How to select fire bricks for the cement industry?

Selecting fire bricks for the cement industry requires close consideration of the core operating conditions of kilns, including high temperatures, corrosion, and wear. The decision should be made according to the logic of “operating condition matching—performance screening—scenario adaptation,” balancing stability and cost-effectiveness.

1.Operating Condition Parameters

The rotary kiln firing zone temperature is 1450-1550℃, requiring erosion-resistant materials with a refractoriness ≥1700℃. The preheater and decomposer areas are 800-1200℃, with a focus on resistance to alkali metal and sulfate corrosion.

2.Core Performance

Regarding high-temperature wear resistance, the bricks in the firing and transition zones should have a room temperature compressive strength ≥100MPa. Erosion resistance depends on an apparent porosity ≤16% to resist media corrosion. Thermal shock stability must meet the requirement of ≥30 water-cooling cycles without spalling, adapting to frequent kiln start-ups and shutdowns. And reheat linear change rate ≤±0.3% to ensure volume stability at high temperatures.

3.Zone Selection

For the firing zone, magnesia-chrome fire bricks and magnesia-alumina spinel bricks are selected for their high-temperature resistance and erosion resistance. For the transition zone, high-alumina fire bricks and phosphate-bonded high-alumina bricks are used, balancing wear resistance and corrosion resistance.  And the decomposition furnace/preheater, alkali-resistant fire bricks and cordierite-mullite fire bricks are preferred to enhance corrosion resistance. Lightweight high-alumina bricks and clay bricks are selected for the grate cooler to balance insulation and cost-effectiveness.

Finally, compliance and cost are considered: products that meet environmental standards are selected to avoid contaminating the clinker; high-end fire bricks are used in core areas to ensure lifespan, while economical products are selected in secondary areas to achieve the optimal balance between investment and benefits.

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