GET IN LINE

ZBIGNIEW KRYSTOWCZYK, GEOSERVEX, POLAND,

ADDRESSES THE BENEFITS OF CHOOSING TO USE A
HOT KILN ALIGNMENT SERVICE.
Introduction
A lot has been written about the alignment of rotary kilns, as well as about energy
saving, efficiency, emissions reduction, and component life extension. But are these
issues interrelated? The answer is, firmly, yes, and to such an extent that you can
write a formula:

alignment + adjustment + balancing = reliability + efficiency = savings

Hot kiln alignment service, if performed as a complete solution, can improve

the operation of the kiln and meet the above formula. Moreover, this is the least
expensive way to extend component life, reduce forces in the supports and the
drive system, and thus postpone high expenses.

Kiln stress analysis.
Rollers and tyre stress analysis.
A Geoservex expert at work, checking for roller profile.
For 40 yr, Geoservex has been dealing with rotary
kiln alignment across the whole world, having pioneered
the hot kiln alignment method. The kiln inspection must
be considered as a service for improving the mechanical
condition of the running kiln, meaning that alignment,
adjustment, and balancing are inseperable.
What should a detailed kiln inspection
include?
The service should begin by measuring the alignment
and the other kiln parameters, but it should also extend
beyond this. True kiln alignment takes place in the plant,
jointly with the maintenance team, under the supervision
of experts, and consists of adjusting the position of the
rollers and their skewing, observing axial thrusts, and
eventually adjusting (balancing) the thrust forces and
the pressure of the hydraulic thrust system. The thrust
Reprinted from August 2017
World Cement
balancing stage is just as important as the measurements
and alignment. This is because there is an unused
potential in these actions. When adjusting kiln alignment,
the shift of the rollers and the axial thrusts influence a
better distribution of support loads, reduce stress on the
shell, decrease the load on the bearings, reduce wear
on the rings and rollers, decrease the drive torque, and
decrease the energy consumption. In the long term,
savings will be made due to extensive component life
and the postponement of replacement parts, sometimes
for years. Kilns that had been exploited and had to be
stopped, could be temporarily activated in a time of
increased need, and, following a complex service of
alignment and adjustment, continue producing for the
next 5 yr.
Kiln inspection should not end here. It is essential to
include measurements of any changes to the kiln shell
geometry, any permanent and flexible deformations
(shell profile, shell ovality), any radial run-outs and any
wobbling of tyres and a verification of cyclical change of
loads (the so-called crank formation). A detailed check
of these parameters allows for an assessment of the
kiln shell’s condition, the influence of deformation on
the condition of the refractory lining, and its lifespan.
If an excessive undertyre clearance – and thus excessive
shell ovality – are detected during the inspection, this
can be corrected relatively easily using shimming during
the closest scheduled kiln stoppage. Again, a simple
measurement, proper conclusions, and implentation of
any recommendations by a client can protect the kiln
from failure, the refractory lining from falling out, and, in
extreme cases, can prevent superheating and permanent
shell deformation. The results of such an event are
disastrous; however, prevention is simple and relatively
inexpensive. The facts speak for themselves.
When a kiln frequently has bearing overloads (hot
bearings), shell cracks, roller shaft cracks or frame cracks,
in spite of measuring alignment and adjustment, then the
kiln should again be mechanically verified. This process is
the reverse of the design stage: the same parameters are
checked but the kiln is real, and the process is based on real
dimensions and production parameters. There are cases of
an uneven distribution of support loads, with simultaneous
dimensional overdesign, that stress the kiln shell, but can
be fixed if the kiln axis position is optimised. This technique
has been known by producers for many decades but it is
not widely offered.
Here, there are various opportunities. Optimisation of
the load distribution can prevent the shell from frequent
cracks, if they occur, as well as reducing the number of
unscheduled stoppages, overheated bearings, expensive
exchanges, and losses in production. The calculation process
itself is a task for professionals, but the implementation of
corrections is quite simple and is performed in the same
way as a regular axis adjustment: through the adjustment
of the position of the rollers, while the kiln is in operation,
with no losses to production, during the same visit as the
kiln inspection. Moreover, the cost of these treatments
is lower than one emergency stoppage, not to mention
the cost of the broken component and  
­€
‚
ƒ


 
  

its necessary exchange. In other words,  „…†‡ˆ‚
ƒ

if undergoing the complex service of the 
 
 

‚

hot kiln alignment means that at least one  

 

negative event during production is avoided, 

    



its cost is returned, with interest. Documented



   

     



cases are known of drive amperage 


decreasing by 25%, which, during the 
 
 


production year, caused savings exceeding the
  ­€ ‰ ƒ 
inspection cost, alignment, and kiln balancing    Š
    Š
    Š

€ ‹Œ€ 
multiple times. 



Maintenance managers sometimes pay 




more attention to the more spectacular 
…
 †

projects, such as upgrades, overhauls, and 



   
 ‹
Ž

component exchanges. Ready-to-use and 

 




expensive solutions are given on a plate by 




kiln producers. However, in practice, the






relatively inexpensive prevenative service of a
regular kiln inspection, alongside adjustment  
  

and balancing, can give kiln users calculable Case study: situation ‘as found’ on described rotary kiln.
benefits. This service, if performed wholly and
comprehensively, can increase the reliability of
the installation, provide a longer component
life, decrease energy costs, and postpone high
expenses.

Case study
The kiln: three tyres, 68 m, 3.5 rpm, 3500 tpd.

Symptoms

ll Crack in the shell at the middle tyre.

ll Hot bearings on the middle pier.
ll A hot thrust collar on the left side of the
outlet pier.
ll Refractory failure under the outlet tyre.
ll Hydraulic system pressure exceeding 100
Bar.
ll High drive amperage.
Case study: recommended action, adjustment vectors, and reaction of thrust
system.
Inspection results

ll Measured kiln axis deviation: +11 mm vertical, +5 mm upwards. Thrust pressure dropped to 80 Bar. Bearing
horizontal, on middle pier. temperatures dropped to regular levels.
ll Measured undertyre clearance: 12 mm on outlet pier ll Adjustment of the remaining rollers that were
(hot condition); ovality 35% over limit. skewed to pushing down and, simultaneously, of
ll Measured roller skewing: up to 5 mm, creating those that were pushing the kiln up, in order to
opposite thrust forces. reduce all skewing to minimal values. The hydraulic
system pressure stabilised at 40 – 60 Bar. Drive power
Immediate action on site consumption decreased by 6%.

ll Adjustment of the kiln axis by incremental shifts of Longer perspective action

the rollers under normal operation, giving permanent
control of thrust pressure.
ll Adjustment of the roller skewing, starting from the
roller that was heating the thrust collar by pushing
down, in order to reduce the temperature and
change the mechanical position to pushing slightly
ll Recommendation for proper shimming of outlet
tyre.
ll Undertyre clearance was set up at 3 – 6 mm (hot
condition), considering possible hot peaks at the
burning zone.

Reprinted from August 2017

World Cement
ll Shell ovality to return to its regular limit, extending
the life of the refractory lining.
Benefits of this action
ll Prevention against uneven load of the supports.
ll Elimination of excess longitudinal stress in the shell,
meaning no more cracks on the shell.
ll Elimination of high thrust forces for the rollers and
tyres, and side guidance for the thrust rollers.
ll Elimination of hot bearings and hot
thrust collars.
ll Prevention against refractory loss and
excess ovality.
ll Reduction of the heavy torque on
the kiln drive that was caused by
misalignment and unbalanced opposite
thrust forces.
ll Reduction of energy consumption.
ll Protection of the components against
high wear, which shortens production
life.
ll Prevention against unexpected
stoppages in the middle of the
production season.
Conclusion
Long-term experience shows that a detailed kiln
inspection should include specified elements in order to
give a kiln user and ordering party calculable benefit.
This includes measurements of the kiln axis, geometry
Reprinted from August 2017
World Cement
of rollers skewing, inclination, profile, checks of the
kiln shell deformation and ovality, and checks for crank
formation, tyre wobbling, and gear run-out. Also
necessary is the preparation and skillful presentation of
the adjustment programme and, eventually, supervision
of the suggested adjustment, as well as the balancing
of the axial thrust. The above-mentioned activities are
sometimes time consuming. Thrust balancing takes place
through the iterative implementation of corrections
with the simultaneous observation of the kiln’s reaction
to particular supports, bearing temperatures, and thrust
collars, as well as hydraulic system operation and its
pressure. The issue is, by nature, not seen in time.
So, is the formula given at the beginning practically
applied? Certainly, but on the condition that it is
performed comprehensively, with emphasis on the
performance of adjusting and balancing activities. The
potential that this preventive service gives to a kiln
client is not used even in part, and hot kiln alignment
is often associated with measurements that are made
remotely and collated in a paper report, rather than with
preventive work performed on the kiln. A change in the
perception of this service is key for attaining the above-
specified effects and savings. It is significant that the
maintenance manager, who best understands the above-
mentioned benefits, should have a greater influence on
the choice of service supplier. The devil is in the details:
choosing the wrong supplier of such a sensitive service
may provide tiny savings at the time of the order, but
will cause large savings to be lost in the longer term, in
contrast to the preventive actions described above.