Investigation of Different Grinding Aids Effects on the Cement Quality and Grinding Efficiency; Case Study: Urmia Cement Plant

In this study, the effects of four grinding aids with three different levels on the three important characteristics of the cement, namely the specific surface area, the compressive strength of the concrete and the grinding efficiency (energy saving), have been evaluated in the clinker grinding process. In the first step, by kinetic grinding tests, the required grinding time to reach to the Blaine value of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) of the Urmia Cement Plant (3636 cm2/g) was obtained, which was 78.24 minute by 2.19% deviation. Then, 13 laboratory grinding tests were performed by using of Urmia cement and four grinding aids (in 3 different doses of 0.02, 0.05 and 0.08%) and the results were compared. The results showed that the combination of Triisopropylamine 0.08% (TIPA-0.08) with a Blaine number of 4032 cm2/g and a grinding efficiency of 31.57% had the greatest effect on the fineness and grinding efficiency. On the other hand, the prepared samples of the all combinations were used to test the compressive strength of 2, 7 and 28 days. The results showed that the highest increase of compressive strength for all ages was obtained by TIPA-0.08 which was 36.92%, 31.23% and 21.85% for 2, 7 and 28 days, respectively.