Cement factories are to be set up in areas where raw materials, viz., limestone or chalk and shale or clay are abundantly available. It should have adequate transport facilities like road, rail, etc., for easy transport of the finished products. Further, adequate water and power should be available to run the industry without any interruption to production.
Production of cement is performed in three stages, viz.:
- Mixing of raw materials in correct proportion
- Burning of the mixture
- Grinding
There are two processes in the manufacture of cement, viz., the wet process and the dry process, depending upon whether the mixing and grinding of raw materials are done in wet or dry conditions.
A semi-dry process is also in use wherein the raw materials are ground and then mixed with about 10–14% of water and further burnt to chinkering temperature. For many years, the wet process remained popular, which is replaced by the dry process as it consumes less fuel for burning.
Leave a Reply