Introduction to X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and particle characterization in cement

The careful control of process parameters in the cement industry is the difference between profit and failure in an industry where specifications are fixed and the variables are the feed composition and energy costs.  Raw materials (chiefly limestone, clay, supplementary materials) of differing compositions are needed to be blended to provide the correct phase chemistry after the rotary kiln furnace step.  The blending of these minerals is a skilled art and XRF allows the compositions to be assessed in the storage silos before production of the raw meal and afterwards in the finished cement.  Percentages of calcium, silica, iron, aluminum etc are routinely measured with XRF using ASTM and ISO standards to provide the guidelines.  Grinding of the cement is a highly energy intensive process.  Indeed 1% of the world’s electrical supply is used in this step.  Again international standards dictate the fineness to which cement is ground to different specifications and the successful companies are those that can manage the grinding and classification processes in the most cost-effective way.  Both laboratory and on-line particle size analysis provide this route to quality and production control. This webinar provides an introduction to XRF and particle sizing as applied to the cement industry with an emphasis of the financial implications of control.  We’ll provide an introduction to the Epsilon XRF equipment and the Mastersizer 3000 laser diffraction particle size analyzer including looking at classifier efficiency (Tromp curve) in the latter.