Application of solid media for enhancing the temperature distribution within a downdraft kiln during clay brick firing
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Industrial production of fired clay bricks typically experiences problems related to the brick quality such as insufficient-firing, over-burning, and distortion due to twisting, bulging, warping or cracking, which affect their color and strength. These issues are derived mainly from the poor temperature control and heat distribution. To mitigate this problem, a simple technique is proposed in this work by inserting solid media between bricks during the firing process. Three types of solid media including alumina balls, clay balls and sandstone sheets were tested. The use of the solid media was found to significantly (93%) improve the temperature distribution in the kiln. The temperature difference between the bottom and top bricks reduced from 344°C (without the solid media) to a minimum of 23°C when alumina balls were applied with the sandstone sheets. The properties of the bricks in terms of water absorption and shrinkage were found to be 11.3-11.9% and 1.3-1.6%, respectively, which are comparable with those of the commercial bricks. Interestingly, the compressive strength of the bricks produced with the aid of the solid media was enhanced significantly, especially when the sandstone sheets were used together with the alumina balls as the compressive strength was double that of the industrial bricks.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Araújo MV, Sousa AC, Luiz MR, Cabral AS, Pessoa TRB, Martins PC, et al. Computational fluid dynamics studies in the drying of industrial clay brick: The effect of the airflow direction. Diffusion Foundations and Materials Applications. 2022;30:69-84.
Alrahmani MA, Almesri IF, Abou-Ziyan HZ, Almutairi JH. Effect of lattice setting density on fluid flow and convective heat transfer characteristics of bricks in tunnel kilns. J Thermal Sci Eng Appl. 2020;12(5):051016.
Abou-Ziyan HZ, Almesri IF, Alrahmani MA, Almutairi JH. Convective heat transfer coefficients of multifaceted longitudinal and transversal bricks of lattice setting in tunnel kilns. J Thermal Sci Eng Appl. 2018;10(5):051014.
Suksuwan W, Yeranee K, Wae-hayee M. Environmental impacts and temperature variations in brick firing process in a beehive kiln. Int J Environ Sci Technol. 2023;20:8925-40.
Soussi N, Kriaa W, Mhiri H, Bournot P. Contours of air and brick temperatures inside a tunnel kiln. 13th International Renewable Energy Congress (IREC); 2022 Dec 13-15; Hammamet, Tunisia. USA: IEEE; 2022. p. 1-6.
Al-Hasnawi AG, Refaey HA, Redemann T, Attalla M, Specht E. Computational fluid dynamics simulation of flow mixing in tunnel kilns by air side injection. J Thermal Sci Eng Appl. 2018;10(3):031007.
Dmytrochenkova E, Tadlya K. Simulation of the distribution of air flows and fuel combustion products in a channel of a tunnel kiln. Technol audit Prod Reserves. 2020;3(1):40-3.
Almeida MI, Dias AC, Demertzi M, Arroja L. Contribution to the development of product category rules for ceramic bricks. J Clean Prod. 2015;92:206-15.
Zhang Z, Wong YC, Arulrajah A, Horpibulsuk S. A review of studies on bricks using alternative materials and approaches. Constr Build Mater. 2018;188:1101-18.
Refaey HA, Alharthi MA, Abdel-Aziz AA, Elattar HF, Almohammadi BA, Abdelrahman HE, et al. Fluid flow characteristics for four lattice settings in brick tunnel kiln: CFD simulations. Buildings. 2023;13(3):733.
FAO. Status and development issues of the brick industry in Asia. Field Document No.35. Bangkok: FAO; 1993.
Maithel S, Heierli U. Brick by brick: the herculean task of cleaning up the Asian brick industry. India: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; 2008.
German Federal Environmental Agency. The best available techniques in the ceramic industry (Merkblatt uber die Besten Verfugbaren Techniken in der Keramikindustrie). Germany: German Federal Environmental Agency; 2007.
Mancuhan E, Kucukada K. Optimization of fuel and air use in a tunnel kiln to produce coal admixed bricks. Appl Therm Eng. 2006;26(14-15):1556-63.
Beyene A, Ramayya V, Shunki G. CFD simulation of biogas fired clay brick kiln. Am J Eng Appl Sci. 2018;11(2):1045-61.
Alrahmani M, Almesri I, Almutairi J, Abou-Ziyan H. Combined effect of brick surface roughness and lattice setting density on brick firing in tunnel kilns. Energies. 2022;15(15):5670.
Kumar S, Maithel S. Introduction to brick kilns & specific energy consumption protocol for brick kilns. New Delhi: Greentech Knowledge Solutions; 2016.
Brick Development Association. Brick Sustainability report 2017. London: Brick Development Association; 2017.
Weyant C, Kumar S, Maithel S, Thompson R, Baum E, Floess E, et al. Brick kiln measurement guidelines: emissions and energy performance. Paris: Climate and clean air coalition; 2016.
Murmu AL, Patel A. Towards sustainable bricks production: an overview. Constr Build Mater. 2018;165:112-25.
Hashemi A, Cruickshank H. Embodied energy of fired bricks: the case of Uganda and Tanzania, 14th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies – SET 2015;2015 Aug 25-27; Nottingham, United Kingdom. p. 1-8.
Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation, Corporación Ambiental Empresarial (CAEM). Factsheet about brick/Tiles kiln technologies in Latin America. Lima: Swisscontact; 2013.
Refaey HA, Almohammadi BA, Abdel-Aziz AA, Abdelrahman HE, Abd El-Ghany HA, Karali MA, et al. Transient thermal behavior in brick tunnel kiln with guide vanes: Experimental study. Case Stud Therm Eng. 2022;33:101959.
Refaey HA, Abdel-Aziz AA, Salem MR, Abdelrahman HE, Al-Dosoky MW. Thermal performance augmentation in the cooling zone of brick tunnel kiln with two types of guide vanes. Int J Therm Sci. 2018;130:264-77.
Ngom M, Thiam A, Balhamri A, Sambou V, Raffak T, Refaey HA. Transient study during clay bricks cooking in the traditional kiln; CFD numerical study. Case Stud Therm Eng. 2021;28:101672.
Abou-Ziyan HZ. Convective heat transfer from different brick arrangements in tunnel kilns. Appl Therm Eng. 2004;24(2-3):171-91.
Refaey HA, Alharthi MA, Salem MR, Abdel-Aziz AA, Abdelrahman HE, Karali MA. Numerical investigations of convective heat transfer for lattice settings in brick tunnel Kiln: CFD simulation with experimental validation. Therm Sci Eng Prog. 2021;24:100934.
Almutairi JH, Alrahmani MA, Almesri IF, Abou-Ziyan HZ. Effect of fluid channels on flow uniformity in complex geometry similar to lattice brick setting in tunnel kilns. Int J Mech Sci. 2017;134:28-40.
Promtow W, Saenkham S, Butwong N, Cansee S. Performance of a rectangular downdraft open-top kiln for a dual burner. Eng Access. 2022;8(2):325-9.
Velasco PM, Ortiz MP, Giró MA, Melia DM, Rehbein JH. Development of sustainable fired clay bricks by adding kindling from vine shoot: study of thermal and mechanical properties. Appl Clay Sci. 2015;107:156-64.
Thai Industrial Standard. TIS 77-2531 and TIS 77-2545. Bangkok: Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI); 2002. (In Thai)
Weng CH, Lin DF, Chiang PC. Utilization of sludge as brick materials. Adv Environ Res. 2003;7(3):679-85.
Shih PH, Wu ZZ, Chiang HL. Characteristics of bricks made from waste steel slag. Waste Manag. 2004;24(10):1043-7.
Cultrone G, Sebastián E, Elert K, de la Torre MJ, Cazalla O, Rodriguez–Navarro C. Influence of mineralogy and firing temperature on the porosity of bricks. J Eur Ceram Soc. 2004 Mar 1;24(3):547-64.
Refaey HA, Abdel-Aziz AA, Ali RK, Abdelrahman HE, Salem MR. Augmentation of convective heat transfer in the cooling zone of brick tunnel kiln using guide vanes: an experimental study. International Journal of Thermal Sciences. 2017;122:172-85.
Refaey H. Mathematical model to analyze the heat transfer in tunnel kilns for burning of ceramics [dissertation]. Magdeburg, Germany: Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg; 2013.