Serge Jorget and David Kotrys, Fives FCB, France,
discuss rotary kiln maintenance offerings.
Cement kilns: evolutions and induced problems
The rotary kiln has been used for cement production
for about a century and has become the only burning
technology, with the less efficient and polluting shaft
kilns largely disappeared. The kiln can be considered
the heart of the cement plant. Its reliability directly
influences the plant’s production capacity. Therefore it
has to be kept in optimal condition and deserves the
highest attention.
Mechanical and process stresses have increased over
the years, thus raising the risk of incidents and wear.
ll Specific production capacities have risen within
the last decades by approximately 25% (from
160/kg/h/m3 up to 200).
ll The production process has evolved as concerns
the clinker quality; the LSF has also been raised
to improve the cement resistance and often to
compensate for the use of additives. This induces a
higher burning temperature.
ll Alternative fuels bring impurities, which are
damaging to the refractory lining.
ll As a consequence the length of chemically resistant
but more conductive refractory has been extended
from the burning zone up to the middle of the
kiln.
All these evolutions increase the shell temperature;
even the use of fans cannot prevent incidents when the
refractory lining is worn out.
While operating conditions are becoming more severe,
much progress has been achieved in kiln optimisation
systems. The composition of the processed meal is more
stable; the flame shape is better controlled owing to
modern burners such as the Pillard Novaflam®; the
cooler operation is less sensitive to clinker quality; the
refractory lining offers a better resistance. This reduces the
occurrence of incidents and increases kiln availability.
Nevertheless, in the medium and long-term, any kiln
will suffer brick falls, flame deviations, overheating,
unexpected shutdowns and other events that will affect
 the condition of the kiln body, as well as the wear of
its elements. In particular:

Deformation of the kiln axis

The consequences of the deformation, permanent or
not, can be:
ll A bad contact between the kiln and its supports,
with cyclic, deviated and excessive loads. Roller
bearings suffer accelerated wear and may break.
So may the roller itself.
ll A moving contact between the teeth of the
pinion and of the girth gear. This will result in
abnormal wear and possible breakage of teeth.
ll Cyclic load also for the motor, which suffers and
obliges a reduction of the production capacity.
Deformation of the shell
ll When refractory lining is worn out and not
replaced on time, bricks fall, and each time
parts of the shell are submitted to excessive
temperatures and the steel loses its properties.

Wrong adjustment of the tyre clearance

ll With so-called floating tyres, the clearance
between kiln and tyres in operation ensures that
the ovality of the kiln is kept very low and that
the bricks do not move during the rotation.

Deformation of the nose-ring

ll The end part of the kiln is subjected to the high
Figure 1. Position of kiln supports on the piers. temperatures of the flame.

These examples demonstrate the need for a

correct evaluation of the kiln geometry and condition,
which should be carried out every 2 to 4 years. With
adjustment and repairs carried out in time, the
possible damage and the potential for reduced kiln
capacity are minimised. The cost of such expertise is
easily covered by the savings realised.

Kiln alignment methodology

There are usually two types of kiln alignment
procedure: cold kiln alignment and hot kiln
alignment.
Fives prefers to perform the kiln alignment in hot
conditions. The kiln does not have to be stopped and
is observed under the normal operating conditions.
Hot kiln alignment (HKA) gives a better assessment
of the kiln situation in its real dynamic and thermal
conditions.
Because the HKA is done in operation, it does not
disturb the production and so can be planned more
easily with the plant management.

Referential system
The first phase of the HKA, as for cold kiln alignment,
is the building of a fixed referential system in which
the position of the equipment can be defined for the
Figure 2. Definition of kiln centre.
three directions.

\ Reprinted from February 2015

World Cement
 Figure 3. Real axis position given from measurements on a kiln.
The next phases consist of the kiln measurement
programme itself. First, a global positioning is
established, showing the kiln’s ‘morphology’. The
longitudinal positions of the rollers and tyres are also
represented, to show any abnormalities, wear or errors.
Foundations and frame
The kiln is supported by several concrete blocks.
Although massive and anchored in the ground, their
foundations can move; checking their position enables
the detection of anomalies, which could be due to
subsidence, cracks or other phenomenon. Periodic
monitoring is therefore necessary to ensure the proper
kiln operation and avoid unseen moves leading to
heavy mechanical damages.
Measurements made on fixed references
positioned on the frames indicate the behaviour of the
foundation, allowing the calculation of a local axial
inclination, slope or possible twist.
These measurements give the possibility to have a
global reference of the installation, allowing better
tracking over time.
Geometry rollers/tyres
According to Fives defined procedures, each tyre and
roller is precisely measured for its dimensions and
position (diameter spacing, slope, etc.)
It is therefore possible to evaluate the conicity,
the skewing* and the deviation from the parallel line.
Several parameters can also be deduced, as follows:
ll The behaviour at the contact surfaces
(e.g. Figure 1, support 1 contact point).
ll The mechanical environment (e.g. Figure 1,
support 3, roller skewed in opposition).
ll Generalised constraints (in case two supports are
skewed in opposition).
ll The wear.
*Skewing is a mechanical effect coming from the
position of the rollers relative to that of the tyre.
Diameter and centre definition
Using the measurements previously performed, it is
possible to define the relative positions of all elements,
and to calculate the position of the kiln centre.
All measurements taken by Fives are defined at a
given shell temperature.
Thrust position(s)
In many cases, the hydraulic thrust is positioned on
the wrong side of the axis, which creates an upward
force to the thrust roller. Consequently, the roller can
be lifted from its body and damaged (marks on tyres,
folding of the thrust shaft, deformation of the base
frame).
Fives takes into account the position of the
hydraulic thrust roller on the radial axis, relative to
the kiln and the rotation direction, in order to assess
the risk of mechanical failure (thrust roller, thrust tyre,
thrust body, etc).
Definition of axis and slopes
The axis line position of the kiln is calculated from the
kiln centre position on each supporting station.
This helps define the corrections to apply to make it
come back to a straight line.
Shell deformation and prediction of brick fall risk
areas
The stability of the refractory lining highly depends on
the shell shape stability. Refractory falls can therefore
be induced in particular by the shell deformation.
Such brick falls entail overheating of the
concerned areas and can result in further irreversible
deformations. These damages can also cause a
permanent deformation of the kiln axis over some
length, known as ‘banana shape’, causing mechanical
disorders both on the gear girth/pinion as well as the
upstream and downstream seal. The kiln reliability
and the production stability are inevitably decreased.
It is therefore of great interest to control the shell
Reprinted from February 2015
World Cement /
geometry with its deformations in order to identify
areas at risk as concerns the refractory stability.
Once again and for each section, the position of
the real kiln centre is calculated.
A 3D representation of the kiln shell
deformation, based on the shape determined
for each perimeter, gives a better understanding
of areas where the level of deformation is
predominant.
From this geometric analysis, and thanks to its
long experience and its knowhow of equipment,
Fives developed a model to evaluate the risks of
brick fall related to deformation.
Various parameters are taken into account, such
as the diameter variation, the radius curvature
variation and the presence of hollows and bumps.
Fives cannot only define the areas with a risk
of brick fall, but also quantify this risk as shown in
Figure 5.
According to the level of risk, recommendations
can be given such as the use of an adapted type of
bricks or kiln shell replacement.
Understanding kiln shell deformation is the
perfect complement to a hot kiln alignment and
provides useful information to understand kiln
behaviour and provide tailored recommendations.
Results, analysis and onsite expertise
Completing the geometrical analysis, a mechanical
audit is performed on the kiln. The goal is to check
the whole mechanical parameters of the equipment
(tyre sliding, contact surfaces, girth gear/pinion and
shaft line, upstream/downstream sealing, supporting
bearing, lubrication, hydraulic thrust, etc).
These mechanical checking and visual inspections
complement the geometrical measurements to help
gain an understanding of the kiln situation. With
the global mechanical audit and the geometric data
in hand, Fives is able to give OEM recommendations
on the complete equipment.
Prioritised action plan
These recommendations are provided as a full report
from Fives with the support of its kiln engineering
department. They are prioritised in order of
importance to facilitate the work of the teams
onsite and anticipate needs in terms of budget.
Beyond making recommendations, Fives is able
to solve the problems identified
during the HKA directly, such as
roller adjustment, girth gear/pinion
adjustment, etc.
Fives is also able to support the
plants in areas such as roller and
tyre machining, adjusting shims
under tyres, or by replacing major
parts of the kiln, such as shell,
tyres, girth gear and/or pinion,
upstream/downstream sealing, etc.

Conclusion
The kiln can be considered
Figure 4. 3D exaggerated view of the kiln shell deformation. the most important piece of
equipment in a cement plant since
its reliability influences the ouput
of the plant. Many parameters
can influence its mechanical
condition and wear. One small
defect that is not corrected can
have major consequence after a
few months or years. Fives helps its
customers to reach the maximum
availability of their equipment,
offering hot kiln alignment,
shell deformation and brick fall
analysis, mechanical supervision
or mechanical revamping. Fives
is convinced that proper kiln
maintenance is the primary step
to ensure a stable production
(excluding the operation) and
reduced maintenance costs in the
Figure 5. Identification of zones at risk for the lining stability.
long-term.

\ Reprinted from February 2015

World Cement