What
is the rate of production of a VSBK ?
Ans.
It depends on the number of shafts you build. A
2-shaft kiln produces about 10,000
bricks per day (having a size of 230mm x 110mm x
70mm). Operation is round-the-clock
and annual production of up to 60 lakh bricks has been
achieved from commercial
VSBK’s operating in India and Nepal. The kiln can be
operated throughout the year and
even during monsoon time. A kiln in Kathmandu, Nepal
has been in operation
continuously for more than 500 days.
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What
advantages do I get if I switch over to a VSBK?
Ans.
A VSBK gives you unmatched flexibility of operation,
good product quality and
substantial saving in energy costs. You can plan a
precise production schedule and
produce exact quantity of bricks that you require.
Once operational, loading and
unloading is carried out simultaneously. In general,
one batch of bricks is loaded (and
one unloaded) every one and a half to two hours. The
bricks remain inside the kiln for
approximately 24 to 30 hours instead of the 20 to 30
days required with a BTK. This
reduces the working capital substantially.
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Do
I get bricks of good quality in a VSBK?
Ans.
Yes, you can get bricks of high quality using a VSBK
if you follow good firing practices.In fact, the
products may even be superior to those of your
existing traditional
or BTK kiln. VSBK - fired bricks show a fine, deep red color and has a
good, metallic ring depending upon the soil
composition and particle size distribution.
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What
kinds of bricks can I fire in a VSBK?
Ans.
Both wire-cut (extruded) bricks
and hand-moulded bricks can be fired in a VSBK. The
choice is entirely yours. Extruded bricks can achieve
a compressive strength of up to 300 kg/cm 2 after
firing. The VSBK is extremely versatile in operation.
In addition, you can fire hand-moulded bricks together
with extruded bricks in the same VSBK.
However, you can only fire walling bricks in a VSBK.
Other clay products such as clay
roofing tiles or floor tiles cannot be fired using
this technology. In a nutshell any regular
shaped, rectangular product having a minimum thickness
of around 40mm can be fired
in a VSBK.
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Is
the Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln a profitable business?
Ans.
Yes it is. The Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln allows you to
retain complete control over product quality, unit
production cost and pollution emissions. Fuel costs
alone are at least 40% lower than those associated
with the operation of conventional kilns. Throughout
the year, your saleable bricks will represent more
than 90% of your total brick production.
The VSBK kiln with two shafts can be set up in 2000
sq.m. of land, and 4 shafts in 4000
sq.m, excluding the brick-moulding area. With an
initial investment of approximately 15
lakhs, sales of upto 35 lakhs each and every annum
have been achieved with handsome
profit margins. From the second year your investment
will be limited only to the working
capital requirement of approximately 1 lakh.
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How
do I know if the local soil is suitable for
producing VSBK bricks?
Ans.
The VSBK is amazingly versatile for firing bricks with
different qualities of soil. In almost all regions,
there are organizations, which have fully equipped and
certified testing
laboratories. You should get your soil, coal, green
bricks and fired bricks tested for
quality and performance only at these certified
laboratories.
Generally, as a preliminary thumb rule, if good bricks
can be made in a BTK the same
soil can be used in VSBK to make better bricks.
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What
kind of fuel can I use in a VSBK?
Ans.
The choice of fuel is based on cost considerations and
the quality of product desired.Based on the location,
coal and even lignite pellets are being used
effectively. However proper firing control and optimum
quality is achieved with a low volatile coal having a
calorific value between 4000 – 5000 KCal/kg. High
calorific value coal is not
recommended for VSBK operation. Recommended coal size
is between 50 to 100 mm.
In recent times where suitable coal is not available,
VSBK has been operated with waste
biomass based green solid briquettes. It has the
equivalent consumption to coal and
produces identical quality..
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Do
I need highly technical personnel for operating a
VSBK?
Ans.
Initially, yes. You will need
specially trained firemen and firemasters for proper
VSBK operation. The technology provider will provide
on-the-job training for your firemen. This will
normally take 3 to 4 weeks once the new kiln has been
commissioned.
.
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What
is the life of a VSBK?
Ans.
A VSBK can be used for many
years if good firing and maintenance practices are
observed. The expected service life of a VSBK is
between 10 to 15 years.
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Can green
bricks be made without the help of traditional
moulders?
Ans.
Yes, green bricks can be made even without moulders.
There are various low cost
technologies to manufacture green bricks with
unskilled workers. These bricks have a
frog and are superior in quality than normal hand
moulded bricks.
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What are
the maintenance costs in a VSBK?
Ans.
Normally the technology provider will provide with
detail maintenance guides andprocedure. However normal
maintenance practices of greasing and oiling of metal
parts are to be followed daily. Normal operating
procedures does not require any detailed
maintenance and repairing. Once in a year before start
of the firing process the
refractory brick wall lining of shaft needs filling of
joints with refractory mortar and
occasional replacement of a couple of refractory
bricks. Maintenance costs in a VSBK
have been limited to approximately Rs. 10,000 per
year.
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Do my workers need to change
working patterns?
Ans.
Yes. Your workers will have to adjust their working
habits. The VSBK firing systemrequires 24 - hour
supervision of operations. One batch of fired bricks
needs to be unloaded (and one batch of green bricks
loaded) at regular intervals, normally every twohours.
This means that even throughout the night, the VSBK
needs to be staffed forregular loading and unloading
operations of the kiln.
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What are the environment
benefits?
Ans.
VSBK technology gives you unmatched benefits in
environmental emission. Due to its lower coal
consumption, loading pattern of green bricks and
updraft nature of heat transfer, the pollution levels
are considerably reduced. Compared to the Central
Pollution Control Board, Government of India, norms of
750 mg/Nm 3 for suspended particulate matter in the
case of Bull’s Trench Kiln, the average emission of
suspended particulate matter in case of VSBK is 150
mg/Nm 3 . Dust emission at the loading and unloading
areas are considerably reduced making it amenable to
safe working conditions.
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What are the energy benefits?
Ans.
Enviable energy benefits can be attained in VSBK when
proper mixing process and right choice of fuel are
followed. VSBK technology requires faster firing
process (24hrs – 36hrs) compared to traditional
methods of firing. Thus to provide uniform heat and
resultant firing quality, use of heat internally is a
necessary pre-requisite. With proper engineering of
soil mixes through the use of internal fuel, the
external coal consumption can be reduced drastically.
In some cases with plastic soil and medium calorific
value (2300 KCal/kg) internal fuel e.g. sponge iron
waste, good quality fired bricks have been produced at
even 10 kg of external coal per 1000 bricks compared
to normal 180 kg per 1000 bricks in traditional kilns.
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