TECHNICAL FORUM

Flux, volume
or viscosity?
by Dr Michael Clark
ost cement manufacturers are
aware of the vital contribution
Fluxes are of great importance in an industrial cement kiln to keep down
of the high temperature liquids
the expense of clinker formation in terms of fuel and refractory costs. In
or fluxes formed in the cement
this months Technical Forum, Dr Clark discusses the relative benefits and
kiln in keeping down the cost of clinker
disadvantages of various flux characteristics. These include the temperamanufacture. Clinker is formed from the
cement raw mix by a sequence of chemical
ture of the kiln when the flux enters, its quantity and viscocity. The article
reactions. The last and most important of
draws some interesting conclusions that seem to contradict actual cement
these reactions is the final combination of
plant practice.
the residual free lime, CaO, liberated from
the calcium carbonate, CaCO3, with the
a typical flux content for cement clinker of
dicalcium silicate, C2S. The dicalcium
cantly increased with rising SiO2 content
and to a lesser extent Al2O3.
30 per cent. The formula for the flux presilicate reactant is a solid, as is the reacAll these considerations point to the
sent at 1338C applies to raw mixes of alution product tricalcium silicate, C3S. Solid
ferric oxide, Fe2O3, being a more effective
mina modulus greater than 1.38.
state reactions of this type rely on diffuViscosity of the flux is important as its
flux than the alumina, Al2O3. The alumina
sion from the surface and are necessarily
effectiveness depends on wetting the surdoes not contribute to the flux at the
slow. However, the presence of the liquid
face of the solid C2S in the kiln. A mobile,
lower temperatures and also increases the
fluxes in the kiln promotes this reaction
low viscosity flux is more effective in wetviscosity of the flux. Both factors should
and reduces the temperature which must
ting the C2S and promoting reaction with
be detrimental to the fluxing of the kiln,
be achieved, and therefore the fuel and
lime via diffusion across the solid state
increasing the temperature required for
refractory costs.
phase boundary. Terrier, Endell and Hendrick
clinker formation and fuel consumption of
The presence of flux is therefore of
have conducted studies into the viscosity of
the kiln. Why do cement companies in fact
paramount importance in a cement kiln.
the flux and found that viscosity is signifiexperience the opposite effect, with a fall
The story does not end there however.
in the alumina content at the
Three characteristics of the flux
The most important reaction in clinker formation is the addition
expense of ferric oxide resulting
determine its effectiveness:
of free lime
in lower kiln outputs and higher
the temperature at which this
fuel consumption?
flux first appears in the kiln
Dr Stanislav Chromy, the
the total quantity of flux
renowned clinker mineralogist
formed as the temperature
from the Czech Republic has an
increases
explanation. Due to the lower
the viscosity of the flux.
molecular weight of alumina in
Flux first appears in the kiln
comparison with ferric oxide,
between the temperatures of
liquid phases rich in alumina are
1250-1280C dependent with
much less dense than those
industrial raw mixes containing
richer in ferric oxide. The lower
lime, silica, alumina, ferric oxide,
density means these fluxes
magnesia and soda. The Lea and
occupy a much greater volume
Parker formulae for the amount
in the kiln and are much more
of flux present at various temTable 1: Lea and Parker formulae for the amount of flux present at
effective in wetting the clinker
peratures are shown in Table 1. various temperatures
and promoting C3S formation.
These formulae can be used up
Mass percentage and viscosity
to a maximum MgO content of Flux1338C = 6.1 x %Fe2O3 + %(Na2O + K2O) + %MgO
two per cent, arising from the Flux1400C = 2.95 x %Al2O3 + 2.2 x %Fe2O3 + %(Na2O + K2O) + %MgO are not the overriding consideramaximum five to six per cent Flux1450C = 3.0 x %Al2O3 + 2.25 x %Fe2O3 + %(Na2O + K2O) + %MgO tions volume percentage is!
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solubility of MgO in the flux and

INTERNATIONAL CEMENT REVIEW / FEBRUARY 2002

47