for metallurgical purposes Glass furnaces use zirconia because it is not easily wetted by molten glasses and does not react easily with glass

g Oxide Refractories(Alumina) Alumina refractory materials that consist of aluminium oxide with little traces of impurities are known as pure alumina Alumina is one of the most chemically stable oxides known It is mechanically very strong insoluble in water super heated steam and most inorganic acids and alkalies Its properties make it suitable for the shaping of crucibles for fusing sodium carbonate sodium hydroxide and sodium peroxide It has a high resistance in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere Alumina is extensively used in heat processing industries Highly porous alumina is used for lining furnaces operating up to 1850oC

h Monolithics Monolithic refractories are single piece casts in the shape of equipment such as a ladle as shown in Figure 18 They are rapidly replacing the conventional type fired refractories in many applications including industrial furnaces The main advantages of monolithics are

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 44: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 44

bull Elimination of joints which is an inherent weakness bull Faster application method bull Special skill for installation not required bull Ease of transportation and handling bull Better scope to reduce downtime for repairs bull Considerable scope to reduce inventory and eliminate special shapes bull Heat savings bull Better spalling resistance bull Greater volume stability

Monolithics are put into place using various methods such as ramming casting gunniting spraying and sand slinging Ramming requires proper tools and is mostly used in cold applications where proper consolidation of the material is important Ramming is also used for air setting and heat setting materials Because calcium aluminate cement is the binder it will have to be stored properly to prevent moisture absorption Its strength starts deteriorating after 6 to 12 months

Fig 18 A monolithic lining for Ladel

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 45: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 45

Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2) Brick Type TOPMAG A1 ALMAG 85 FERROMA

G 90 PERILEX 83

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Fused Spinel

Magnesia-Hercynite

Magnesia-Chromite

Characteristic Component in

77-81 MgO 85-89MgO 87-92MgO 81-85MgO

bulk density (gcm3)

29-305 285-3 285-3 29-305

Apparent porosity

15-17 16-18 16-18 17-19

Cold Crushing Strength Nmm2

65 50 50 55

Seger Cone gt42 gt42 gt42 42 Thermal expansion Lin at

400degC 03 04 04 04 800degC 09 08 09 11 1200degC 14 14 15 17

Thermal Shock resistance at 950degCair

100 100 100 80

Thermal Conductivity WmK at

300degC 39 4 37 4 700degC 29 3 3 3 1000degC 26 27 26 28

Typical field of application

upper transition zone tyre section subject to high mechanical load with redox conditions and extreme alkali attack chrome ore free

upper and lower transition zones subject to severe service conditions with alkali attack and redox conditions chrome ore free

burning zone and upper transition zone good coatability chrome ore free

burning Zones as well as upper and lower transition Zones subject to severe service conditionslow Chrome Content

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 46: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 46

Above mentioned refractories are imported bricks These bricks are basic bricks Currently these bricks are using in Kiln-2(at outlet where temperature is very high) with addition of high Alumina bricks at kiln inlet where temperature is not so high Where as in kiln-1 we are using only High Alumina bricks

Currently High Alumina Bricks (made in India) using in Kiln-1 and in inlet of kiln-2

Product name

Maximum Recommended Temperature (degC)

CCS (KgCm2)

Chemical analysis Refractoriness Pyrometric Coneorton

Material Req

Al2O3 Fe2O3

AC 40S 1420 395 405 215 30 221 AC 60S 1480 545 592 25 35 242 AC 70S 1460 720 698 3 36 261

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 47: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 47

Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used For Kiln-1 Fig 19 Refractory lining of kiln-1

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 48: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 48

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 49: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 49

For Kiln-2 Fig 20 Refractory lining of Kiln-2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 50: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 50

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 51: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 51

Corrosion of Kiln Shell Introduction

With the ever increasing demand of cement due to the exponential growth of construction industry Indian Cement Industry has been put to perform at its best than ever before With the advances in understanding the cement chemistry and material behavior in side rotary kiln lot many alternate raw materials and fuels have been either in use or being investigated for their suitability While these alternate raw materials and fuels proved to be beneficial in terms of financial aspects associated with them but the presence of deleterious volatile compounds posed equally serious threats to cause problems such as kiln shell corrosion build ups and rings besides attacking the refractory lining and reducing their campaign lives Amongst these kiln shell corrosion is most serious problem as it acts silently and reduces the shell thickness to below critical structural and mechanical limits of stability of kiln shell

Corrosion can be defined as the destruction or deterioration of material due to the reaction with its environment The grades of steel used for kiln shell range from general engineering steel to low alloy steels The minimum shell plate thickness is around 20 mm for the shell section between two supports and those under the tyres (riding rings) may be between 60-80 mm thick A reduction of the shell thickness due to corrosion can be presumed to be critical when the thickness of the shell becomes 15 mm or so To overcome the problem of kiln shell corrosion the best way could be to prevent the volatiles to reach upto kiln shell To prevent the passage of volatiles refractories play a vital role and the selection of proper quality adequate installation measures and highly oxidizing conditions in hottest zone of the kiln stable kiln operation at high speed proved as the key to reduce minimize the extent of kiln shell corrosion Here I will try to bring out the role of the refractories and process conditions to reduce minimize the kiln shell corrosion based upon the studies carried out in the past

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 52: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 52

Corrosion of Cement Kiln

Corrosion of cement kiln shell is influenced by a number of factors such as composition of the metallic shell and its environment temperature of the shell cleanliness or roughness of the shell surface its contact with other materials and severe process conditions Further it is determined largely by the degree to which the scale formed under particular condition blocks further action between the shell and environment Each steel or alloy behaves more or less individually and forms its own characteristic type of scale whose composition and imperviousness are specific to the given alloy atmosphere temperature and duration of exposure Consequently even a slight difference in composition of steel or atmosphere for instance the presence of sulphur may have a substantial influence upon the type and progress of corrosion

It has been reported that carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are active scaling agents of iron and steel carbon dioxide being less deterrent The presence of sulphur dioxide increases rate of scaling and often results in deep intergranular penetration of the steel through the formation of a liquid iron oxide ndash iron sulphide eutectic The deleterious effects of sulphur dioxide can be offset by providing excess oxygen Alloying elements such as chromium aluminium and silicon present in steel may greatly affect the rate of scaling When present in significant concentration they oxidize rapidly yielding a relatively impervious film which retards the rate of further attack on the underlying metal On the other hand a high concentration of sulphur increases the rate of attack just as does the sulphur in the atmosphere The influence of carbon is relatively small The main reason of shell corrosion can be attributed to alternate oxidation at high temperature and acidic reaction at low temperatures when the kiln is stopped for repairs The corrosion phenomenon takes place mainly due to presence of oxides chlorides and sulphide at high temperature Various types of corrosion that affect the kiln shell are

(i) Corrosion due to oxidation under high temperature

(ii) Corrosion due to sulphide under high temperature

(iii) Corrosion due to chloride under high temperature

(iv) Corrosion due to hygroscopic material

The rate of corrosion depends on the material the surface condition the corrosion medium the time available and the temperature The resistance to scaling of steels also diminishes in consequence of frequent temperature changes Investigations have shown that in the majority of cases the corrosive attack is intensified by frequent changes in temperature In most cases the damage due to high temperature corrosion manifests

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 53: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 53

itself in general removal of material or in superficial cracking Oxidation in the kiln atmosphere is possible due to the presence of O2 H2O H2 CO2CO The occurrence of high temperature corrosion under surface deposits is also an important factor The damage due to corrosion is always intensified if the surface of the affected portion is covered with such deposits During fairly long kiln shutdown for repairs a rusting process is also presumed to be superimposed upon the high temperature corrosion (scaling) that has occurred during kiln operation The deposit of salts containing potassium chloride in particular on the shell becomes active because being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture It is observed that the chloride can reach the kiln shell in the form of gases the same is not the case for alkali oxides Alkalis can only penetrate the lining as a part of liquid potassium and or Sodium salt melts If the corrosion products therefore contain substantial quantities of Potassium or Sodium the form of corrosion is termed as Hot Corrosion indicating that liquid phase takes part in the corrosion reactions

Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion The reactions inside the kiln are different from reactions on the kiln shell surface since both the temperature and atmosphere are different One of the most important reactions in the lining is the oxygen consumption where SO2 consumes oxygen and condenses as SO3

2 SO2 (g) + O2 = 2 SO3 (darr)

The SO3 formed condenses as calcium or magnesium salts The result can be that an oxidizing environment inside the kiln turns into a reducing environment at the kiln shell

Oxidation

In an oxidizing atmosphere the iron from the steel shell will react with oxygen to form an oxide scale Generally this oxide scale is formed by more or less firm layers of different iron oxides the compound with the highest oxygen content Fe2O3 being found at the scale-brick interface and the compound with the highest iron content FeO at the metal-scale interface At normal kiln operating temperatures the outer layer becomes relatively firm

Sulphidization

When no oxygen is present SO2 takes over as the oxygen donor and a different reaction occurs The reaction may be written as follows

4 Fe + 2 SO2 (g) = Fe3O4 + FeS2

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 54: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 54

Accordingly a sulphidization reaction can be identified by the occurrence of either pyrite (FeS2) or pyrrhotite (FeS) in the corrosion products The oxidation by O2 and by SO2

alternates As sulphide layers are more porous than oxide layers the corrosion rate of the shell will increase However experience from different plants shows that as long as chlorides are not present the corrosion rate stays at an acceptably low level

Sulphidization is enhanced by the presence of chlorides mainly because they affect the morphology of the corrosion scale hindering the formation of a strong protective oxide layer The total reaction is a chain process taking place at different temperatures A temperature gradient between the kiln atmosphere and the kiln shell is created by the porous deposit and the refractory lining The first reaction of the chain process takes place in the kiln and can be described as high temperature hydrolysis of the thermally unstable alkali chlorides to form the more stable sulphates This reaction step is followed by re-oxidation of hydrogen chloride gas (by oxygen or SO2) at lower temperatures to produce elemental chlorine which attacks the kiln shell The basic reactions (with potassium as alkali) are

2 KCl (g) + H2O (g) + SO2 (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = K2SO4 + 2 HCl (g) (T gt 900oC)

2 HCl (g) + frac12 O2 (g) = Cl2 (g) + H2O (T lt 400oC)

The formation of lsquofreersquo hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas in cement kilns is thus accompanied by formation of alkali sulphates When this is the case the formation is restricted to a quite narrow temperature between 1100 oC and 1300oC The formation of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of the thermal instability of calcium sulphate and the thermal stability of potassium sulphate The evaporation of alkali chlorides cannot begin until these temperatures are reached since gas and material move counter-current in the kiln

If most of the KCl in kiln feed can evaporate to KCl (g) at temperatures below 1000 to 1150 oC the formation of HCl (g) will be quite limited because the tendency of KCl (g) to hydrolyse at such temperatures is low The low temperature evaporation of chlorides explains why normal preheater kilns are less vulnerable to chloride-enhanced sulphidization

While in most cases chlorides in preheater kilns evaporate during or shortly after calcinations without substantial formation of hydrogen chloride gas the case is different for kilns with tertiary air duct Such kilns will show delayed alkali chloride evaporation and consequently evaporation will be followed by more extensive hydrolysis of the chlorides Once Cl2 (g) is formed it can reach the kiln shell through the refractory bricks or through the gapsjoints within and between rings and will react with either the oxide-sulphide

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 55: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 55

layers or most likely directly with the kiln shell according to the following reactions resulting in the corrosion of the kiln shell

bull reaction with the oxide-sulphide layers

FeS + Fe3O4 + 4 Cl2 = 4 FeCl2 + SO2 + O2

bull reaction with the kiln shell

Cl2

+ Fe = FeCl2

Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion The role of refractories in cement kiln is primarily to protect the steel shell from the direct attack of deleterious gases and clinker melt and to reduce the shell temperature so that steel of the shell does not loose its properties The reduction in shell temperature also leads to energy conservation besides providing a workable condition near kiln shell The entire CRK system including preheater precalciner rotary kiln and cooler is lined with suitable size and quality of refractories to achieve the above mentioned advantages Amongst all the sections as mentioned above the service conditions inside the rotary kiln are most severe thereby requiring special attention for the shape type and quality of refractories to be used and installation practices to be employed

Passage of Volatiles through Bricks The various studies carried out by NCB have established that volatile pass through the body of the refractory bricks and reach up to kiln shell The samples of worn out refractory bricks as collected during visits were cut into three sections top middle and bottom and these were subjected to chemical and mineralogical investigations to find out the mineral phases present and formation of new phases The results of chemical analysis and XRD investigations are given in Table 5 and Table 6 respectively for all the cases

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 56: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 56

Brick Area Chemical Constituents Al2O3 Fe2O3 SiO2 SO3 Na2O K2O Cl

Fresh Brick 7235 249 1785 007 016 038 001 Worn out Brick-Top Layer Case I 6057 356 1508 076 017 675 100 Case II 6940 233 1639 096 029 335 041 Case III 6210 400 1981 037 044 520 035 Worn out Brick-Middle Layer Case I 6586 347 1421 024 019 686 130 Case II 7070 337 1431 052 055 221 046 Case III 6320 377 1948 021 022 370 024 Worn out Brick-Bottom Layer Case I 7440 531 1632 022 018 149 006 Case II 7018 310 1564 091 040 081 012 Case III 6522 560 1860 030 031 090 032

Table 5 Chemical Analysis of Different Layers of Worn Out Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of the top layer indicate that bricks have undergone very severe chemical attack which has resulted in decrease of Alumina content The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O was in the range of 037 ndash 096 017-044 and 335-675 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 035-100 percent

The results of chemical analysis of middle layer indicate that the volatiles have traveled through the bricks and have reached upto the middle layer of the bricks Concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 021-052 019-055 and 221-686 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 024-130 percent

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 57: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 57

Table 6 XRD Investigations of different layers of Refractory Bricks

The results of chemical analysis of bottom layer of refractory bricks indicate that the concentration and reactivity of these volatiles is so high that these are able to travel upto the bottom of the bricks thereby reaching upto the kiln shell The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 022-091 018-040 and 081-149 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 006-032 percent The comparison with the top and middle layer indicates that the concentration of volatiles has decreased

The results of XRD investigations of corresponding samples also indicate the interaction of bricks with deleterious volatile oxides leading to formation of feldsphatic compounds like Al6Si2O13 KAlSi2O6 CaAl2Si2O8 besides formation of most detrimental oxide ie KCl (sylvite) Formation of these compounds in the brick matrix led to volume expansion and breaking of ceramic bonds ultimately leading to breaking or loosening of bricks

SNo

Plants Mineral compounds present in Top layer Middle layer Bottom layer

1 Unused bricks Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

Al

2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

2 Case I Al

2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KAlSiO4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al6

Si2O

13

KAlSiO4

Ca2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 Al

6 Si

2O

13

KCl

3 Case II Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4 Ca

2Al

2SiO

7 KCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8

Al2

SiO5

Ca2Al

2SiO

7

NaCl

Al2O

3 KAlSi

3O

8 Al

2 SiO

5

Na2SO

4

Ca3Al

6O

12CaSO

4 KCl

4 Case III Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13

KAlSi2O

6Al

2 SiO

5

CaAl2Si

2O

8 KCl

Al2O

3

Al6Si

2O

13 KCl

Al2O

3SiO

2

KAlSi

2O

6

K2SO

4 NaCl

Al2O

3 Al

6Si

2O

13 Al

2O

3

SiO2 SiO

2 Fe

2O

3 KCl

NaCl

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 58: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 58

The above investigations of worn out refractory bricks have provided very useful information for the possible causes of kiln shell corrosion The chemical analysis of top layers of bricks indicate that these bricks have undergone severe interaction with calcined kiln feed or clinker and have absorbed volatiles through the open pores in the bricks The bricks have three types of pores namely

bull Through pores bull Closed pores within brick body bull One side open and one side closed pores

Out of all the three types of pores one side open and one side closed pores basically create problem for brick failure and does not directly affect the phenomena of kiln shell corrosion The closed pores are the ones which neither damage brick structure by way of interaction nor help in kiln shell corrosion

The third types of pores are very dangerous from the point of view of damaging the brick structure as well as causing kiln shell corrosion Because these thorough pores provide passage to volatiles to reach up to kiln shell The best approach would be to check the permeability of these bricks before dispatch from the site of manufacturers The permeability of bricks gives a very clear picture of through pores present in the bricks

Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps The volatile rich kiln gases and clinker liquid are very prone to reach upto to kiln shell through the gaps between joints within individual rings or ring to ring joints as well These gaps may occur due to various reasons such as

bull Individual brick behavior at working temperature bull Inadequate installation due to poor workmanship bull Actual service conditions prevailing inside the kiln

In order to confirm the possibility of volatiles traveling through the gaps within and between rings and reaching at the interface of bricks and kiln shell another exercise was carried out While collecting brick samples during kiln stoppage some of the rings have shown shifting and gaps created between rings Samples of worn out bricks were carefully taken out ensuring the coatings on the side surfaces of bricks to remain intact These coatings were scrapped carefully and analyzed for their chemical constituents The results of analysis indicate that two types of reactions are taking place

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 59: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 59

In one case the results indicate that severe interactions between brick clinker liquid rich in volatiles and material of kiln shell have taken place The scrapping of coatings on brick side-top has composition which indicates severe reaction with clinker melt and brick material The enrichment of volatiles as high as 260 SO

3 and 711 K

2O and 039

chloride confirm severe reaction at the interface resulting in formation of highly aggressive liquid which entered through the gap and reaching up to kiln shell At the interface of bottom layer of brick and kiln shell this liquid has reacted with kiln shell and complex compounds have formed This phenomenon is confirmed by increased Fe2O3 content (680 ) in the scrapings obtained from side bottom of brick Figure 21 is showing the photograph of a brick having heavy coating on one of its side

In another case the scrapping obtained from brick has shown totally different reaction mechanism Here the volatile available at kiln surface have reacted with shell material and intermediate compounds of Fe2O3 and sulfur are formed in liquid state The presence of chloride has further aggravated the situation and severe shell corrosion has taken place These liquids then deposited on the gaps between and within rings Figure 22 is showing the brick with heavy metallic deposit on one of its side

Fig 21 Clinker melt deposit on side walls of brick

Fig 22 Metallic Deposit on one side of brick

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 60: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 60

The above clearly confirm that the passage of clinker liquids rich in volatiles and hot volatile gases is much more dangerous as their concentration at the place of corrosion becomes alarmingly high and severe reaction takes place between kiln shell and clinker rich in volatiles volatile gases leading to shell corrosion

Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion The kiln shell temperature is of major importance to the speed of shell corrosion In all the studies carried out by NCB the shell temperature of the affected areas has been found to be on the higher side reaching as high as 400 0C thus providing a very conducive conditions at inner shell to form scale

As known the carbon steel is poor in oxidation therefore rate of oxidation increase rapidly with the increase in temperature It has been reported that the rate of oxidation at 400OC is almost fourteen times than that at 2000C and it increases manifolds with the increase in temperature In a rotary kiln where the temperature of outside surface of shell is 300 - 4000C the inside temperature is expected to be much higher and the oxidation rate at that temperature could be considerably high which is not desirable

Another factor influencing the problem of corrosion is the poor oxidizing conditions inside the kiln It is quite clear that O2 and SO2 act alternately as oxygen donors for most of the corrosion with chloride gas acting as the main promoter making the corrosion layers porous so that they offer no diffusion protection against further thermal and chemical attack The gas analysis measurements indicate severe oxygen deficient conditions at kiln inlet in all the cases The measurements of CO O2 at kiln inlet were carried out and presented in Table 7 below

SNo Plant Gas Analysis O2 CO

1 Case I 079-167 010-212 2 Case II 060-200 020-060 3 Case III 019-031 090-166

Table 7 Measurement of COO2 at kiln inlet

From the above table it is clear that the O2 and CO levels are far from the recommended limits of 15 and 01 percent respectively Sometime it was found that the COO2 analyzer installed at kiln inlet is showing incorrect readings and their levels could not be maintained controlled to the above recommended limits

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 61: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 61

The high rate of corrosion in the burningpre-burning zone can be due to the fact that the sulphate bearing compounds gets recycled along with feed material and travel up to burning zone where they get partially dissociated and vaporized once again Due to this the increase in SO3 concentration takes place leading to the increase in partial pressure of these volatile gases over a period of time As a result they get diffused through the open pores of refractory lining reach upto the kiln shell and initiate the corrosion process Many laboratory experiments conducted elsewhere have reported that high levels of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of coal also increases the rate of corrosion In one of the kiln where the inlet CO formation is going as high as 212 it can easily be expected that the CO content in the burning zone will be much higher Thus it is essential to burn the fuel completely and as fast as possible to avoid any CO formation or reducing conditions to exist in any part inside the kiln and to have proper and sufficient oxidizing conditions

The chemical analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes indicate that these flakes are formed from the original material of kiln shell and heavy to severe interaction with volatile oxides have taken place at the interface The concentration of SO3 Na2O and K2O are in the range of 044-346 021-072 and 079-249 percent respectively The concentration of chloride was in the range of 290-553 percent and is considered to be very high

Oxides Plants Case I Case II Case III

LOI 574 968 2340 SiO2 317 210 162

Fe2O3 6732 6402 6348 Al2O3 1256 1308 250 CaO 208 125 171 MgO 030 025 038 SO3 346 083 045

Na2O 061 072 021 K2O 160 249 080 Cl 290 518 563

Table 8 Chemical Analysis of Kiln Shell Flakes

The XRD investigations also confirms the formation of compounds FeS2 NaFeS2 NaCl KCl FeS as major mineral phases in almost all the samples of kiln shell flakes and the other mineral phases present were Fe2O3 Fe3O4 Na2SO4 MgFe2O4 Al05Si07O225 K6Na4Cl etc The presence of these compounds clearly indicates that the participating oxides for these compounds were Iron from kiln shell and volatiles reached to kiln shell surface through bricks and gapsjoints

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 62: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 62

Recommendations The possible causes for the occurrence of shell corrosion in cement kiln could therefore be summarized as under

bull Penetration of refractories and attack of alkalis on kiln shell bull Poorly designed Brick shape and size bull Poor Brick quality in terms of porosity and permeability bull Inadequate Installation quality bull Improper combustion of fuel leading to reducing conditions inside kiln

The possible preventive measures coming out from the above studies to minimize the tendency and rate of shell corrosion phenomenon are as discussed below

A) It seems to be more successful to apply different type of gas-tight coatings or paints on the inner kiln shell to lessen the chloride attack The inner kiln shell should be coated with the available anti corrosive paint immediately after de-lining This will also help in preventing the absorption of atmospheric moisture by hygroscopic compounds such as KCl

a) One coating ldquoKilnGard-600SCWrdquo which is manufactured by 3LampT Company has been proven a good Anti-Corrosive Coatings for cement kilns This coating has been used in many cement plants of Mexico Colombia and Brazil The results obtained after using this coating in cement kilns are shown on next page It shows that firstly they used SS plate to Combat Corrosion but just after 11 months there was a decrease of 13mm in thickness of Shell (Figure 1 on next page) After that they used KilnGard-600SCW and after 12 month the thickness of shell was practically same (Figure 6 on next page)

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 63: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 63

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 64: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 64

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 65: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 65

B) Silicon Carbide compounds are an effective solution for corrosion resistance At operating temperature decomposition and oxidation form specific glass phasesmdashblocking the porosity and forming new phases with the alkalis without disruptive growth There is little to no spalling of the hot face and alkali penetration is reduced Our CALDEtrade RAM and CALDEtrade PATCH ranges present very good resistance to alkali corrosion The alkalis may penetrate the surface but they will not develop new expanding compounds

C) Basic reason of corrosion is alkalis so to remove these alkalis we can use alkali by-pass system Alkali Bypass is a duct between the feed end of the kiln and the preheater tower through which a portion of the kiln exit gas stream is withdrawn and quickly cooled by air or water to avoid excess buildup of alkali chloride andor sulfur on the raw feed This may also be referred to as the ldquokiln exhaust gas bypassrdquo

Currently at SCL we are using Rotary Kiln Manufactured by KHDKHD also provide service of Bypass system Bypass Systems of KHD The development of efficient KHD Bypass Systems significantly contributed to the success of the KHD preheater concept and consequently to a modern and energy-saving low alkali high quality clinker production system

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 66: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 66

For many years KHD plants have initially been provided with KHD Bypass Systems which are operating with raw materials of high chloride or sulfate content Especially for using secondary raw materials and secondary fuels of significant chlorine andor sulfur contents the KHD Bypass System enables a flexible kiln operation at varying fuel andor raw-material mixtures

A portion of the volatile components will be removed from in the area of the inlet chamber by means of a bypass and thus be withdrawn from the circuit This will lower the level of the volatile circuit to such an extent that coatings remain controllable and operational reliability

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 67: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 67

D) The kiln shell temperature from outside should not exceed 300degC Additional cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling In addition the selection of bricks in this area should be reviewed with respect to their thermal conductivity and wear rate pattern If there is no coating on bricks in that area high wear rate leads to reduced residual lining thickness leading to higher shell temperature Therefore Refractory bricks with relatively lower thermal conductivity and high wear resistance should be preferred in the corrosion affected area

Here is attached the kiln shell Temperature profile of Kiln-2 at SCLBeawar We can see that Maximum Temperature is around 390degCwhich is very high compare to recommend above So some extra cooling fans should be provided for effective external cooling Note - Shell Temperature Profile and max min Temp of shell of Kiln-2 is attached at the end of this report

E) As the investigations have confirmed that the intrusions of volatiles have

taken place not only through the bricks but also through joints and gaps created during the campaign It is recommended that a thorough study of lining quality design and installation be carried out with a view to ensure that the intrusion of volatiles through bricks and jointsgaps is reduced to minimal In this connection it is very important to mention here that besides other parameters two characteristics should be given due attention namely permeability and reversal thermal expansion of bricks While permeability plays a role in allowing gasesliquids to reach up to kiln shell the reversal thermal expansion gives an idea of extent of shrinkage a particular brick undergo when the kiln temperature is reduced from its normal operating temperature to any lower temperature

F) The shell corrosion is attributed to a large extent to poor oxidizing

conditions prevailing in the kiln The best measure against chloride promoted sulphidization is to keep a steady supply of fresh air to the

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 68: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 68

surface of the kiln shell The COO2

analyzer installed at the kiln inlet should

be made working properly to avoid incomplete combustion of coal which otherwise could lead to uncontrolledunnoticed formation of CO and low oxygen level at kiln inlet The oxygen at kiln inlet should be maintained at 15 minimum to ensure proper oxidizing conditions with CO not exceeding 01 percent at this point

Here at SCL the Composition of O2 and CO at Kiln-2 inlet is 5-6 and 001-015 respectively So by looking at above composition we can say that here oxidizing conditions are not poor These compositions are not aid in corrosion of kiln shell So in future also company should maintain these conditions

G) Currently in plant we are using combination Basic Magnesia Refractory and high Alumina refractories in Kiln-2but we are not using basic refractory in kiln-1In kiln-1 we are using only high Alumina Refractory In view of corrosion and heat loss use of Basic refractory is highly recommended Although basic refractories are costlier than neutral refractories but they provide more service time and more resistance to corrosion and alkali attack

H) Ultra-ZCoat is the family name for a series of refractory coatings designed to protect the bricks monolithics castables ceramic fibers and steel shells in furnaces boilers and various high temperature vessels Ultra-ZCoat Refractories are characterised by a very high content of zirconia and other special ceramics which imparts extremely high resistance to the aggressive environments typically encountered at temperatures up to 1900degC Ultra-ZCoat has better adhesion than most conventional zirconia based refractories

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 69: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 69

A 3mm protective layer of Ultra Z coat can typically increase the working life of any underlying refractory by a factor of two to four times Ultra Z Coat is supplied in the form of a powder which is mixed with cold water to the consistency of a paste cement or slurry prior to application by trowel brush or spray This Coating is Manufactured by Wearresist Technologies Pvt Ltd Problems Faced High temperature and Chemical corrosion Alkali Gases Sodium Sulpher and Chlorides Wear On Kiln Reduction in shell thickness of the Kiln Remedial Solution Suggested Ultra-ZCoat N Temperature Range Upto 1900degC Finish Matt Buff colored Non-Vitreous

Fig 26 The Kiln shell is dismantled for remedial repair

Procedure for Application 1Surface is prepared by sand blasting upto 40-60 microns 2 Ultra-ZCoat concoction is diluted upto 20 by water 3 First coat is applied 1 mm thick by spatula 4 Second coat is applied 1 mm thick after an interval of 6 hours 5 Coverage Ratio 2mm thickness gained by application of 4 Kgs over a 1 Sq meter area

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 70: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 70

Fig 27 Application of 1st Coat of Ultra-ZCoat

Benefits 1 Produced a gas tight surface and minimized energy losses

2 Reduced the effects of thermal shock 3 Protected the refractories against the aggressive effects of burning fuel oil gas and solid fuels 4 Reduced Spalling and eliminated cracking 5 Reduced Slag adhesion and increased resistance to corrosion 6 Increased the working life of kiln and reduced the costs of maintenance shutdowns

I) Application of spreader jack should be done in each ring at the time of

closing the individual rings and due care should be taken so that bricks do not crush or develop internal cracks due to pressure applied by spreader jack Further jack should not be used on key bricks By using Spreader jack we can fix the brick ring with very less gaps in between refractories So chances of alkali attack through gap in between brick will be very less In no case chiseling or hammering of bricks should be done The ring should be closed using key bricks instead of cutting and fixing with the help of hammer

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 71: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 71

Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References
Page 72: How to Control Kiln Shell Corrosion Report

How to control kiln shell corrosion SCL Beawar (Raj) Page 72

References 1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiShree_Cement 2 httpwwwkhdcombypass-systemshtml 3 httpwwwcalderyscomrefractory-focuswear-resistanthtml 4 httpwwwazomcomarticleaspxArticleID=2382 5 httpwwwprojectsmonitorcomdetailnewsaspnewsid=13713 6 httpcorrosion-doctorsorgindexhtm 7 httpmet-engineeringblogspotin200910types-of-corrosionhtml 8 httpwwwdocstoccomdocs97075944PETROLEUM-COKE 9 Kiln Shell Corrosion by Ricardo Mosci 10 Investigation of cement rotary Kiln corrosion by E s Jons M J L 0stergard 11 httpwww3l-tcom 12 Combustion of large solid fuels in cement rotary kilns by Anders Rooma Nielsen 13 Mechanism of Shell Corrosion caused by volatiles in Cement Kilns and remedial

measures by D Yadav S K Chaturvedi Y P Sethi M M Ali and M VasudevaNCB India

Note The Refractory Lining Data is made available by Shri RPPareek

The Data for Kiln thickness with and without using SS plate is made available by Shri Harshwardhan of PMSCell

The data of outer Shell Temperature of Kiln and Different Chemical Composition at inlet is available from CCR SCL Beawar

  • Acknowledgment
  • Abstract
  • Introduction-
  • About Shree Cement-
    • Innovative amp Cost Conscious Management
    • PROGRAMES
    • Policies of the Company
      • Manufacturing Process
        • Stacking and Reclaiming
        • Raw Material Grinding
        • Coal Grinding
        • Clinkerisation
        • Cement grinding
          • General Chemistry of cement manufacturing
            • Alite
            • Belite
            • Aluminate
            • Ferrite
            • Clinker Reactions
              • The kiln system
                • Rotary kiln
                • Thermal profile and kiln subdivisions
                • Wet Process
                • Dry Process
                  • Literature Review
                    • Corrosion
                    • Refractories
                    • What is corrosion
                    • Types of corrosion
                    • 1) Uniform Corrosion or General Corrosion
                    • 2) Concentration Cell Corrosion
                    • 3) Galvanic Corrosion
                    • 4) Stray Current Corrosion
                    • 5) Crevice Corrosion
                    • 6) Pitting Corrosion
                      • What are Refractories
                        • Melting Point
                        • Size
                        • Bulk Density
                        • Porosity
                        • Cold Crushing Strength
                        • Pyrometric cones and Pyrometric cones equivalent (PCE)
                        • Creep at high Temperature
                        • Volume stability expansion and shrinkage at high temperatures
                        • Reversible thermal expansion
                        • Thermal Conductivity
                          • Type of Refractories
                            • Fireclay refractories
                            • High alumina refractories
                            • Silica Brick
                            • Magnesite
                            • Chromite Refractories
                            • Zirconia Refractories
                            • Oxide Refractories(Alumina)
                            • Monolithics
                            • Type and Composition of refractory used at SCL Beawar (kiln 2)
                            • Full details of Refractory linings Coating and SS Plate Used
                              • Corrosion of Kiln Shell
                                • Introduction
                                • Corrosion of Cement Kiln
                                • Mechanism of kiln shell corrosion
                                • Role of Refractories in tackling shell corrosion
                                • Passage of Volatiles through Bricks
                                • Passage of Volatiles through jointsgaps
                                • Role of Process Parameters on Shell Corrosion
                                  • Recommendations
                                    • Kiln Shell Temperature Profile with maxmin and avg shell temperature
                                      • References