Ash Grove Cement

	Bill Siemering, Vice-President, at Ash Grove Cement, USA: "Insitec contributed to our record production year. Thanks to tighter control of particle size, AshGrove Cement was able to ensure quality at slightly lower fineness. This and the higher throughput most definitely contributed to our reduced production cost." "AshGrove Cement has since fitted an Insitec to every one of its finish mills." more about Ash Grove Cement

Modeling compressive strength in terms of composition and fineness

Ash Grove Cement uses an Insitec on-line particle size analyzer to continuously monitor the size of material exiting the finish milling circuit. Studies illustrate the quantitative correlation between off-line Blaine measurements and ‘Insitec Blaine’ and both measures have been used, in combination with routinely measured composition data, to develop a valuable model of early compressive strength.

Using this model Ash Grove Cement defines more realistic set points for the milling circuit, defining lower Blaine targets that deliver the required strength characteristics. The Insitec facilitates good process control allowing these targets to be confidently met. The result is in-specification product with less grinding, which translates directly into lower energy consumption and/or higher throughput. Ash Grove Cement calculates that reducing target Blaine by around 100 cm2/g equates to a reduction in milling of approximately 2%. Operating to a Blaine set point of 3770 cm2/g compared with a figure of 3870 cm2/g the previous year, has delivered record throughput, simultaneously maintaining excellent product quality.

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