ELTRA combustion analyzers have played an important part in the quality control of the cement industry for over three decades.
The manufacture of cement includes mining and crushing of the raw material (limestone, clay, and sand), drying and grinding in a mill, burning in a rotary tube furnace and finally pulverization of the cement. ELTRA elemental analyzers are used in all of these process steps.
Sulfur content strongly influences the aging of clinker brick, because the production of acid (in combination with water) might result in a degeneration of the material.
The powerful induction furnace of the carbon sulfur analyzer CS-i melts all kinds of construction material in a pure oxygen atmosphere at temperatures above 2,000 °C while up to four independent infrared cells with flexible measuring ranges precisely determine the sulfur (and optionally also carbon) content.
The efficient combination of induction and resistance furnace in one analyzer (ELTRA Dual Furnace Technology) results in an economical solution for the elemental analysis of carbon and sulfur in construction materials.
In addition to the induction furnace for the elemental analysis of construction materials, the CS-d is also equipped with a resistance furnace, which allows temperatures up to 1,550°C. The resistance furnace is ideal for analyses of combustible materials like coal, coke or secondary fuels.
The effective calorific value of fuels depends on their respective carbon and especially hydrogen content. When secondary fuels are combusted, for example, a significant amount of water is formed from the hydrogen content, which must then be vaporized through a rotary tube furnace. This procedure significantly reduces the calorific value.
Elemental analysis and the reliable determination of carbon, hydrogen and sulfur content is therefore essential - the CHS-r with its resistance furnace is the ideal analyzer for this task. For a high throughput of samples the CHS-580A is available with an autoloader for 36 or 130 crucibles.
Another important parameter in the quality control of construction materials is the total inorganic carbon (TIC). This value is determined with the CW-800 under nitrogen atmosphere at 1,000°C. The elemental analyzer provides reliable results in only one minute.
The conventional determination of thermogravimetric parameters such as moisture, ash or LOI (Loss On Ignition) with muffle furnaces and an external balance is in many cases time-consuming and involves high operational costs in terms of personnel.
The TGA Thermostep is a programmable thermogravimetric analyzer with an integrated balance, which determines various parameters such as moisture, volatiles and ash in fuels or the LOI in cement at user-defined temperatures and atmospheres in a single analysis.
