Welcome to Ceramic Grinding Ball CGB Technology - Topnewer / ICC

At the beginning of April 2020, at the height of COVID-19 in the world, the Chinese company Topnewer and the company ICC Independent Cement Consultants, announced the worldwide launch of their Ceramic Grinding Ball #CGB technology, in an aggressive process of internationalization.

The response of the world cement industry was immediate, the massive interest in our proven technology for reducing electricity consumption in ball mills is a complete success.

However, some questions remained in minds of our new clients for application of this innovative technology.

What are ceramic grinding balls (CGB)? In cement ball mill operation, what is advantage of replacing steel balls with #CGB for grinding purpose? What effects can be caused by applying #CGB technology on the cement produced? What happens to liners, diaphragm, and trigger rings after applying the alumina grinding balls? How is weight and loading speed adjusted when steel balls are replaced by #CGB technology? What happens to temperature inside ball mill after applying #CGB technology? After applying #CGB, what will happen to main motor current and rate of energy consumption per metric ton of cement feeding? What effect does #CGB technology have on cement quality? Is there any metallic contamination in cement after applying #CGB technology? How to evaluate the economic benefit after applying the #CGB technology?

Introduction to Ceramic Grinding Balls

Ceramic balls have been used in grinding operations since the 1980s, however, their use was discontinued due to failures and lost productivity in ball mills. The big mistake in these projects is that the suppliers of ceramic balls sold the product without giving any kind of technical advice, and the cement companies applied these products, believing they would achieve a "magical" optimization of their ball mills. As expected, it was a total failure. Unfortunately the cement companies blamed the ceramic balls and not the suppliers' lack of expertise. In fact, the suppliers of steel balls did their part in this negative media campaign.

The company Topnewer took on challenge of successfully applying proven benefits of ceramic grinding media in ball mills. Through years of research and development in their own laboratories, we managed to develop a successful and patented level of technology, which today is used in 80% of ball mills in China, recognized as the country with largest production of Portland cement in the world. The ICC - Independent Cement Consultants company, joined Topnewer in international research and marketing of this innovative, guaranteed and proven technology, for benefit of cement grinding processes.

Answering your questions

1. What are ceramic grinding balls (CGB)?

Ceramic grinding balls are high purity (90 - 95%) spherical alumina compounds, with up to 3% zircon, manufactured using isostatic pressure methods. This allows them to have high resistance to wear and tolerance to high temperatures.

2. In cement ball mill operation, what is advantage of replacing steel balls with #CGB for grinding purpose?

The main advantages in applying #CGB Topnewer / ICC technology are:

? Energy saving: helps to reduce 20-30% of the weight of the grinding media load, a reduction of at least 20% is observed in main motor current, rate of consumption of electrical energy is reduced by around 10-15% depending on cement type (TPH).

? Decrease in cement temperature and environmental noise: helps to reduce the operating temperature of ball mill by 15-20 ℃, the noise by 15 db during the operation of mill. The quality of the cement is guaranteed since the temperature remains below 100 ℃.

? Falling maintenance costs and equipment life span extended: As ball mill load weight and operating temperature decrease, bearing bushing benefits. The service life of lubricating oil is extended.

? Longer grinding life: #CGB Topnewer / ICC wear loss is less than 50% of conventional steel ball. For example, in OPC.43 grinding operation in China, high Cr6 steel ball has a wear loss rate of 30-40g/T (1 chamber), while #CGB is 15g/T as maximum.

? Environment friendly: Helps cement break free from metal contamination since #CGB contains no metal elements compared to high chrome steel balls, it is much more environment friendly.

3. What effects can be caused by applying CGB technology on the cement produced?

We know that quality of cement is very important. In order not to affect Blaine characteristic and cement quality, a mechanical modification to your ball mill may be possible due to lower density of #CGB balls versus steel balls. After mechanical modification, not only energy saving target is reached, but also mill productivity improved significantly. It all depends on experience.

4. What happens to liners, diaphragm, and trigger rings after applying the alumina grinding balls?

The #CGB density is only about 3.6 g/cm3, which is about 45% of steel balls. Consequently, under same loading speed, loading weight of alumina grinding balls is less than half that of the steel balls. The impact force and stroke are greatly decreased, and this extends life of liners, center diaphragm, and trigger rings.

There is no case showing that liners were injured by the #CGB technology, vice versa. In most cases, coatings can remain when applying #CGB. However, diaphragm and trigger ring can be modified to meet the needs of #CGB technology.

5. How is weight and loading speed adjusted when steel balls are replaced by #CGB technology?

Currently, we recommend #CGB technology for second and third chamber. The loading speed is expected to be 10% higher than the steel balls, and the loading weight of 60% of the steel balls. Consequently, loading weight of steel balls in first chamber could be 15-20% higher than before or the first chamber will extend in length. For this reason, before applying our technology, we make a complete technical evaluation to meet the customer's quality and productivity objectives.

6. What happens to temperature inside ball mill after applying #CGB technology?

#CGB technology grinding media are made of inorganic materials. Its molecule consists of coding bonds. Unlike steel balls with free-moving electrons on the surface that cause massive heat, #CGB technology, during grinding process, does not generate too much heat because of its inorganic materials, and low conductivity, the temperature within ball mills after applying #CGB technology decreased by 15-20 ℃.

7. After applying #CGB, what will happen to main motor current and rate of energy consumption per metric ton of cement feeding?

The loading weight will drop about 25%. As a result, main motor current can also drop by 25%. Take a Ф4.2 * 13m ball mill, for example, main motor current could decrease by 50A or more, and the power consumption could be reduced by a minimum of 4kW/TPH

8. What effect does #CGB technology have on cement quality?

Generally speaking, there is no difference in quality compared to steel balls. In some cases, the test result turned out that grain distribution becomes more reasonable. The fine powder on the ground decrease in quantity, while the grain that oscillates between 3μ and 32μ increases in 1-3%. The 3-day fracture strength remains unchanged and even improves of 28-day.

The sphericity of cement grain is improved, which benefits strength of cement in future work. Meanwhile, compatibility of cement and reinforced concrete additive improves, as well as specifically affected water consumption rate.

9. Is there any metallic contamination in cement after applying #CGB technology?

As it only has inorganic materials, the #CGB technology does not contain any metallic element and, therefore, does not constitute metallic metal to cement. When you replace steel balls, Cr6 content derived from steel balls would be greatly reduced.

10. How to evaluate the economic benefit after applying the #CGB technology?

From point of view of energy saving: take the following example: ball mill, Ф4.2 * 13m:

ROI

In the next table, we see an example of ROI applied to grinding operations in 4 countries.

Case study

Bestway Cement Ltd’s Chakwal facility is the first cement plant in Pakistan to apply the use of ceramic balls. To date #CGB technology Topnewer / ICC have been applied in two of the cement plant’s ball mills to replace existing HC steel grinding media.

In March 2018 the ceramic balls were installed in mill No 2. According to plant data, resulting power consumption has fallen from 30.04kW/h to 26.88kW/h – a reduction of 3.16kW/h.

The results of this project led Bestway to request Topnewer to apply #CGB to Chakwal’s mill No 3.

Five months after installation, data from August 2019 shows specific power consumption has been reduced from 31.04kW/h to 27.73kW/h, which translates into a saving of 3.31kW/h.

Before table shows the basic specifications of ball mill No 2 with the original HC steel balls. To optimise the installation of Topnewer’s ceramic grinding balls, the following technical modifications were applied:

? the length of the first chamber was extended from 3.11m to 3.61m

? the diaphragm was replaced with Topnewer patented diaphragm that is designed especially for the application of ceramic grinding balls in cement ball mills

? an air-clinker separator was installed at the end of the mill, assembled to the outlet diaphragm to improve the efficiency

? technical modifications were performed on the activation rings

? the rejection rate of the separator was adjusted to cater for the needs of #CGB application

? adjustment of the HC steel balls loading scheme in the first chamber

? replacement of 128t of HC steel balls in the second chamber with 69t of #CGB. After repeat tests and commissioning, the final volume of ceramic grinding balls in the second chamber was fixed at 75t.

Unlike HC steel balls, the loading rate of the #CGB in the chamber is 35-40 per cent, which improves grinding efficiency.

Even though the loading level of ceramic balls is between 35-40 per cent, the total loading weight of mill No 2 is still 53t lower than that of the HC steel balls that had previously served the ball mill, and therefore, explains the 3.16kW/t reduction in power consumption.

In terms of quality, the acceptance standard was:

? Residue: for OPC G43 cement: <2.4 per cent at 90μm sieve, Blaine: 2950 ± 50. Operational results after 18 months show 2890cm2/g, which is slightly lower than the target. This indicated a #CGB shortage. If the optimization project cannot reach its upmost potential, it leads to a reduction in Blaine or feed rate.

Normally, the variation is around 3-5 per cent.

? Breakage rate: as #CGB are made with isostatic pressing technology, and the formula had been upgraded to the third-generation, after 18 months of operation there were no obvious breakages to the media in mill No 2.

? Wear loss: according to statistics collected by Topnewer, the wear loss of Topnewer ceramic grinding balls is around 12g compared to 35g for HC steel balls in China, meaning that the ceramic option provides double the service life.

? Temperature: after project implementation the outlet temperature of the clinker dropped to below 90?C from the previous 107?C.

CGB and its ball mills

How can #CGB Topnewer / ICC technology be applied to your ball mill operations?

We are very professional and technical in applying our technology to grinding operations of our clients. Our technology is guaranteed and sustainable. We evaluate each case and suggest the best combination to apply our #CGB technology.

Contact us, we will do a free evaluation, so you can also enjoy the benefits of #CGB Topnewer / ICC technology in your cement grinding. If you have any other questions about our technology, we invite you to contact us, we will give you an answer.

[email protected]

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*Article based on author's research information, Mr. Elite Yang.

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