Ceramic Industry

Thermal processes represent a considerable part of the total energy consumption in manufacturing industry, in sectors such as steel, aluminium, cement, ceramic and glass, among others. It can even be the predominant type of energy consumption in some sectors. High thermal energy processes are mostly associated to high thermal losses, (commonly denominated as waste heat), reinforcing the need for waste heat recovery (WHR) strategies. WHR has therefore been identified as a relevant solution to increase energy efficiency in industrial thermal applications, namely in energy intensive consumers. The ceramic sector is a clear example within the manufacturing industry mainly due to the fuel consumption required for the following processes: firing, drying and spray drying. This paper reviews studies on energy efficiency improvement measures including WHR practices applied to the ceramic sector. This focuses on technologies and strategies which have significant potential to promote energy sa...

Following Nelson's primary typology of enterprises based on a characterization of their technical change process (bulk commodities; complex systems producers; and chemical products producers) this chapter presents a case study on the innovation diffusion in the European tile industry based on the analysis of its manufacturing process and supply chain. The producers of ceramic tiles, the machinery producers and the frits and glazes producers fit each of Nelson's categories. Further, the European ceramic tile industry is clustered in two southern European regions: Emilia Romagna (Sassuolo – Italy) and Valencia Region (Castelló de la Plana – Spain) with a different configuration of the type of predominant companies within the cluster but also regarding surrounding clusters. This relative specialization, the interactions between surrounding clusters, and the strong interlink supplier-producer between both ceramic tile clusters make the study of the innovation diffusion in the European ceramic tile industry supply chain an interesting case.

The ceramics manufacturing in northeastern Brazil has been dominated by archaic procedures, in which the consumption of native wood extracted from the natural Caatinga biome is used as fuel in the process of clay burning. The aims of this study were to assess particulate matter (PM) physico-chemical characteristics and atmospheric modeling analyses, as well as the genotoxic potential using Tradescantia micronucleus assay associated to the emissions from the ceramic industry complex. The average PM concentration for all analyzed periods was 65 ± 26.2 μg m −3 for total suspended particles, and 23.4 ± 19.9 μg m −3 for PM 10. Furthermore, the morphological analysis showed particles typical from biomass burning, such as soot carbon, spherical organic carbon and inorganic ash. The major elemental components were identified as Ba, Zn, Al, K, and Ca. Enrichment factor values showed that Ba and Zn were highly enriched in the ceramic production areas. Modeling analysis suggested that these particles can reach regions farther away from the emission sources. The frequency of micronuclei was 2.7-7.2 times higher than in the non-exposed area for all analyzed months. Moreover, a negative correlation between micronucleus and wind speed (r = −0.91; p = 0.04) was verified. This study addressed the effects of PM emitted from the ceramic industry on DNA damage and showed its genotoxic effects in meiotic cells despite the PM 10 concentrations being within the upper WHO limits. The particulate air pollutants emitted from the wood burning by ceramics manufacturing are able to induce DNA damage in T. pallida, suggesting a required higher control of these air pollution emissions.

Abstract The ceramics manufacturing in northeastern Brazil has been dominated by archaic procedures, in which the consumption of native wood extracted from the natural Caatinga biome is used as fuel in the process of clay burning. The aims of this study were to assess particulate matter (PM) physico-chemical characteristics and atmospheric modeling analyses, as well as the genotoxic potential using Tradescantia micronucleus assay associated to the emissions from the ceramic industry complex. The average PM concentration for all analyzed periods was 65 ± 26.2 μg m−3 for total suspended particles, and 23.4 ± 19.9 μg m−3 for PM10. Furthermore, the morphological analysis showed particles typical from biomass burning, such as soot carbon, spherical organic carbon and inorganic ash. The major elemental components were identified as Ba, Zn, Al, K, and Ca. Enrichment factor values showed that Ba and Zn were highly enriched in the ceramic production areas. Modeling analysis suggested that these particles can reach regions farther away from the emission sources. The frequency of micronuclei was 2.7–7.2 times higher than in the non-exposed area for all analyzed months. Moreover, a negative correlation between micronucleus and wind speed (r = −0.91; p = 0.04) was verified. This study addressed the effects of PM emitted from the ceramic industry on DNA damage and showed its genotoxic effects in meiotic cells despite the PM10 concentrations being within the upper WHO limits. The particulate air pollutants emitted from the wood burning by ceramics manufacturing are able to induce DNA damage in T. pallida, suggesting a required higher control of these air pollution emissions.

Purpose-Risk management has emerged as a critical issue in operating a supply chain effectively in the presence of uncertainties that result from unexpected variations. Assessing and managing supply chain risks are receiving significant attention from practitioners and academics. At present, the ceramic industry in Bangladesh is growing. Thus, managers in the industry need to properly assess supply chain risks for mitigation purposes. This study aims to identify and analyze various supply chain risks occurring in a ceramic factory in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach-A model is proposed based on a fuzzy technique for order preference using similarity to an ideal solution (fuzzy-TOPSIS) for evaluating supply chain risks. For this, 20 supply chain risk factors were identified through an extensive literature review and while consulting with experts from the ceramic factories. Fuzzy-TOPSIS contributed to the analysis and assessment of those risks. Findings-The results of this research indicate that among the identified 20 supply chain risks, lack of operational quality, lack of material quality and damage to inventory were the major risks for the ceramic sector in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications-The impact of supply chain risks was not shown in this study and the risks were considered independent. Therefore, research can be continued to address these two factors. Practical implications-The outcome of this research is expected to assist industrial managers and practitioners in the ceramic sector in taking proactive action to minimize supply chain risks. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the relative stability of the risks. Originality/value-This study uses survey data to analyze and evaluate the major supply chain risks related to the ceramic sector. An original methodology is provided for identifying and evaluating the major supply chain risks in the ceramic sector of Bangladesh.

The aim of this study is the production of the metal tile core using waste paper. Paper which can be recycled many times is one of the most consumed materials in Turkey and all around the world. The reason behind the preference of paper usage is that 80 % of waste paper can be recycled. It has been noticed that recycled paper can be used in ceramic industry, as for instance for roof coverings and tiles, as a low cost raw material. A certain amount of waste paper was soaked with water and turned into pulp followed by forging process to form the pulp into fibres. The mixture used as raw material for metal tile core production was composed of clay, quartz and pulp. The raw material was shaped into tiles by slip casting and hand pressing. Tiles were dried, in a drying oven and coated with epoxy resin. Water absorption and bending tests were applied to the final samples.

En los últimos años, la industria azulejera, enmarcada dentro del sector de materiales de construcción, ha sido el grupo que se ha mostrado más dinámico dentro de la industria autóctona valenciana, gracias sobre todo al auge de sus exportaciones, que se han duplicado en su volumen entre 1986 y 1992. Este estudio ofrece un análisis de la evolución reciente, situación actual y perspectivas de futuro de las exportaciones españolas de azulejos, las cuales provienen en un 90% desde la comarca de la Plana de Castelló.

El naixement i el desenvolupament de la comarca industrial taulellera de la Plana de Castelló, que concentra hui el 93% de la fabricació espanyola d’aquest producte i el 15% de la mundial, han estat condicionats històricament per diversos factors, com ara l’abundància de primeres matèries, l’esperit emprenedor dels planencs o l‘acumulació del capital necessari per a invertir. També l’existència d’una àmplia demanda -primer per part del mercat local, després de l‘estatal i finalment de l‘exterior (a aquest darrer corresponia l’any 2000 vora el 60% de les vendes)- ha possibilitat el desenvolupament d’aquesta regió industrial, al costat d’unes òptimes condicions d’accessibilitat que li han permés transportar el producte pertot arreu d’aquests mercats. Una volta consolidada la concentració taulellera, especialment a partir del 1990, hi ha hagut diversos factors de localització implícits al propi fet de l’aglomeració que l’han retroalimentada i han contribuït a reforçar-la, entre els quals el mercat de treball especialitzat, l’abundància d’empreses auxiliars i els fluxos d’informació dels fabricants entre si o entre fabricants i empreses auxiliars. Aquestes intenses relacions interempresarials han configurat el districte industrial valencià de majors dimensions i de més projecció internacional, que a més és la segona regió taulellera més competitiva del món, per darrere només de la de Sassuolo, al nord d’Itàlia.

FOR CITATIONS:
SALEM, H.S., 2001. The influence of clay conductivity on electric measurements of glacial aquifers. Energy Sources, 23(3) April: 225-234. (International Journal Paper).

ABSTRACT:
The conductivities of pore water and clays are important mechanisms in the process of
electric-current conduction through porous media. The clay conductivity contributes effectively
to the process of electric-current conduction, particularly when the medium is saturated
with fresh water. In the present study, the conductivity of clays was investigated in
relation to the formation resistivity factor and specific surface area. The formation resistivity
factor is an important parameter in defining variations of the formation and porewater
resistivities. The apparent and intrinsic formation resistivity factors, along with
other petrophysical and hydrophysical parameters, were determined from surface electric
measurements and analyses of sediments and water samples for a glacial aquifer (northern
Germany). The aquifer is saturated with fresh water and composed of unconsolidated
sediments that consist primarily of silts, sands, and gravels, with a majority of sands and
a small amount of clays. The sediments of the aquifer and the overlying layers are characterized
by a variety of grain sizes and lateral and vertical heterogeneities. The ratio of
the intrinsic formation resistivity factor to the apparent formation resistivity factor is a
good measure in interpreting the nature of relationships among several parameters that
govern the electric-current conduction and fluid flow through porous media. Empirical
equations, with coefficients of correlation ranging from 0.92 to 1.0, were obtained. Also,
an equation that can be used to calculate clay resistivity from pure-water resistivity and
formation resistivity factor (apparent and intrinsic) was obtained.

"El gran creixement económic asolfi per la Plana de Castelló es deu principalent l’auge de la seua indústria taulellera. Dins el País Valencià, aquest subsector industrial és el que més ha crescut durant els últims anys, havent duplicat el seu volum d’exportació en el curt període comprés entre 1986 i 1992.
La indústria taulellera en aquesta comarca es çaracteritza per una llarga tradició d’artesans, i posteriorment industrials, que culmina als anys vuitantes amb una adequada reconversió que ha possibilitat un alt grau de modernització i competitivitat en la mateixa.
En aquest article s’estudia primerament la localització daquesta indústria a nivell de la C.E.E., on la Plana produeix quasi un 20% dels taulells. En segon lloc s’analitza la localització industrial a la comarca, la qual fabrica més del 80% dels taulells espanyols, així com els factors que han determinat aquesta concentració industrial, entre els quals cal destacar la proximitat a les matèries primeres, la iniciativa de l’empresariat autòcton i les economies descala."

En aquest article es pretén delimitar un mercat de treball concret: l’àrea, al voltant de la comarca de La Plana, que depén econòmicament de la industria ceràmica. La recent expansió de la indústria ceràmica de La Plana representa un deis fets econòmics més destacats que s’han produït al País Valencià durant els últims quinze anys, amb les conseqüents repercusions espacials.

The thermal energy use in the manufacturing plants is the most representative parcel of the total energy consumption within the European industry. Such is mainly attributed to the operation of high energy intensive thermal processes such as furnaces and boilers. The implementation of heat recovery technologies is a solution with a great potential to improve the operation of these processes and improve the overall energy efficiency in a plant. On the other hand, the use of renewable energy resources such as solar energy is highly relevant measure to decrease the use of fossil fuels, such as natural gas. This paper presents the modelling of a solar thermal energy system (STES) established by a water circuit and solar thermal collector for the heat supply to two boilers installed in a ceramic plant. Such system has been conceptualised in the scope of industrial practices, proposing solar heat for industrial processes (SHIP). The practical work in this paper aims to the development of a...