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Published on 9/17/2019
Published by marketing@concretebroker.com.au
Lets talk about cement
All you needed to know in a nutshell
Source : cement.org.au
What is cement used for?
Construction of a typical family home requires around 14 tonnes of cement. A kilometre of freeway contains as much as 2,500 tonnes
of cement.
The pre-mixed concrete industry consumes the greatest volume of cement, using it in applications such as: concrete slabs and foundations for buildings, roads and bridges, precast panels, blocks and roofing tiles, fence posts, reservoirs and railway sleepers – to name a few.
Cement is also used in bulk quantities in other diverse applications including: stabilisation
of roads and rocky surfaces, backfill mining operations, casings in oil and gas wells, as well as renders, mortars and fibre board.
Growth in demand for cement is closely linked to world GDP Figures and economic growth, providing long term investment and employment stability. Cement manufacturing and distribution provide jobs and investment as well as the suburban and industrial areas of our cities.
How is cement made?
3:
Figure 1: Schematic of a typical integrated cement manufacturing plant
The process begins with the mined raw materials being ground into a raw meal ready for the kiln. This precise mixture of ground limestone, clay and sand is heated in the pre-calciner before then being fed into the kiln where it is transformed (calcined) into clinker at very high temperatures – typicallyaround 1,450 ̊C.
The resulting clinker exits the kiln as a small, stone-like material comprised of the special compounds that give cement its binding properties. From here it is cooled and then ground with gypsum and other materials to make cement, which is then sent on to market either in bulk or bagged form.
A modern integrated cement plant incorporates technology and practices that makes the most efficient use of heat throughout the plant.
Where to now for cement?
The global cement industry is increasing in overall size due to increased levels of urbanisation worldwide. Cities are continuing to grow in size, increasing the demand for ready mix concrete, the main end product for cement. Like many industries the cement industry faces many challenges from an environmental perspective, as a consequence of the high level of emissions resulting from cement manufacture. Scientists, chemists and cement companies are combining to develop greener methods of producing cement and concrete utilising inputs with lower levels of emissions during the production stage. Over timeit is anticipated these technological advancements should lead to lower emissions and the longevity of what is one of the worlds most lucrative and productive industries.
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Tags: Bagged cement cement cement manufacture concrete readymix concrete
This article was written by marketing@concretebroker.com.au all rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of concretebroker.com