Approximate reading time: 5 minutes

For many years, BERALMAR has been manufacturing and installing basically two solid fuel firing systems: the PROMATIC system, which grinds and injects mineral coals or petcoke into the kiln, and the MICROMATIC system, designed for brickmakers with access to ready-micronised petcoke and thus without the need to grind the solid fuel, resulting in the substitution of the rotative mill with storage silos for micronised fuel.

The latter system, as well as resulting in an initial lower investment, provides a few other advantages compared to the PROMATIC system, such as an easier regulation of the fuel distribution, or a better use of the full heat power of the petcoke –which means certain savings of fuel.

These advantages have encouraged a few brickmakers, from markets where petcoke is available only in grain size, to opt for a hybrid installation of the PROMATIC and MICROMATIC systems, which is composed of the PROMATIC’s rotative mill and a subsequent storage of the grinded fuel in a storage intermediary silo. This silo replicates the function of the micronised petcoke distribution truck, pneumatically feeding a full MICROMATIC system. This hybrid’s control system automatically manages all the process of the petcoke, from feeding the mill with grain-sized petcoke up until the injection of micronised petcoke into the kiln.

Although this option represents a bigger investment for a solid fuel firing system, BERALMAR has already received orders of this hybrid system for 9 kilns in the last 10 months. The continuous interest shown by the market anticipates a proliferation of this PROMATIC-MICROMATIC hybrid.

BERALMAR is building a new tunnel kiln in Zaio, Nador (Morocco) for the firm DIMABRIQ. It is a FORNTHERMIC kiln of 140 metres in length, for an initial daily production of 400 tonnes of hollow bricks.

The FORNTHERMIC model is based on a classic and dependable firing installation concept, constructed with top quality elements which guarantee a long productive life.

The new kiln will be supplied with equipment designed and manufactured by BERALMAR, such as the MICROBER kiln automatic control system, GT heavy oil burners for the preheating zone and the MICROMATIC solid fuel firing system.

The MICROMATIC firing system has been especially developed for brickmakers with access to ready- micronised solid fuels. Conveniently, micronised petcoke of a diameter below 100 μ, the main fuel that will be used in this kiln, will become available in the north-eastern region of Morocco as of spring 2007.

The start-up of this new facility of DIMABRIQ is expected in May 2007.