regarding circulating element in kiln section like Cl,SO3 and alkaly.
some question I want to discuss with community ,hope this is the right forum to resolve
my query.
1.) why and how we can set the control limit of alkaly/sulphure ratio in kiln system
between(0.8 to 1.2) ? ( any analytical derivation)
2.) what happen in kiln operation as well as clinker quality ( any reaction ) when alkaly
goes very high in circuit ?
3.) What happen in kiln operation as well as clinker quality (any reaction ) when SO3
goes very high in kiln circuit?
4.) What happen in kiln operation as well as clinker quality (any reaction ) when Cl goes
very high in kiln circuit?
re Impact of ALKALY, SULPHURE and CHLORINE in Kiln
operation and clinker quality ?
To answer your questions;-
1. The alkali/sulphur ratio is used in two ways in kiln operation. The first is to measure if
there is a molar balance between the total inputs of alkalis and sulphur contributed by
all of the raw materials, fuels and AFR streams entering the kiln... the second is to
measure the instantaneous molar alkali/sulphur balance in the kiln/preheater system
(based on hot meal)
Both use the same equation;-
{ K2O/94) + (Na2O/62) - (Cl/71) }
A/S = --------------------------------------------
(SO3/80)
However, if there is little or no chloride in the raw material and fuel inputs to the kiln, the
chloride component is often ignored when calculating the A/S ratio of the total inputs.
For hot meal though, chloride is always subtracted from the alkali molar total because
alkali chlorides are far more volatile than alkali sulphates and recirculate within the kiln.
(Over 98% of alkali chlorides (particularly KCl) are re-evaporated in the high
temperature of the burning zone and return to thekiln inlet with the kiln gases where
they condense on the incoming hot meal and continue to recycle.) Any K2O or Na2O
tied up with the chlorides are therefore not considered in the A/S ratio calculation for hot
meal.
The purpose of the hot meal A/S ratio is to predict the likelihood of alkali or sulphur
related buildups in the kiln inlet. In particular, sudden decreases in this ratio can indicate
lack of oxygen in the back end of the kiln and impending sulphur buildups. A high value
indicates an excess of alkalis. The portion of the alkalis which do not combine with SO3
to form sulphates will also recirculate in the kiln, increasing the potential for rings and
preheater buildups.
When applied to the kiln material inputs, the alkali/sulphur ratio is used to manage raw
material, fuel and AFR inputs. New raw materials, fuels and AFRs should be chosen
taking their effect on the overall akali/sulphur ratio into consideration. Similarly, selective
mining can "fine tune" the chemistry of existing raw materials to optimise the raw mix
alkali/sulphur ratio, if it is not within the range 0.8 --> 1.2
2. If alkalis are very high and are not balanced by sulphur, it will be very difficult for them
to exit the kiln. They will therefore continue to recirculate within the kiln/preheater
system and increase the probabliity of kiln rings and preheater buildups. Clinker quality
may suffer because free alkalis can enter into solid solution within the clinker minerals
affecting their reactivity.
3. If sulphur is very high and is not balanced by alkalis, it will also continue to recirculate
within the kiln/preheater system and increase the probabliity of kiln rings and preheater
buildups. Excess sulphur in the hot meal can also form sulphospurrite
(2(CaO).SiO2.CaS04) in the middle cyclones, which forms exceedingly hard and dense
buildups which can take a long time to remove. Clinker quality would also suffer
because sulphur which is not combined with alkalis forms a solid solution with the
silicate minerals, particularly C2S (up to 2%). Sulphur incorporated in this way stabilises
C2S and inhibits its reaction with CaO to form C3S. As a result, C2S content is
increased and C3S content is decreased in the clinker, causing a reduction in cement
strengths.
Generally in oxidising atmosphere most of the suplhur will be convert to alkali sulphates
which will leave the kiln in the form of alkali sulpahte in clinker
S + O2 + Alkali............> Alkali Suplahtes
Whereas during reducing conditions above mentioned reaction will be minimized and
sulphur cylcle is likey to be increased , in resulting frequent buildup
Under reducing conditions some addiotnal chemical reactions are considered as
CaSO4+ C(s)..........> CaO+SO2+CO
CaSO4+CO.........>CaO+SO2+CO2
since in above reactions SO2 is realesed tend to increase sulphur cycle in the kiln
system.
4. If chloride is very high, it will first combine with all of the alkalis present forming alkali
chlorides which will recirculate in the kiln and increase the probability of buildups in the
preheater. Any remaining chloride will then combine with CaO to form CaCl2 which has
a very low melting point (770-780oC). This will make the hot meal extremely "sticky" at
this temperature and increase the chance of buildups higher up the preheater. Chlorides
also form eutectic mixtures with sulphates of potassium, sodium, calcium and
magnesium. These eutectic mixtures have melting points much lower than that of the
pure compounds, further increasing the likelyhood of rings and buildups. Above
0.015%, in the raw meal, chloride recirculation is so bad that blockages in the preheater
are eventually inevitable. If the chloride does manage to escape the kiln(ie during kiln
trips, stoppages etc), too much chloride in the clinker can accelerate the corrosion of
reinforcing steel in the concrete.
