An Experimental Study on different types of alternative fuels for Production of Bricks on Vertical Shaft Kilns

Abstract

This study is mainly concentrated on how to produce burnt clay bricks with a minimum firing cost and friendly Environmental Impact, through a new implemented energy – efficient technology, ie the Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) in the Sudan. The study aims to manufacture modeled building green bricks with different cheap solid additives having a high heating values [industrial and agricultural], petro-coke, animal dung, and saw-dust as an internal fuel. Model samples were manufactured, dried according to a predetermined dry process, and then fired through a suitable predetermined firing technique at range of temperature, 750, 800, 850, 900 and 1000Co. The experimental measurements were performed on these samples at Brick and Road Research Institute (BRRI) University of Khartoum, Sudan in order to evaluate internal and external fuel consumption in red brick production and mitigation measures of environmental contamination. The main bricks properties used for assessment are loss-on-ignition, density and crushing strength that related to the lowest specific fuel consumption and cost. Numerous measurements on samples have been conducted relative to internal and external energy and fuel consumption. The petro-coke sample was found to be the best, with the lowest fuel consumption, higher crushing strength and very good density of clay bricks as well as with the minimum firing cost. Usage of Petrocoke for firing bricks is more economical than Usage of furnace oil, for the same amount of green bricks. The cost reduction is extended to 40%.