What is Cement?
Cement is a fastening material that is used in construction to stick other materials together. Cement is rarely used by itself; it is mixed with fine aggregate and considered to be a necessary building material. It can be mixed with sand, gravel and water to produce durable cement.
What Makes Cement a Widely Used Material?
- Ease of producing large quantities of cement, and ease of packing.
- Cement is many times stronger than clay and lime.
- Cement stays for a long time without damage if stored properly.
- It helps to speed up the construction process because its production does not require much time compared to some other materials.
- It can be produced from widely available materials.
- It is a little cheaper than some other materials.
Also read: How is Iron Produced?
Stages of Cement Manufacturing
Extraction of Raw Materials
Raw materials are extracted from the quarry and transported to the cement factory.
Blending & Grinding
Materials are ground by a massive rotating grinding wheel. This wheel converts these materials into fine powder.
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Preheating
Materials pass through the preheating room before reaching the oven. This process saves energy and makes the production process environment easier.
Heating in an Oven
Materials are heated up to 1450 ° C. This results in a chemical reaction called “Decarbonization”. When materials reach the bottom of the furnace, they form a clinker.
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Cooling & Grinding
The clinker is cooled, and it releases heat that is reused by directing it to the oven. Then the clinker is ground and crushed with steel balls and turned into a fine powder. This fine powder is cement. During the milling process, gypsum is added to the mixture.
Packing & Shipping
Cement is packed in bags and sent by trucks or ships to various places.