Economy & Market

Cementing Net Zero

Published

1 year ago

January 15, 2025

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The 18th NCB International Conference and Exhibition on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials was a melting pot of innovative ideas, designed to help the Indian cement sector achieve its Net Zero goals. The event witnessed participation from the varied stakeholders of the cement industry, from manufacturers and raw material providers to logistics partners and researchers. ICR presents a comprehensive event report.

The Yashobhoomi Convention Centre at IICC Dwarka, New Delhi, was the epicentre of innovation, cutting-edge technology and forward-looking ideas, as the 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials, brought together though leaders, innovators, inventors and researchers under one roof, with the common intention of making cement carbon neutral. The Conference and Exhibition was organised by National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), an apex R&D organisation under the administrative control of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
As the Indian cement sector is speeding towards its Net Zero goals, industry stalwarts are working relentlessly on making its path smoother and more efficient. The event, regarded as the Maha Kumbh of Cement and Concrete Industry, was successfully organised from 27 – 29 November 2024 and offered knowledge-exchange and business opportunities to the participants and visitors alike with its conference, exhibition and awards function.
The conference was inaugurated by Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India in presence of Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT; Neeraj Akhoury, Chairman-NCB, President-Cement Manufacturers’ Association and MD-Shree Cement; and Mahendra Singhi, Member of Board of Directors and Strategic Advisor, Dalmia Cement (Bharat). The concurrently held Technical Exhibition with the conference was also inaugurated.
In his inaugural address, Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia Secretary-DPIIT complimented the Indian cement industry for being one of the best in the world in terms of energy efficiency and role played by cement industry in circular economy framework in our country.
Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT was the guest of honour on the occasion, requested cement industry to support startups working in the field of cement, concrete and building materials sector.
Akhoury and Singhi also addressed the gathering on achievements of Indian cement industry and challenges faced to achieve the target of Net Zero by 2070. Speaking on the occasion, Dr L P Singh, DG-NCB, highlighted the role of research and development in tackling the issues of Indian cement industry such as decarbonisation, circular economy and sustainability.
The conference saw participation of 1100+ delegates, 600+ visitors, 140+ students, 16 session keynote addresses, 155 oral presentations and 70 poster presentations of technical papers, 133 exhibitors including 09 startups and 204 exhibition stalls.

Industry sessions
There were plenary sessions on each day of the conference covering the following five presentations from industry stalwarts:

‘Carbon Conscious Concrete and Nanotechnology’ by Prof S P Shah, Presidential Distinguished Professor, University of Texas at Arlington, USA, Walter P Murphy, Professor (Emeritus) Northwestern University, USA
‘‘Automated’ to ‘Autonomous’ Process for Cement Production: How Distant is the Destination?’ by Dr A K Chatterjee, Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering and Chairman-Conmat Technologies
‘The role of cement hydration in decarbonising cement-based materials’ Professor Karen Scrivener, Professor and Head, Laboratory of Construction Materials, Department of Materials, Swiss Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
‘Binding the Future – From Calcined Clays to Extrusion’ by Professor Dr-Ing. Thomas Matschei, Chair of Building Materials, Institute of Building Materials Research, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
‘Innovation at Holcim, an industrial point of view about progressively tackling the challenges for cementitious materials players: reaching Zero CO emissions and Zero natural resources’ by Christophe Levy, Scientific Director, Holcim Innovation Centre, Lyon, France

The two panel discussions on contemporary topics like ‘Cementing the Net Zero by 2070: Leadership Perspectives from Indian Cement Industry’ and ‘Transforming Indian Standards to Performance Based Design of Concrete’ involving leaders of Indian Cement Industry and Industry, Research and Academic Experts were the highlight of the conference.

During the conference, NCB Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of Cement and Concrete Sector was conferred on Padma Shri Dr H C Visvesvaraya, Ex-CDG, NCB.

During the Conference, the following five NCB publications were released: Insert image 3

Conference Souvenir
Conference Proceedings
4th edition of Compendium
Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials for Indian Cement Industry
7th edition of NCB Guide norms for cement plant operation
During the conference, the following three Short Films made by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials were also released:
• 200 Glorious Years of Cement and Concrete Construction Industry
• NCB Corporate Video
• NCB International Conferences – A Maha Kumbh of Cement and Concrete Industry

Collaborations for Growth
On the second day of the conference, two MOUs were signed for Research in the areas of De-Carbonisation and Application of Plasma Technologies in Cement Production. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NCB and with GCCA, India for the promotion of Research in the area of de-carbonization of the Indian Cement Industry. The MoU was signed by Dr L P Singh (Director General-NCB) and Manoj Rustagi, Director-GCCA, India. This MoU will boost the ongoing efforts in making Indian Cement Industry ‘Net Zero’ by 2070.
Also, another MoU was signed between NCB and AIC-Plasmatech Innovation Foundation in the application of Thermal Plasma Torch Technology in Cement production. The MoU was signed by Dr Singh and Dr Nirav Jamnapara, Director-AIC Plasmatech. This MoU will explore the potential applications of Thermal Plasma Technologies in Cement Manufacturing Process.
The 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials, concluded successfully on 29th November 2024. The valedictory session was chaired by Arti Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. She complimented Indian cement industry for being water positive and plastic negative. She also presented the National Awards to the best participating cement plants in the field of energy excellence, improvement in energy performance, environment excellence, total quality excellence and achieving circular economy in integrated cement plants and energy and environment excellence in cement grinding units. These awards emanated from suggestion at the first NCB International Seminar in 1987, and at the insistence of Ministry of Industry, the scheme of National Award for Energy Efficiency was started from the year 1986-87.
Bhatnagar released the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND), an Indian Certified Reference Material of Gypsum Standard produced by NCB in collaboration with NPL, NMI of India. The BND plays a pivotal role in fulfilling the ambitions of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and will substitute the import of international CRM and help in saving foreign Exchange. Bhatnagar also visited the technical exhibition concurrently held with the conference and interacted with startups exhibiting in the conference.

Special Merit Certificates
Mahendra Singhi, Member of Board of Governors and Strategic Advisor, Dalmia Cement (Bharat), Guest of Honour on the occasion presented certificates to the papers of Special Merit presented during the conference. DG-NCB also informed that NCB will be quantifying the carbon footprint of the conference with the help of NCB incubated startup ‘Zero Cabon’ and will be offsetting the CO2 emissions.

Conclusion
The 18th NCB International Conference and Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials demonstrated the cement industry’s unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration in achieving India’s Net Zero goals. Held at the state-of-the-art Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, the event brought together industry leaders, researchers, innovators, and policymakers to exchange knowledge and forge partnerships critical to the sector’s transformation. The conference not only celebrated the industry’s achievements but also set the stage for continued progress through technology, research, and policy alignment. By offsetting the carbon footprint of the event, the organisers underscored their commitment to environmental responsibility.
As the Indian cement industry continues its journey toward Net Zero by 2070, NCB’s International Conference and Exhibition will remain pivotal in driving collective action, inspiring innovation, and uniting stakeholders in the shared mission of sustainable growth and environmental stewardship.

Sr. No. List of Papers of Special Merit selected from
Poster Presentation
1. Sustainable Modernisation Solutions for Cement Plant Productivity Enhancement: Case Studies, Vikram Kancharidasu and Sitaram Sharma. Humboldt Wedag, India [P-219]
2. Adoptation of Technology to Enhance Refractory Life & Cost Optimisation, Vivekkumar V K, Shyamal Roy, Sanjeev Srivastava and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement [P-211]
3. Innovative Boiler Feed Water Treatment for Energy Conservation and Boiler Reliability inTPP/WHRS, Pawan Mathur, Sunil Shah and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement
4. Influence of Cement Grinding Temperature on Material Characteristics and Performance of Cement, A Kumar, D Sen, A K Rai and N Akhoury. Shree Cement [P-190]
5. Total Productivity Enhancement and Process Optimisation, Tanmoy Ghosal, Aditya cement works (UltraTech Cement) [P-271]
6. Exploring the Potential of Stubble Waste Biochar as Cementitious Composite for Sustainable Construction and Carbon Sequestration, Sarmad Rashid, Arpit Goyal, A B Danie Roy and Manpreet Singh. Thapar Institute of Engg. and Technology
7. Studies on Utilization of Industrial Waste for Carbon Capture, Varsha Liju, Diksha Rana, Gaurav Bhatnagar and S K Chaturvedi, National Council for Cement and Building Materials
8. Carbon Capture by Electrification of Calciner in the Cement Industry, Prateek Sharma, Ashish Gautam, Vinaykant and K P K Reddy. National Council for Cement and Building Materials [IP-26]
9. Durability Concerns in Alkali Activated Low Calcium Fly Ash: Influence of Sodium Content on Chloride Ion Penetration, Mude Hanumananaik and K V L Subramaniam. IIT-Hyderabad [P-202]
10. Influence of Green Reagent on Enhancing Recycled Aggregate Mortar Properties, Santha Kumar G, S K Singh, P K Saini. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute [P-114]

List of Recipients of National Awards for Indian Cement Industry

S. NO. Awards Plant Name
I. Awards for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Sree Jayajothi Cements (100 per cent Subsidiary of My Home Group Industries), Nandyal, AP
2. Second Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants RCCPL, Maihar, Satna, MP
II. Awards for Improvement in Energy Performance in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Improvement in Energy Performance in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat), Belgaum Cement Plant, Karnataka
2. Second Best Award for Improvement in Energy Performance in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Nathdwara Cement Works, Sirohi, Rajasthan
III. Awards for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Andhra Pradesh Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat), Belgaum Cement Plant
IV. Awards for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants M/s Shree Cement, Ras, Bangur City, Rajasthan
2. Second Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants M/s UltraTech Cement, Aditya Cement Works
V. Awards for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Reddipalayam Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Rawan Cement Works
VI. Awards for Energy Excellence in Cement Grinding Units
1. Best Award for Energy Excellence in Cement Grinding Units UltraTech Cement, Arakkonam Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Energy Excellence in Cement Grinding Units J K Cement Works, Jharli
VII. Awards for Environment Excellence in Cement Grinding Units
1. Best Award for Environment Excellence in Cement Grinding Units UltraTech Cement, Ginigera Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Environment Excellence in Cement Grinding Units ACC, Madukkarai Cement Works

List of Orally Presented Papers selected as Papers of Special Merit in the Conference

Technical Session IA
Belite Calcium Sulfoaluminate Ferrite Cement: Synthesis, Performance Evaluation and Hydration Studies, K Suresh, Manish Kuchya, Mohan Medhe, Bhavik Patel and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement [P-225]
Technical Session IB
Maximizing Solid Alternative Fuel Quality by the A TEC Rocket Mill and A TEC Flash Dryer, S Kern. A TEC Production & Services GmbH, Austria [P-236]
Technical Session – I C
Effect of Period of Exposure to Fire on Mechanical Properties of TMT Bars, Brijesh Singh, Amit Trivedi, Amit Sagar, P N Ojha, Rohit Kumar and Amit Prakash. National Council for Cement and Building Materials [IP-1]
Technical Session IIA
Overcoming Barriers to Alternative Fuels in the Indian Cement Industry Technology and Solutions for Enhanced Thermal Substitution Rates, Kiranmai Sanagavarapu FLSmidth Cement A/S, Green Innovation [P-164]
Technical Session – II B
Energy-Efficient MVR Vertical Roller Mill Systems, Caroline Woywadt and Kunal Jain. Gebr. Pfeiffer SE, Germany & Gebr. Pfeiffer, Noida, India [P-107]
Technical Session – II C
Development of Activated Biochar and its Application in Concrete, Sahana C M and Souradeep Gupta. IISc Bangalore [P-251]
Technical Session IIIA
Mineral Carbonation of Artificial Lightweight Aggregates Developed from Municipal Solid Waste Incinerated Ashes Through Autoclaving Process, Humaira Athar, Deepika Saini, Kishor S Kulkarni, L P Singh, Usha Sharma, Srinivasarao Naik B and Madhusudhan Bolla. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, National Council for Cement and Building Material and IIT-Roorkee [P-144]
Technical Session – III B
Raw Meal Beneficiation Silica Removal from Cement Raw Meal Resulting in LSF Increase, Farah Diab. Fives FCB, France [P-198]
Technical Session – III C
Comparison of Modulus of Elasticity for Structural Light Weight Concrete using Compressometer, Linear Variable Displacement Transducer and Extensometer, Brijesh Singh, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, S K Barai, P N Ojha, Rohit Kumar and Puneet Kaura. National Council for Cement and Building Materials and Birla Institute of Technology Pilani [IP-2]
Technical Session – IV A
Reactive Potential Assessment for Efficient Utilization of Fly Ash in Alkali-Activated and Cementitious Binders, G V P Bhagath Singh and Kolluru V L Subramaniam. SRM University-AP and IIT-Hyderabad [P-176]
Technical Session – IV B
Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning in Sustainable Cement Manufacturing, Amit Kumar Kanojia. Ambuja Cement India [P-110]
Technical Session – IV C
Roller Press Technology a boon for Existing Plants to Transform into Efficient and Greener Venkatesh Vanam, Prakash Patil and Ashok Kumar Dembla. Humboldt Wedag India, India [P-314]
Technical Session – V A
Energy Conservation and Condition Monitoring Through Innovative Ultrasound Technology, Pawan Mathur, Sunil Shah and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement [P-188]
Technical Session – V B
Engineered Special Pre-Cast Refractory
Solutions from Wahl-Fosbel for Critical Cement Plant Applications, Gilles Mercier and Dipankar Banerjee. Fosbel India / Wahl Refractory
Solutions [P-153]
Technical Session – V C
Influence of Mix Proportions on the Engineering Properties of One-Part Alkali-Activated Composite, S K Singh, Yasmeen Qureshi and Biswajit Pal. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute [P-148]
Technical Session – VI A
Why is Calcium Carbonate Required for LC3?, Anuj Parashar and Vineet Shah. Wiss, Janney Elstner Associates, Inc., USA & Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand [P-289]
Technical Session – VI B
7-Stage Preheater Working in Cement Industry: New Innovation, Sarada Yasarapu, Amar Kant Pandey, Dinesh Kumar and Manish Kumar Singh. Prism Johnson [P-221]
Technical Session – VI C
Delivering SCMs with Large-Scale Potential in the Context of the Indian Market, Lars Kuur. FLSmidth Cement, Denmark [P-182]
Technical Session – VII A
Successful Conversion of Electrostatic Precipitator into Bag Filters, Mansi Garg. Intensiv-Filter Himenviro Technology GmbH, Velbert, Germany [P-270]
Technical Session – VII B
Property Assessment During the Early Age Hydration of Alkali Activated Binders Using Embedded PZT Sensors, Murali Duddi1, Amarteja Kocherla and Kolluru V L Subramaniam. New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE and IIT Hyderabad [P-313]
Technical Session – VII C
Evaluation of Biochar as a Potential Additive in Concrete to Lower its Carbon Footprint, K S T Chopperla, R Akhil, K Bharadwaj, A Kumar, A K Jha and R Susmita. IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, NIT Trichy and NIT Jamshedpur [P-296]

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Economy & Market

Smart Pumping for Rock Blasting

Published

2 weeks ago

March 2, 2026

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SEEPEX introduces BN pumps with Smart Joint Access (SJA) to improve efficiency, reliability, and inspection speed in demanding rock blasting operations.
Designed for abrasive and chemical media, the solution supports precise dosing, reduced downtime, and enhanced operational safety.

SEEPEX has introduced BN pumps with Smart Joint Access (SJA), engineered for the reliable and precise transfer of abrasive, corrosive, and chemical media in mining and construction. Designed for rock blasting, the pump features a large inspection opening for quick joint checks, a compact footprint for mobile or skid-mounted installations, and flexible drive and material options for consistent performance and uptime.

“Operators can inspect joints quickly and rely on precise pumping of shear-sensitive and abrasive emulsions,” said Magalie Levray, Global Business Development Manager Mining at SEEPEX. “This is particularly critical in rock blasting, where every borehole counts for productivity.” Industry Context

Rock blasting is essential for extracting hard rock and shaping safe excavation profiles in mining and construction. Accurate and consistent loading of explosive emulsions ensures controlled fragmentation, protects personnel, and maximizes productivity. Even minor deviations in pumping can cause delays or reduce product quality. BN pumps with SJA support routine maintenance and pre-operation checks by allowing fast verification of joint integrity, enabling more efficient operations.

Always Inspection Ready

Smart Joint Access is designed for inspection-friendly operations. The large inspection opening in the suction housing provides direct access to both joints, enabling rapid pre-operation checks while maintaining high operational reliability. Technicians can assess joint condition quickly, supporting continuous, reliable operation.

Key Features

Compact Footprint: Fits truck-mounted mobile units, skid-mounted systems, and factory installations.
Flexible Drive Options: Compact hydraulic drive or electric drive configurations.
Hydraulic Efficiency: Low-displacement design reduces oil requirements and supports low total cost of ownership.
Equal Wall Stator Design: Ensures high-pressure performance in a compact footprint.
Material Flexibility: Stainless steel or steel housings, chrome-plated rotors, and stators in NBR, EPDM, or FKM.

Operators benefit from shorter inspection cycles, reliable dosing, seamless integration, and fast delivery through framework agreements, helping to maintain uptime in critical rock blasting processes.

Applications – Optimized for Rock Blasting

BN pumps with SJA are designed for mining, tunneling, quarrying, civil works, dam construction, and other sectors requiring precise handling of abrasive or chemical media. They provide robust performance while enabling fast, reliable inspection and maintenance.With SJA, operators can quickly access both joints without disassembly, ensuring emulsions are transferred accurately and consistently. This reduces downtime, preserves product integrity, and supports uniform dosing across multiple bore holes.

With the Smart Joint Access inspection opening, operators can quickly access and assess the condition of both joints without disassembly, enabling immediate verification of pump readiness prior to blast hole loading. This allows operators to confirm that emulsions are transferred accurately and consistently, protecting personnel, minimizing product degradation, and maintaining uniform dosing across multiple bore holes.

The combination of equal wall stator design, compact integration, flexible drives, and progressive cavity pump technology ensures continuous, reliable operation even in space-limited, high-pressure environments.

From Inspection to Operation

A leading explosives provider implemented BN pumps with SJA in open pit and underground operations. By replacing legacy pumps, inspection cycles were significantly shortened, allowing crews to complete pre-operation checks and return mobile units to productive work faster. Direct joint access through SJA enabled immediate verification, consistent emulsion dosing, and reduced downtime caused by joint-related deviations.

“The inspection opening gives immediate confidence that each joint is secure before proceeding to bore holes,” said a site technician. “It allows us to act quickly, keeping blasting schedules on track.”

Framework agreements ensured rapid pump supply and minimal downtime, supporting multi-site operations across continents

Concrete

Digital process control is transforming grinding

Published

3 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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Satish Maheshwari, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Shree Cement, delves into how digital intelligence is transforming cement grinding into a predictive, stable, and energy-efficient operation.

Grinding sits at the heart of cement manufacturing, accounting for the largest share of electrical energy consumption. In this interview, Satish Maheshwari, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Shree Cement, explains how advanced grinding technologies, data-driven optimisation and process intelligence are transforming mill performance, reducing power consumption and supporting the industry’s decarbonisation goals.

How has the grinding process evolved in Indian cement plants to meet rising efficiency and sustainability expectations?
Over the past decade, Indian cement plants have seen a clear evolution in grinding technology, moving from conventional open-circuit ball mills to high-efficiency closed-circuit systems, Roller Press–Ball Mill combinations and Vertical Roller Mills (VRMs). This shift has been supported by advances in separator design, improved wear-resistant materials, and the growing use of digital process automation. As a result, grinding units today operate as highly controlled manufacturing systems where real-time data, process intelligence and efficient separation work together to deliver stable and predictable performance.
From a sustainability perspective, these developments directly reduce specific power consumption, improve equipment reliability and lower the carbon footprint per tonne of cement produced.

How critical is grinding optimisation in reducing specific power consumption across ball mills and VRMs?
Grinding is the largest consumer of electrical energy in a cement plant, which makes optimisation one of the most effective levers for improving energy efficiency. In ball mill systems, optimisation through correct media selection, charge design, diaphragm configuration, ventilation management and separator tuning can typically deliver power savings of 5 per cent to 8 per cent. In VRMs, fine-tuning airflow balance, grinding pressure, nozzle ring settings, and circulating load can unlock energy reductions in the range of 8 per cent to 12 per cent. Across both systems, sustained operation under stable conditions is critical. Consistency in mill loading and operating parameters improves quality control, reduces wear, and enables long-term energy efficiency, making stability a key operational KPI.

What challenges arise in maintaining consistent cement quality when using alternative raw materials and blended compositions?
The increased use of alternative raw materials and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) introduces variability in chemistry, moisture, hardness, and loss on ignition. This variability makes it more challenging to maintain consistent fineness, particle size distribution, throughput and downstream performance parameters such as setting time, strength development and workability.
As clinker substitution levels rise, grinding precision becomes increasingly important. Even small improvements in consistency enable higher SCM utilisation without compromising cement performance.
Addressing these challenges requires stronger feed homogenisation, real-time quality monitoring and dynamic adjustment of grinding parameters so that output quality remains stable despite changing input characteristics.

How is digital process control changing the way grinding performance is optimised?
Digital process control is transforming grinding from an operator-dependent activity into a predictive, model-driven operation. Technologies such as online particle size and residue analysers, AI-based optimisation platforms, digital twins for VRMs and Roller Press systems, and advanced process control solutions are redefining how performance is managed.
At the same time, workforce roles are evolving. Operators are increasingly focused on interpreting data trends through digital dashboards and responding proactively rather than relying on manual interventions. Together, these tools improve mill stability, enable faster response to disturbances, maintain consistent fineness, and reduce specific energy consumption while minimising manual effort.

How do you see grinding technologies supporting the industry’s low-clinker and decarbonisation goals?
Modern grinding technologies are central to the industry’s decarbonisation efforts. They enable higher incorporation of SCMs such as fly ash, slag, and limestone, improve particle fineness and reactivity, and reduce overall power consumption. Efficient grinding makes it possible to maintain consistent cement quality at lower clinker factors. Every improvement in energy intensity and particle engineering directly contributes to lower CO2 emissions.
As India moves toward low-carbon construction, precision grinding will remain a foundational capability for delivering sustainable, high-performance cement aligned with national and global climate objectives.

How much potential does grinding optimisation hold for immediate energy
and cost savings?
The potential for near-term savings is substantial. Without major capital investment, most plants can achieve 5 per cent to 15 per cent power reduction through measures such as improving separator efficiency, optimising ventilation, refining media grading, and fine-tuning operating parameters.
With continued capacity expansion across India, advanced optimisation tools will help ensure that productivity gains are not matched by proportional increases in energy demand. Given current power costs, this translates into direct and measurable financial benefits, making grinding optimisation one of the fastest-payback operational initiatives available to cement manufacturers today.

Concrete

Refractory demands in our kiln have changed

Published

3 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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Radha Singh, Senior Manager (P&Q), Shree Digvijay Cement, points out why performance, predictability and life-cycle value now matter more than routine replacement in cement kilns.

As Indian cement plants push for higher throughput, increased alternative fuel usage and tighter shutdown cycles, refractory performance in kilns and pyro-processing systems is under growing pressure. In this interview, Radha Singh, Senior Manager (P&Q), Shree Digvijay Cement, shares how refractory demands have evolved on the ground and how smarter digital monitoring is improving kiln stability, uptime and clinker quality.

How have refractory demands changed in your kiln and pyro-processing line over the last five years?
Over the last five years, refractory demands in our kiln and pyro line have changed. Earlier, the focus was mostly on standard grades and routine shutdown-based replacement. But now, because of higher production loads, more alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) usage and greater temperature variation, the expectation from refractory has increased.
In our own case, the current kiln refractory has already completed around 1.5 years, which itself shows how much more we now rely on materials that can handle thermal shock, alkali attack and coating fluctuations. We have moved towards more stable, high-performance linings so that we don’t have to enter the kiln frequently for repairs.
Overall, the shift has been from just ‘installation and run’ to selecting refractories that give longer life, better coating behaviour and more predictable performance under tougher operating conditions.

What are the biggest refractory challenges in the preheater, calciner and cooler zones?
• Preheater: Coating instability, chloride/sulphur cycles and brick erosion.
• Calciner: AFR firing, thermal shock and alkali infiltration.
• Cooler: Severe abrasion, red-river formation and mechanical stress on linings.
Overall, the biggest challenge is maintaining lining stability under highly variable operating conditions.

How do you evaluate and select refractory partners for long-term performance?
In real plant conditions, we don’t select a refractory partner just by looking at price. First, we see their past performance in similar kilns and whether their material has actually survived our operating conditions. We also check how strong their technical support is during shutdowns, because installation quality matters as much as the material itself.
Another key point is how quickly they respond during breakdowns or hot spots. A good partner should be available on short notice. We also look at their failure analysis capability, whether they can explain why a lining failed and suggest improvements.
On top of this, we review the life they delivered in the last few campaigns, their supply reliability and their willingness to offer plant-specific custom solutions instead of generic grades. Only a partner who supports us throughout the life cycle, which includes selection, installation, monitoring and post-failure analysis, fits our long-term requirement.

Can you share a recent example where better refractory selection improved uptime or clinker quality?
Recently, we upgraded to a high-abrasion basic brick at the kiln outlet. Earlier we had frequent chipping and coating loss. With the new lining, thermal stability improved and the coating became much more stable. As a result, our shutdown interval increased and clinker quality remained more consistent. It had a direct impact on our uptime.

How is increased AFR use affecting refractory behaviour?
Increased AFR use is definitely putting more stress on the refractory. The biggest issue we see daily is the rise in chlorine, alkalis and volatiles, which directly attack the lining, especially in the calciner and kiln inlet. AFR firing is also not as stable as conventional fuel, so we face frequent temperature fluctuations, which cause more thermal shock and small cracks in the lining.
Another real problem is coating instability. Some days the coating builds too fast, other days it suddenly drops, and both conditions impact refractory life. We also notice more dust circulation and buildup inside the calciner whenever the AFR mix changes, which again increases erosion.
Because of these practical issues, we have started relying more on alkali-resistant, low-porosity and better thermal shock–resistant materials to handle the additional stress coming from AFR.

What role does digital monitoring or thermal profiling play in your refractory strategy?
Digital tools like kiln shell scanners, IR imaging and thermal profiling help us detect weakening areas much earlier. This reduces unplanned shutdowns, helps identify hotspots accurately and allows us to replace only the critical sections. Overall, our maintenance has shifted from reactive to predictive, improving lining life significantly.

How do you balance cost, durability and installation speed during refractory shutdowns?
We focus on three points:
• Material quality that suits our thermal profile and chemistry.
• Installation speed, in fast turnarounds, we prefer monolithic.
• Life-cycle cost—the cheapest material is not the most economical. We look at durability, future downtime and total cost of ownership.
This balance ensures reliable performance without unnecessary expenditure.

What refractory or pyro-processing innovations could transform Indian cement operations?
Some promising developments include:
• High-performance, low-porosity and nano-bonded refractories
• Precast modular linings to drastically reduce shutdown time
• AI-driven kiln thermal analytics
• Advanced coating management solutions
• More AFR-compatible refractory mixes

These innovations can significantly improve kiln stability, efficiency and maintenance planning across the industry.