Title: Reusing red mud waste and low grade bauxite as raw materials for brick manufacturing by experimental design technique

Authors: Ravanbakhsh Shirdam; Behnam Sadeghi; Mohammad Rezaei Rad; Nematollah Bakhshi; Hossein Ali Mirzaei

Addresses: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Karaj, Iran ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Karaj, Iran ' Iran Alumina Complex, North Khorasan, Jajarm, Iran ' Mineral Industries Research Center, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran ' School of Mining Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: The main objective of the present research is to reuse red mud (RM) and low grade bauxite for brick manufacturing. Red mud is a waste product of Bayer process. Experimental method was used to optimise brick production and its pressure resistance was evaluated. It was found out that using RM for brick decreased brick quality but it reduces temperature of furnace and retention time of brick in furnace. Experimental analysis suggested a mathematical model for predicting the compressive strength of bricks. On in order to validate the model, compressive strength, XRD and TCLP tests were conducted. Using RM in brick manufacturing reduces retention time of bricks in furnace. Hence, the proposed method for brick making can considerably reduce both energy consumption and greenhouse gases emission in comparison with the traditional manufacturing process. Furthermore, amount of red mud will be decreased.

Keywords: red mud; brick manufacturing; bauxite; experimental design; waste reuse.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2021.111907

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2021 Vol.27 No.1, pp.46 - 60

Received: 17 Sep 2018
Accepted: 04 Jun 2019

Published online: 21 Dec 2020 *

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