flowsheet of gypsum production

A flowsheet for gypsum production typically involves several stages, starting from the raw material (gypsum ore) to the final product (gypsum boards or plaster). Below is an outline of the basic steps in the gypsum production process:

1. Mining

- Raw Gypsum Extraction: Gypsum is mined either through open-pit mining or underground mining. Large equipment is used to extract gypsum from the ground.

2. Crushing

- Primary Crushing: The mined gypsum is typically crushed using a jaw crusher or a hammer crusher to reduce the size of the material.

- Secondary Crushing: Further crushing may be required to achieve the desired particle size for the next stage.

3. Screening

- Separation: The crushed gypsum is screened to separate fine particles from coarse particles, ensuring uniform size for further processing.

4. Grinding

- Milling Process: The gypsum is ground into a fine powder using ball mills, hammer mills, or roller mills. This is essential for achieving the required fineness for different applications.

5. Calcination

- Heating in Kiln: The ground gypsum is heated in a calciner or rotary kiln to remove water content (CaSO?·2H?O → CaSO?·0.5H?O). This process converts gypsum into plaster of Paris.

- Endothermic Reaction: During calcination, the heat drives off water molecules, resulting in a hemihydrate form of calcium sulfate.

6. Cooling

- Cooling Phase: After calcination, the gypsum is cooled to prepare it for the next step. It must be cooled carefully to avoid changes in properties.

7. Final Grinding

- Fine Tuning: The calcined gypsum is finely ground to ensure a consistent product quality.

8. Additives Mixing

- Incorporation of Additives: Additives such as retarders or accelerators may be added, depending on the end product (plaster, gypsum board, etc.).

9. Formation of Gypsum Products

- Gypsum Boards: For gypsum board production, the gypsum is mixed with water and additional additives to form a slurry. The slurry is then spread between paper sheets and passed through a forming station.

- Drying: The formed boards are dried in a kiln to remove excess moisture.

- Cutting: Once dried, the boards are cut to the desired dimensions.

10. Packaging and Storage

- Final Product Packaging: The finished product is packed and stored for distribution.

This is the general flow of gypsum production. Specific variations may exist depending on the product (e.g., plaster of Paris, gypsum boards, etc.). Would you like a more detailed diagram for any specific part of this process?