Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2/19
1. WHAT IS A "B" LEVEL AUDIT?
The performance evolution with the time of a grinding system can be followed by
way of the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
For sure the analysis of these data can lead to the identification of some of the
possible improvement potentials for the grinding system operation (see "A" level
Audit Document).
But to be able to identify the actual situation of the grinding system ("is state") and
the concrete actions that will allow reaching the targeted operating conditions
("should state") deeper a more detailed analysis is necessary.
The "B" level audit is a in depth "snapshot" (fig. 1) of a grinding system aimed to
gather all the required information to:
Identify short & medium term optimization actions
Define the necessary additional investigations and/or tests for medium & long
term improvement
3/19
2. "B" LEVEL AUDIT TARGETS
The "B" level Audit is a way to (fig. 2):
Estimate the saving potential on mill system specific energy consumption
Savings potential can be estimated based on the observed grinding system
operating conditions and/or in benchmarking with other systems grinding the
same cement components or with a laboratory grindability test.
4/19
3. GATHERING OF THE DESIGN AND OPERATING INFORMATION
5/19
3.2 Design information from main machines
To know the design data of all the main machines in a grinding system is very
important because they are setting the frontiers of what can/could be done with our
grinding system.
The data in annex 2 has to be completed with an up to date grinding system flow
sheet (typical example in fig. 5) and some additional data as below indicated:
Feeding system
Process problems can have their source in the feed bin, for example material
segregation, the bin design & capacity has also to be included in the
information package.
For the feeders the type and weighing range are required.
Mill
Mill motor reducer nominal power
Ball charge composition (see annex 3) indicating the dates of last
classification, ball quality and net wear rates for each chamber.
Dynamic separator
A separator layout general drawing (see annex 4) including cyclones, ducting,
filter, etc. giving the main dimensions.
Filters
For the main filters, mill and separator, indicate the design airflow capacity,
filtering surface, number and dimensions of bags, casing main dimensions and a
general drawing.
Fans
For each main fan (at least mill and separator fans) a characteristic curve and
rotor main dimensions as well as design rotating speed.
Transports
For each material transport in the flow sheet (fresh feed belt, mill outlet air slide,
separator feed air slide, etc.) the type and its transport design capacity.
Control system
Short description of the control strategy used, the completed questionnaire of
annex 5 and short term trends (less than 6 [h] per screen) of the fresh feed,
separator returns, mill and bucket elevator motor, mill outlet temperature
covering 2 - 3 days of operation, start/stop sequence and cement quality
change.
6/19
3.3 Control Room: Mill Control System & Strategy, Operation Data & Trends
Nowadays most of the cement grinding systems are automatically operated from a
Centralized Control Room (CCR).
In modern factories the mill circuit's most important operating data are visible on the
PLC or DCS control screens (see fig. 6). These systems allow e.g. the evaluation of
production parameters by statistics and trends. The following points have to be
checked:
Automatic Mill Control System
Which inputs does the control system use and are they reliable? (e.g. sound
measurement, kW or return flows). Do the process values respond adequately to
set point changes of feeders and separator speed? Using trends of the process
values and the set points, the grinding system response can be determined.
Control Screens
With the data on the control screen it is possible to cross - check the field
measurements done during the performance test (especially temperature and
static pressure, annex 6 & 7).
7/19
3.4 Circuit Visual Inspection
The first step of the fieldwork can be undertaken: a visual inspection of the whole
circuit (fig. 7). The visual inspection means looking at, listening to and touching,
to get a feeling of the circuit friendliness for material, liquids and gas processing
and handling. It is a way to identify, at an early stage, possible problems to focus
on later or to change some of the sampling and measuring points to an even better
position. Some points to pay attention to are:
Mill body
Where and how is the mill ear positioned? How many inspection doors are there
and in which grinding chamber are they? What is the shell drilling pattern?
Separator system
Is there any foreign-bodies trap? Can the separator feed be evenly distributed
onto the distribution plate? How does the ducting layout looks like? Are the
material outlets equipped with flaps or rotary valves? Is the return cone being
drummed by material grains / metallic objects? Fan damper position? Fan
casing design? Is the system working in over pressure?
8/19
3.5 Energy Measurements
Mill motor
Mill fan motor
Separator rotor motor
Recirculation bucket elevator motor
Transport bucket elevator motor
The whole grinding system
9/19
3.6 Circuit: Material Measurements & Sampling
The amount and type of material being processed, its fineness, temperature and
moisture content after each of the process steps are all key information for the
grinding circuit performance evaluation.
The results from the sample sieving and laser analysis can be plotted on the
documents presented on the annexes 9 and 10.
Annex 11 is an example separator sample analysis also called Tromp curve.
10/19
3.7 Circuit: Mill Ventilation Measurements
Air and/or hot gas in a grinding circuit are used for drying, cooling, transporting
and separating purposes. It is easy to imagine that something wrong with the
air/hot gas quantity and/or distribution will have a negative influence on the circuit
performance.
Measuring
Also here good measurements of airflow, static pressure and temperature are
critical for the later evaluation (see annex 12 & 13).
Is not always possible to find an optimal point for airflow measurements. In this
cases the air/gas volume can also be calculated based on the fan
characteristic curves (mill filter fan and separator fan).
To apply this method the temperature, the static pressures before and after the
fan and the fan motor absorbed power are required.
11/19
3.8 Circuit: Separator Air Measurement
Air in the separator is one of the leading parameters of the separating efficiency.
For first generation separators, as the ventilator wheel is integrated in the separator
casing, is difficult to do air measurements. The following indications are only valid
for second and third generation separators.
Measuring points
The number and location of the measuring points depends on the separator duct
layout. See the table below and figure 12 for an example on typical measuring
points for a high efficiency separator with cyclones.
All the points above allow easy static pressure and temperature measurements,
but there is almost no separator allowing a good measuring point for airflow.
The most interesting point for airflow measurement is the volute inlet where
an airspeed mapping can be done (see annex 14). That will allow measuring
the air volume and also the air distribution at the separator inlet.
For a single pass separator the airflow can be measured at the volute inlet
(preferred point) or at the filter chimney (before the air recirculation duct, if any).
12/19
3.9 Mill: Material Sampling
The material fineness evolution all along the mill length allows evaluating the
grinding process efficiency.
First and last sample in each grinding chamber to be taken 50 [cm] away
from the chamber inlet and outlet. This is done so as to reduce the border
effects.
Other samples
Divide the remaining space between first and last samples in segments of
equal length (+/- 1 [m]) and sample at each division point.
Remove balls and material to get a 20 [cm] deep hole on the charge
surface (foto 1.1 & 2.1)
Take the material 0.5 - 1 [kg] sample from the bottom of each of the
created holes (foto 1.2)
For small balls, < 30 - 40 [mm], material and balls can be shoveled out
together and screened on a 10 [mm] sieve (see photos 2.2 to 2.5).
The three samples from each mill cross section can be mixed in one can to
get a 1.5 - 3 [kg] sample.
Caution: Any coarse material remaining on the above mentioned sieve must
be removed by hand and put into the can.
Intermediate diaphragm
The grates slot opening and the diaphragm center opening have to be
measured. It has also to be noted if the slots are plugged with metal scraps,
clinker, etc. Gaps in between the grates, especially in the first chamber side
have to be reported in size and distribution. For adjustable diaphragms note
the settings of the material flow-controlling device.
Second chamber
The liner type (not classifying, classifying) and its main dimensions as indicated
in fig 15 are to be noted. These dimensions have to be noted for a few liner
rigns.
If no ball samples are taken a visual estimation of the ball charge
classification and state must be done.
Outlet diaphragm
The grates slot opening and the diaphragm center opening have to be
measured.
Water injection
Type, position, orientation and state of the water nozzles.
The above information is the most important to be looked at. Additional information
like residual thickness of inlet wall plates, diaphragm grates, etc., adequate support
of the liner plates on the shell (especially in case of boltless liners), wedge effect
due to ball blockage between liner plates and/or grates, reporting quantity and
position of broken or damaged parts, …
A good solution is to document the mill inspection with photos (fig 16).
14/19
3.11 Mill: Ball Sampling
Why ball sampling?
to evaluate the ball charge actual state
Recommended where the actual ball charge in the mill is not known, or the
charge has not been classified for a longtime (> 3 years) and/or wear
rates are high and/or there are too many deformed/broken balls.
Ball sampling is overall important for the second chamber.
Classifying liner efficiency
The classifying liner allows grading the ball by sizes in the second chamber.
The biggest balls are moved towards the chamber inlet and the smallest are
retained at the chamber outlet.
A good ball classification is important for a high grinding efficiency. The
evolution of the average ball size along the chamber length allows evaluating
the classifying performance of the liner (see annex 17).
Sample analysis
1. Weigh each sample separately
2. For each sample classify the number of balls by groups according to their
form based on criteria in annex 18 (good, deformed, broken, etc.).
3. Count the number of units in each group per sample
4. Add the "deformed", "broken & "foreign bodies" together
5. Calculate the sample average weight per ball
6. Calculate the average ball diameter
3 Sample Weight [kg]
D eq [mm] = 245'000 x
Number of balls
15/19
3.12 Separator: Visual Inspection
The separator optimal operation depends, among other factors, on adequate air and
material distribution at the different phases of the separation process. Depending on
the type of separator attention has to be paid to the following points:
Finally look for material deposition in the ducts, wear pattern of the separator
inner liner, material incrustations, etc. to try to understand the separator operating
conditions.
16/19
3.13 Fans: Visual Inspection
Air is one of the main actors participating in optimal grinding circuit performance.
Therefore, the fans' state, specially the ones from the separator and the mill, have
to be checked to be sure they are performing according to their nominal capacity.
Venturi (2)
Check the surface state and the presence of holes due to wear. Measure the
gap between the venturi and the fan wheel all along the circumference and
establish the relative position between both. Sketch the venturi to allow airspeed
calculation.
Rotor
Rotation sense
Verify that the rotation sense is the proper one according to blades design
Geometry
Verify that the installed fan rotor has geometry similar to the original design
given by the fan manufacturer.
Wear pattern
Sketch the wear pattern of the fan wheel
Material build ups
Look for possible material build up and sketch it.
Outlet connection
Sketch the layout of the fan inlet connection and measure the dimensions to
calculate the air outlet speed.
The information above, together with the fan operation point (pressures, rotation
speed, vibrations level, etc.) is useful trying to identify why a fan could be performing
below its nominal capacity.
17/19
4. DATA COMPILATION
All the gathered data has to be compliled in such a way as to summarise in a small
packet of documentation. The documents are:
Performance test sheet (fig. 22 and annex 19)
This sheet is a data summary that represents the grinding circuit operating
conditions during the "Performance test".
Circuit layout (fig. 5)
Fresh feed particle size distribution (annex 9)
Ball charge compositon (annex 3)
Mill longitudinal sieving (annex 15)
Mil internal inspection (fig. 15)
Mill calculation sheet (annex 16)
Circuit samples particle size distribution (annex 10)
Tromp curve (annex 11)
Mill control questionnaire (annex 5)
Mill data sheet (annex 2.1)
Additional main machines data
Cements requirement data sheet (annex 1)
With these documents it can be considered that there is enough data for the
evaluation of the grinding system.
Bibliography
Tube mills (VA 95/4313/E)
Dimensioning of tube mills (PT 99/14486/E)
Separators (VA 95/4299/E)
Operation of tube mills (MPT 01/14745/E)
Operation of separators (VA 93/4052/E)
18/19
Annexes:
19/19