Concrete

Increasing Use of Supplementary Cementitious Materials

Published

3 years ago

October 19, 2023

admin

Jens Mose and John Terembula, Product Line Management, FLSmidth A/S, explore how cement manufacturers can utilise VRMs to reduce the clinker factor and meet their environmental targets, in the final part of this three-part series. You can find parts one and two in the August and September issues of Indian Cement Review.

OPTIMISING PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION
Experience has shown that practically every type of cement around the world can be – and is already being – produced in an OK MillTM.
While the particle size distribution (PSD) of the product is normally steeper in a VRM cement mill compared to a traditional ball mill, this can, to some extent, be modified by working with various parameters such as grinding pressure and dam ring height. The air flow and the separator speed are also used to customise the PSD curve to customer specific requirements.
However, as interest in greater utilisation of SCMs increases, cement manufacturers are keen to grind to an even steeper PSD curve to allow for the possibility of mixing more SCMs into the finished product.

THE ADVANTAGES OF VRMS FOR SCMS
When the VRM is designed specifically for grinding cement and cementitious materials, cement manufacturers experience better:

Efficiency: Lowest power consumption compared to other vertical roller mills on the market.
Reliability: The run factor is very high, > 95 per cent
Versatility: Rapid change between different feed compositions and the ability to grind a wide range of materials to very high Blaine or the lowest residues

The OK MillTM was designed with these priorities in mind, and has retained its original shape with a dual lobed roller surface and central grooved and bowl-shaped table design. As the only VRM in the market specifically designed for cement grinding, all rollers are active with each performing material bed compaction and de-aeration, and high-pressure grinding.
Sustainability is also a priority, which is why the mill is designed to require minimal water injection on the mill table, using an average 50 per cent less water than competing mill designs.

Maintenance is also a sustainability issue. Better to repair a part than replace it; better to be proactive than reactive. Predictive maintenance services aim to enable a higher level of proactivity, preventing unexpected downtime and reducing the cost of maintenance.
Over the last 20 years, in-situ rewelding or hard facing has become the standard maintenance practice for VRM, particularly for OK MillsTM with segmented wear liners that can tolerate repeated welding. Roller liner segments can be rewelded as many as 10 times or more and table segments 15 times or more. In order to improve its service capability for VRMs, FLSmidth works with welding services providers across the globe. We have also developed ceramic wear segments in an OK MillTM, which not only perform better but can also be recycled.

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY
Digitalisation makes it easier to use SCMs and will enable further reductions in the clinker factor. The following are just a snapshot of the tools currently available; more are in development all the time:

Process control solutions give operators greater control over their mill operating parameters to optimise performance and ensure maximum efficiency.
Sensors continually monitor mill operation, enabling you to see any drop in stability as it happens and react swiftly.
Automated laboratories enable optimum quality control throughout the process.
Condition monitoring services and remote service support give you 24/7 access to expert assistance.

CONCLUSION
As the cement industry works to reduce its carbon footprint, investments have to be made in future-proof technologies capable of adapting to changing cement mixes and regulatory requirements. In the grinding process, cement manufacturers need a flexible, efficient system that is operated and maintained in an optimal manner. With the latest VRM technologies, advanced digital offerings and condition monitoring services, FLSmidth believes the industry is ready to achieve more widespread use of SCMs and achieve its carbon reduction goals.

Up Next

Strength of a refractory material changes with temperature

Don't Miss

Themes of Sustainable Development

Concrete

UltraTech Cement FY26 PAT Crosses Rs 80 bn

Company reports record sales, profit and 200 MTPA capacity milestone

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2026

admin

UltraTech Cement reported record financial performance for Q4 and FY26, supported by strong volumes, higher profitability and improved cost efficiency. Consolidated net sales for Q4 FY26 rose 12 per cent year-on-year to Rs 254.67 billion, while PBIDT increased 20 per cent to Rs 56.88 billion. PAT, excluding exceptional items, grew 21 per cent to Rs 30.11 billion.

For FY26, consolidated net sales stood at Rs 873.84 billion, up 17 per cent from Rs 749.36 billion in FY25. PBIDT rose 32 per cent to Rs 175.98 billion, while PAT increased 36 per cent to Rs 83.05 billion, crossing the Rs 80 billion mark for the first time.

India grey cement volumes reached 42.41 million tonnes in Q4 FY26, up 9.3 per cent year-on-year, with capacity utilisation at 89 per cent. Full-year India grey cement volumes stood at 145 million tonnes. Energy costs declined 3 per cent, aided by a higher green power mix of 43 per cent in Q4.

The company’s domestic grey cement capacity has crossed 200 MTPA, reaching 200.1 MTPA, while global capacity stands at 205.5 MTPA. UltraTech also recommended a special dividend of Rs 2.40 billion per share value basis equivalent to Rs 240.

Concrete

Towards Mega Batching

Optimised batching can drive overall efficiencies in large projects.

Published

3 days ago

April 28, 2026

admin

India’s pace of infrastructure development is pushing the construction sector to work at a significantly higher scale than previously. Tight deadlines necessitate eliminating concreting delays, especially in large and mega projects, which, in turn, imply installing the right batching plant and ensuring batching is efficient. CW explores these steps as well as the gaps in India’s batching plant market.

Choose well

Large-scale infrastructure and building projects typically involve concrete consumption exceeding 30,000-50,000 cum per annum or demand continuous, high-volume pours within compressed timelines, according to Rahul R Wadhai, DGM – Quality, Tata Projects.

Considering the daily need for concrete, “large-scale concreting involves pouring more than 1,000–2,000 cum per day while mega projects involve more than 3,000 cum per day,” says Satish R Vachhani, Advanced Concrete & Construction Consultant…

To read the full article Click Here

Concrete

Andhra Offers Discom Licences To Private Firms Outside Power Sector

Policy allows firms over 300 MW to seek distribution licences

Published

4 days ago

April 27, 2026

admin

The Andhra Pradesh government will allow private firms that require more than 300 megawatt (MW) of power to apply for distribution licences, making the state the first to extend such licences beyond the power sector. The policy targets information technology, pharmaceuticals, steel and data centres and aims to reduce reliance on state utilities as demand rises for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Approved applicants will be able to procure electricity directly from generators through power purchase agreements, a change officials said will create more competitive tariffs and reduce supply risk. Licence holders will use the Andhra Pradesh Transmission Company (APTRANSCO) network on payment of charges and will not need a separate distribution network initially.

Licences will be granted under the Electricity Act, 2003 framework, with the Central and State electricity regulators retaining authority over terms and approvals. The recent Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 sought to lower entry barriers, enable network sharing and encourage competition, while the state commission will set floor and ceiling tariffs where multiple discoms operate.

Industry players and original equipment manufacturers welcomed the policy, saying competitive supply is vital for large data centre investments. Major projects and partnerships such as those involving Adani and Google, Brookfield and Reliance, and Meta and Sify Technologies are expected to benefit as capacity expands in the state.

Analysts noted India’s data centre capacity is forecast to reach 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and cited International Energy Agency estimates that global data centre electricity consumption could approach 945 terawatt hours by the same year. A one GW data centre needs an equivalent power allocation and one point five times the water, which authorities equated to 150 billion litres (150 bn litres).

Advisers warned that distribution licences will require close regulation and monitoring to prevent misuse and to ensure tariffs and supply obligations are met. Officials said the policy aims to balance investor requirements with regulatory oversight and could serve as a model for other states.