The Gypsum Production Line
There are several steps involved in the manufacturing of gypsum board, and they are the following:
Gypsum is an aqueous calcium sulphate
Gypsum is a mineral that contains a high concentration of sulfate and calcium ions. It can be found in numerous forms and states of hydration, and is used widely in construction, agriculture, and medicine. It appears as a colorless, odorless powder. In some forms, it also has a blue or brick red tinge. It is used to make plaster of Paris.
When a solution of gypsum is heated to about 50degC, the chemically combined water is lost. At this point, the transition to hemihydrate occurs, while a temperature of 500-600degC leads to the formation of anhydrous calcium sulfate. When the temperature exceeds 1000degC, the salt decomposes and forms calcium oxide. Because there is no known deliquescence point for gypsum, crystalline forms may dissolve when the relative humidity of a room is greater than 90 percent RH.
The formation process of gypsum has several characteristics. It can be recrystallized. The reconstituted gypsum crystals are characterized by an acicular habit. Moreover, recrystallized gypsum has various morphological characteristics, including rounded fragments, plate-like rhombohedra, and twinning.
Known for its high density, gypsum has a relatively low solubility in aqueous solutions. Its solubility is dependent on other ions. Other minerals, such as halite, increase its solubility. A recent study found that bassanite, a crystalline form of calcium sulfate, can be transformed into gypsum by a process known as oriented assembly.
The FFNN-BR model is a powerful tool for predicting the solubility of gypsum in multicomponent systems. The FFNN-BR model outperforms both the Pitzer model and the CSA-LSSVM model. These three models were evaluated for accuracy and robustness. They show good results when predicting gypsum solubility.
It is a building material
Gypsum is a natural mineral whose main component is CaSO4*2H2O. The crystal water in gypsum is evaporated to form the building material. The thicker forms of gypsum are good thermal insulators. They also resist fire. However, gypsum is not suitable for load-bearing structures because they tend to undergo plastic deformation and creep.
The XRD analysis of gypsum revealed two types of crystals. The first, referred to as Tabular, is made of acicular crystals, whereas the second, called “Rough,” is composed of rounded and tabular crystals. Mixtures A, B and D have a larger difference between their crystal sizes. The third, called “Acme,” presents a smaller difference between the crystals’ length and width.
Common paper gypsum boards, also known as GGBS, are used for ceiling boards, interior partitions, and composite outer walls. Waterproof boards, or FPC, are used for high-humidity environments, such as bathrooms and washrooms. Fireproof gypsum board is used mainly for buildings with fireproof requirements. The composition of gypsum boards is varied, depending on their use.
MgO and gypsum mixtures had similar compressive and flexural strength values. These two compounds can be used in repointing and integration operations, but could cause detachment. However, the MgO and gypsum mixture showed slightly greater shrinkage compared to gypsum alone. These results were similar to those of pure gypsum. So, the MgO and gypsum mixture may have limitations in those areas.
The use of gypsum is widespread in building materials, though there is a need to replace it with alternatives that can save energy and protect the environment. Using Phosphorus gypsum as a replacement for gypsum will promote the development of the phosphorus chemical and construction industry. Although it can be used as a substitute for gypsum, it is also widely used in decorative materials and wall materials.
It is made from gypsum
Despite its common use, gypsum has many other uses besides construction. In fact, most of what we use gypsum for is construction. In fact, it is so common that it is often referred to by other names like rock lath, Gibraltar Board, and Gyproc. It is known for its inexpensive price and fire-retardant qualities, and has many uses in the agricultural industry. Gypsum is a great source of calcium, and is also used for fertilizing farmland.
Gypsum is a naturally occurring mineral, forming when pyrite is oxidized by sulfur and calcium carbonate. The resulting product has an interesting chemical composition, and the oxidizing process can lead to deposits of elemental sulfur in oil-bearing formations. Some forms of gypsum are used in mining. Some electric power plants also produce large quantities of gypsum as a by-product of scrubbers.
The largest deposits of gypsum are found in Brazil. Other countries that have abundant gypsum deposits include Spain, the United States, Thailand, and Russia. The world’s largest gypsum crystal is found in the Braden mine in Chile, where it is more than three meters long. The Paris Basin is also known for its abundance of gypsum deposits, especially in Montmartre.
The majority of gypsum is mined naturally, with only 5% coming from industrial waste. About 20% of the gypsum used in drywall is recycled, from construction and manufacturing waste. In addition, gypsum is mined from waste materials, including newspapers and plastics. This provides a resource that is both environmentally sound and economical. It can even be mined naturally, which reduces the impact on the environment.
It is processed by a dry process
A Dry Process: The process of converting gypsum into a dry form requires several steps. First, the gypsum ore is harvested from underground mines or quarries. This ore is then crushed and screened to a size of 50 millimeters or two inches. The resulting powder is then conveyed through a roller mill, where it is ground to a uniform thickness. The next step is to pass it through the drying process, which is controlled by an operator.
The gypsum production line can be used for wet or dry grinding. This process requires less energy and less time, and it can be integrated into existing production lines. AVS-100 and AVS-150 models are both suitable for this purpose. They do not require pedestals and are compact and lightweight. They can be used in any existing production line. They are also characterized by low power consumption and short operating times.
The Dry Process: The Dry Process is the most common type of process used in gypsum production. It uses a fluidized bed (FBD) kiln that functions according to the fluidized bed principle. It was originally designed to produce aluminum hydroxide but was converted for gypsum calcination in 1989. The dry process involves transporting fine-grain material through a hot gas stream. The material is then simultaneously dehydrated to anhydrite. The Dry Process uses unique plant technology to regulate particle exposure times and process temperatures, ensuring industrial quality on a minimum scale.
The Dry Process: The Dry Process removes free moisture from the gypsum and enables it to be used as a mineral binder. It is produced using ASTM standards and is compatible with different materials and applications. As a result, a Dry Process is used to produce high-quality gypsum. However, the Dry Process requires a high level of precision.
It is processed by an autoclave
An autoclave is a device used to process aqueous solutions into alpha-calcium sulfate hemihydrate. The alpha-calcium sulfate hemihydrate is then converted to the final product, gypsum. The autoclave produces the hemihydrate by converting calcium dihydrate into alpha-calcium sulfate using an elevated temperature and steam pressure. The conversion process is generally carried out with additives and is known as an alpha-modification. This process produces well-formed individual crystals and binders with water-gypsum factors of 0.3 to 0.5. When used, this process creates gypsum with a greater strength than the raw material.
The autoclave can produce high-strength gypsum after removing the crystalline water in the liquid state. It then performs two processes: grinding and drying. Grinding and drying are two separate processes, but both are carried out using the same equipment. Hemihydrate drying is a method that replaces evaporation at atmospheric pressure. The technological circuit comprises a hopper, conveyor, and disk feeder.
An autoclave is also used to process calcium sulfate hemihydrate. This modification is achieved by baking it at 150-180 degrees Celsius in open chambers. The moisture evaporates, causing dihydrate gypsum to convert to hemihydrate. The new hemihydrate material is much stronger and can be processed more quickly. The autoclave also produces a high-quality gypsum powder that is less prone to cracking or crumbling.
After the gypsum hemihydrate and water are combined, the calciner heats the materials in the bed and releases steam. The steam mixes with blasted air at the bottom of the ebullience calciner and spreads upward through the bubbling bed. The steam fluidizes the entire bubbling bed. A series of violent tumbling motions mixes the powder materials inside the autoclave, resulting in the same temperature across all position.
