Synthesis of the generalized algorithm for coordinated control of the burning process in manufacturing of expanded clay with specified quality indicators

Abstract

Expanded clay is widely used in the construction industry for the construction of roads, bridges, airfield pavements, as well as stress-reinforced and enclosing structures. As a high-strength aggregate, it replaces crushed granite in the construction of high-rise buildings, while light expanded clay is widely used for thermal insulation of buildings and structures. For effective guidance of the manufacturing of expanded clay with specified quality parameters, it is proposed to use a multidimensional automatic system, which controls the technological process of burning with temperature control in the characteristic sections of a rotary kiln. The authors show that to obtain heat-insulating expanded clay, it is sufficient to control the temperature field at two points – in the heating and burning zone, while for the structural expanded clay, it is also necessary to take into account the temperature changes in the drying zone. Possible ways of operating a rotary kiln in conditions of reducing energy consumption for expanded clay manufacture by means of interrelated control of the kiln rotation speed, raw material loading into the kiln and the volumetric thermal power of the burner are considered. Taking into account the accepted assumptions and limitations, a generalized algorithm for coordinated control of the process of burning expanded clay with specified quality indicators (in terms of strength R and bulk density ρ) has been developed.