Analysis of Main Loss Causes of Refractories in Cement Plants

Cement kiln refractories suffer rapid wear from long-term high temperature, chemical corrosion and material scouring. Their failure mainly stems from four key factors. Clarifying these causes can effectively prolong the service life of kiln linings.

I. Main Causes:

•  Chemical Erosion

Chemical erosion is the dominant cause of refractory damage. Under high temperature, alkali, sulfur and chlorine from raw materials and fuels penetrate refractories and react to form low-melting substances. This causes brick pulverization, loosening and spalling, and is the main failure reason for preheater and burning zone linings.

• Thermal Stress Damage

Frequent kiln start-stop and drastic temperature changes lead to repeated thermal expansion and contraction of refractories, triggering and expanding cracks that result in lining cracking and peeling. Over-temperature operation also greatly accelerates refractory aging.

• Mechanical Wear and Extrusion

Rotary kiln operation produces extrusion and shear force on bricks, causing loosening and damage. Continuous high-speed scouring by clinker and dust wears down the lining, leading to brick thinning, brick falling and lining collapse.

• Improper Construction and Operation Maintenance

Poorly compacted masonry and irregular brick joints reduce lining integral strength. In addition, rapid kiln heating, frequent start-stop, untimely crust cleaning and inappropriate material selection all accelerate refractory wear.

II. Optimization Suggestions:

•  Select targeted refractories for different kiln zones, and comply with standard masonry and baking procedures.
•  Stabilize production temperature and minimize unnecessary kiln start-stop.
•  Perform regular cleaning and maintenance to reduce refractory loss and cut operating costs.