Economy & Market

Basic Bricks: Nuances of Technical Suitability

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2022

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ICR attempts to understand the raw meal parameters, maintenance challenges and supplier selection criteria in the Basic Bricks for kiln refractories for cement

Magnesite (or Basic Bricks) is based on magnesium oxide (MgO) and calcium oxide (CaO). The designation magnesia or magnesite brick, is used for bricks with MgO content above 80 per cent.

These are the bricks that are suited for the most temperature sensitive zones of the cement kins, where quality and performance are the two most important elements as breakdowns from refractory failures could be a very costly affair amounting to millions of dollars of losses.

Kilns today have shorter lengths without loss of production capacity. Many producers use the kiln to burn waste materials – a good source of low-cost energy. Widespread use of alternative fuel causes problems for the refractories that are used. Hightemperature areas, usually lined with basic bricks, require higher refractoriness, alkali, and thermal shock resistance, and better resistance to clinker liquid phase corrosion.

Understanding the various parameters

The various sections of the kiln, starting with the Inlet Cones, where the most important considerations are alkali-resistance, have different critical elements for the right type of refractory material. Raw meal can quickly deteriorate refractories that are not resistant, and temperature fluctuations can cause condensation of alkaline vapours in the refractory lining as in the Inlet Cones.

The Safety Zone has to contend with a number of things. The primary criteria here are alkali- and abrasion-resistance. Brick lining should have a progressively increasing refractoriness and alumina content. Low thermal conductivity is good if the reaction occurring is still endothermic, but insulation benefits should be weighed against the risk of alkaline attack and thermal overload.

Thereafter, the transition zones have to deal with many variables. When liquid phase begins to appear in the raw meal, the kiln lining becomes more vulnerable. This occurs in the upper transition zone.

The more variables that occur, the greater is the need for the correct magnesia-based refractories.

Variables include variations in oxygen potential, caused by use of multiple fuels. After several redox cycles, some brick qualities may become weak and friable. Operation with an unstable coating – caused by a variety of factors. Brick becomes exposed to infiltration by the clinker liquid phase. Direct action of alkali chlorides and sulphates, a result of using several waste fuels. Brick may subsequently cap.

Build-up of abnormal rings, resulting from unbalanced sulphate modulus. Kiln shell corrosion, caused by sulphate and chloride diffusion through the refractory, can result from the burning of some waste fuels. The burning zone factors are paramount to the optimal functioning of the burning zone. First, and most manageable from the technical viewpoint, is the question of combustion engineering – the achievement of proper flame pattern, heat and combustion. The variables here are plenty.

Abrasive clinker outfall can cause wear on both refractory
linings and steel segments. Thermal shock and axial
expansion often accelerate refractory wear

Large fluctuations in raw meal parameters and poorly modularised clinker can result in liquid phase segregation, which reduces the thickness and stability of the coating. The use of high-sulphur fuels, combined with poor combustion engineering, can lead to a higher sulphate compound volatilisation and ring formation build-ups. A number of factors can cause coating to disappear completely, with a resulting tendency for the brick to become weak and friable due to thermomechanical fatigue. Some of these factors increase the risk of corrosion of the bricks’ MgO-Al2O3 spinel.

Maintenance and supplier selection

The cooling zones, especially the discharge zone, are often severely stressed. Abrasive clinker outfall can cause wear on both refractory linings and steel segments, and thermal shock and axial expansion often accelerate refractory wear.

The heating up curves for temperature rise is also a very important criteria, which needs to be maintained as follows:

After shutdowns, during which the burning zone does not cool below 300oC.
After repairs, comprising up to 30 lin m of kiln lining.For new plants with an average capacity of 2000 t/day. In the case of larger plants, the heating-up time should be increased by 10 to 20 per cent.Following are the types of basic bricks that fend off the most temperature sensitive and wear/ tear zone:

Magnesia Alumina Spinel Brick: It is made primarily of magnesia grain and synthetic spinel and produced under high temperature firing. It is the most mature and economical widely used transition zone brick. It features good resistance to thermal shock, thermal load, chemical corrosion, overheat damage, oxidation reduction, high temperature mechanical flexibility and abrasion. It can be used at the transition zone of cement rotary kiln and lime kiln.

Supplier selection is a key activity in building a refractory to ensure cost effective, high quality and safe operations.

Magnesia Hercynite Brick: It is made primarily of magnesia and hercynite and produced under high temperature firing. They have the properties of good clinker coating, sound thermal shock resistance, good heat load fatigue resistance, excellent high temperature mechanical flexibility and good wear resistance. They can be used at the burning zone and transition zone at the same time, especially best performed at kiln tire areas.

Magnesia Galaxite Brick: It is primarily made of magnesia and complex spinel, with addition of Manganese compound, which is produced under high temperature firing. Compared with magnesia alumina spinel and magnesia hercynite, it has better resistance to thermal shock, abrasion, corrosion and high temperature mechanical flexibility and kiln coating property. It can be used at burning and transition zones at the same time. It has practical significance for customers to optimise refractory configuration, reduce inventory and facilitate management.

Magnesia Chromite Spinel Brick: It is primarily made of magnesia and chrome ore under high temperature burning. It has the excellent properties of clinker coating, resistance to thermal shock, thermal load fatigue and chemical corrosion. It was also good in resistance to oxidation reduction. The magchrome brick was the most widely used once, which is a mature and economical product for rotary kiln burning zone and transition zone.

Supplier selection is the most important part of the activity in engineering and sourcing and good suppliers stay with the cement plants for long as rarely would one change from the original installation to a new type of bricks from a new supplier. But progress in India on the supplier front has shown some interesting challenges around cost and the choice for low-cost suppliers even in the basic bricks category has remained strong contenders. No wonder the OEMs have to find solutions to the cost effectiveness together with high quality, high yield, low consumption and long-term safe operation if they want to continue with their share of business in the future.

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Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

9 hours ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

1 day ago

October 8, 2026

admin

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”

Concrete

UltraTech becomes first Indian cement firm to cross 2 GW green energy

Published

2 days ago

October 7, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has crossed 2 GW of captive green energy capacity, with renewables and waste heat recovery meeting 48 per cent of its power needs.

Mumbai

UltraTech Cement Limited has surpassed 2 GW of installed green energy capacity for captive use, becoming the first cement company in India to achieve the milestone. The Aditya Birla Group company commissioned 116.55 MW of wind capacity at its Inter-State Transmission System-connected wind-solar hybrid project in Barmer, Rajasthan, along with 10 MW of Waste Heat Recovery System capacity at Sarlanagar Cement Works in Karnataka.

With these additions, UltraTech’s cumulative installed green energy capacity has reached 2,024 MW. This includes 1,580 MW of renewable energy capacity and 444 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, together meeting around 48 per cent of the company’s current power requirements.

The company said the milestone reflects the progress of its long-term energy transition strategy. In FY27 so far, nearly one-third of UltraTech’s 76 manufacturing units in India have maintained green energy utilisation above 50 per cent of their electricity requirements, while five units have crossed 95 per cent.

K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said, “Crossing the 2 GW green energy milestone is the result of a strategy we have pursued consistently over the past decade. Cement is an energy-intensive, hard-to-abate sector, and showing that reliability and growth can go hand in hand with a rapid shift to green energy sets a benchmark for the industry. With nearly half of our power needs now met through green energy, we are significantly less exposed to fossil fuel supply constraints and power price volatility. As we scale up renewables, waste heat recovery and battery storage across our operations, we are building an energy foundation for stable, long-term growth.”

UltraTech commissioned 430 MW of green energy capacity in FY26 and continues to expand its renewable energy and waste heat recovery portfolio.

The company is also progressively integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems across its operations to improve renewable energy utilisation and supply reliability.

In 2025, UltraTech operationalised what it described as India’s first on-site hybrid round-the-clock renewable energy project at Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The project combines solar, wind and battery storage.

As part of its decarbonisation strategy, UltraTech said it has not invested in new captive thermal power capacity for either greenfield projects or brownfield expansions at its integrated units for more than a decade.

The company said its expanding green energy portfolio is helping reduce dependence on conventional grid electricity and fossil fuel-based power, while lowering exposure to fluctuations in coal and electricity prices.

UltraTech aims to increase green energy’s share in its total power mix to 85 per cent by 2030. As a member of RE100, it has also committed to meeting 100 per cent of its electricity requirement through renewable sources by 2050.

UltraTech Cement, the cement flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has a total grey cement capacity of 210.1 MTPA and white cement and putty capacity of 3.5 MTPA. The company is also a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the GCCA Net Zero Concrete roadmap.