Economy & Market

Optimising plant utilisation

Published

11 years ago

July 31, 2015

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Developments in pyro processing optimisation and technologies have made it possible to improve existing plants with high energy efficiencies and low emissions, while simultaneously reducing operating costs and preserving the environment and optimal use of fast depleting natural resources.

Kiln is said to be the heart of a cement plant, comparing the cement plant with that of human body. It is a continuous operation and the performance of a plant is judged by the number of days; the kiln runs without any stoppages. In the present economic scenario on an average, the plant utilisation is close to 70 per cent. For the operational function, it is much more challenging because if the production level further goes down for want of demand, then within no time, the plant operation runs into red. Therefore, it is extremely important to decide the equipment capacities precisely since it is a part of design. There is a tendency to go for higher capacity plants for the simple commercial considerations, but in the present situation, such plants in no time will turn into stressed asset if they are running below the bench mark level. Every unit knows its benchmark level to run it into profits. This is exactly the situation in few of the cement plants in the country as they were set up when there was a boom time for cement business which did last for few years but no further.

New approach
A few cement producers in the industry have been smart to decide on the capacities of the plant. Generally at design stage, while deciding on preheater it is preferred to have a single string of operation as a starting phase. Then after stabilisation and proper understanding of the market conditions, it is better to add another string. But then the kiln in the first phase must have been designed with sufficient margins. This has been the case with a few of plants in our country. The plant capacities have been enhanced over a period of time. Our design engineers along with FLSmidth, ThyssenKrupp, KHD Humboldt etc, have done wonderful jobs to add to the capacities of the plant in the country without diluting the performance of the kiln on any count like gaseous pollution or compromising on operational part. However, we strongly feel this has created tremendous load on the coolers and to some extent compromised its performance. The cooler as a hardware has limitations to enhance its capacity or either have modifications in the given space. In many cases, it has been noticed that it is the cooler which throttles the production and not the kiln or grinding.

Use of alternate fuels
Regarding the technology front, there is not much to say on the pyro process per se specifically that has happened in the last decade except more and more players in our country have been experimenting on alternate fuels or industrial waste which is encouraging. With more support coming from the government departments like Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards, the number of usage is only going to grow. There are some changes required in the kiln burner design before the fuels are changed or replaced. Plant would prefer to have a common burner for conventional fuel like coal and for alternate fuels like industrial waste and petcoke. The plants need to address the issue of safety while using hazardous waste since our experience in doing jobs in a safe manner is far below expectations.

Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) can reduce the operating costs and improve EBITDA margins of cement factories by about 10-15 per cent. On average, electric power expenses account for up to 25 per cent of total operating costs of a cement factory. However, to realise the full potential of WHR as of now $1,400 million is required, which is too high.

The other major advantage for Indian cement industry is minuscule presence of volatile matters like sulphur, chlorine, potassium etc. Therefor a majority of plants in India do not have bypass system as a part of design whereas the plants in Gulf countries have this as an additional system. In future as more and more plants will go for alternate fuels in the country they may have to go for by pass system as additional feature.

Focus emission
In pyro processing, the area of focus has been, reduction of NOX and SO2 emissions, and increase of production throughput without compromising on energy consumption but with flexible options on fuel.

Safety in pyro processing is extremely important since coal is used as a fuel. Generally, it is pulvisised at the plant and then fed into the kiln through burner. The conditions in the coal mill area are extremely hazardous and need more attention to reduce the number of unsafe incidences. Inertisation of coal mill is yet to be executed in many plants. There is a lot of scope for improvement here in the industry. Considering the capabilities exhibited till date, we feel Indian cement industry will fulfill this aspiration as well.

Conclusion
According to Kumar, developments in pyro processing optimisation and technologies have made it possible to improve existing plants with high energy efficiencies and low emissions, while simultaneously reducing operating costs and preserving the environment and optimal use of fast depleting natural resources. Process optimisation and performance improvement has become inevitable in cement industry. "Although every situation must be analysed carefully to evaluate real gains that can be achieved, most cement plants can achieve improved performance by implementing suitable modifications," he concludes.

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN PYRO PROCESSING

Kilns

Redefinition of operating parameters – volumetric loadings up to 7.5 tpd/cu m
Thermal loadings up to 5.5 Gcal/ sq m/kg clinker
Filling % of 14-16 and kiln speeds up to 5.5 rpm
2-pier installations with a drop in L/D ratios to 10-11
Low primary air, low NOx multi-channel burners

Pre-calciners

Degree of calcination up to 95 per cent
Calciner to kiln fuel ratio of 70:30
Increased residence time up to 5.5 sec to improve combustion efficiency specially in case of petcoke
Low NOx systems Pre-heater
6-stage, twin string preheaters with clinkering capacities up to 10,000 tpd
Increased cyclone efficiency up to 96 per cent
Reduction in L/D ratio in cyclones resulting in a pressure drop reduction from 700 to 400 mm WG and a tower height reduction of 10-15 m
Reduction in the total sp. air requirement from 1.6 to 1.45 Nm3/kg clinker Improvement in fan efficiencies.

Coolers

New generation (eg, walking-floor) coolers resulting in increased cooler recuperating efficiency from 68-76 per cent resulting in increase of secondary/tertiary air temperature to 1,000oC
Drop in air requirement from 2.2 to 1.6 Nm3/ kg clinker
Increase in cooler loading up to 50 t/d/sq m

Bypass system
Raw materials and fuels used for the manufacture of clinker generally contain some volatile constituents. These are mainly the compounds of potassium, sodium, sulphur and chlorine. Volatiles may also originate from water, refractory and wearing parts of equipment. These volatile constituents generally have low melting points. Hence, condensation of the volatile matters takes place on raw meal particles and the surrounding walls in the colder zones of the kiln. This causes build-ups on the cyclone walls and riser ducts that lead to blockages in the passage areas in the cyclones. The bypass system allows a high proportion of volatiles to be removed through the kiln gas stream and improves the performance and product quality.

Fuel solutions
Alternative fuels such as lignite, petcoke, tyres, bagasse, rice husk, industrial wastes etc, are being in use for sometime now. Several plants are using/ investigating hospital refuse and municipal waste as workable alternatives. The current reported thermal substitution rates (TSR) in the Indian cement industry is about one per cent. However, TSR levels as high as 60 per cent have been achieved in some of the developed nations. Action plans are needed to overcome technical, financial and regulatory barriers to the growth of alternate fuel (AF) usage. Technical solutions are in place for storage, handling and dosing the AF to the system.

– Kamal Kumar, Chief General Manager, Holtec

Diagnosis
Based on process measurements conducted following observations were made:

The PH system is operating with about 28% leakage air. This is resulting in higher PH fan power consumption.
The cooler vent gas volume of 1.63 Nm3/kg clinker and temperature of 369oC.
High clinker temperature of 165oC value against the normal value of around 100oC.
The heat balance of the pyro processing system indicated that the total heat consumption works out to 888 kcal/kg clinker.

Implementations
Following suggestions were implemented:
Area	2,000 t/d
Kiln size	3.95 m dia x 56 m L
Preheater (PH)	Single string 5-stage suspension preheater with in line calciner (ILC)
Kiln burner	Duoflex
Fuel used	Furnace oil
Preheater fan	7,000 m³/min at 900 mm WG, 320^oC
Cooler vent fan	5,133 m³/min at 190 mm WG, 300^oC
Clinker cooler	Reciprocating grate cooler
Cooler effective area	52.8 m²
No. of grates	2
Specific heat consumption
(A mass and heat balance conducted jointly)	854 kcal/kg clinker

Implementations
Following suggestions were implemented:
Area	Recommendations	Result
Fuel firing	Conversion of oil firing to coal firing in kiln and PC	Reduction in operation cost
Preheater	Reducing preheater exhaust gas quantity to 1.60 Nm³/kg clinker by arrest false air leakage, reduce the PH outlet draft	Reduction in heat consumption
	PC primary air fan volume reduced, smaller capacity fan motor installed	Reduction in power consumption
	Coal transport air quantity to PC was reduced in phases	Reduction in heat consumption
	Maintaining PC outlet temperature as 840^oC.A PID loop was provided for the PC firing.	Reduction in heat consumption
Kiln	Increase the kiln speed from 3.0 to 3.3 rpm	Increased kiln output
	Coal transport air to quantity to kiln was reduced in phases	Reduction in heat consumption
	Position of the inner burner pipe was retracted by 30 mm and pressure at burner pipe was increased by 10 per cent	Sharp and intense flame resulting in saving in heat consumption
Clinker cooler	To reduce the cooler vent air temperature	Reduction in heat consumption.
	Optimisation of cooler operation, commissioning of water spray system.	Reduction in clinker temperature
	First grate of the cooler is to be modified with the new generation static grate plates/grate systems.	Improved heat recuperation to handle increased clinker production
		Stable cooler operation

Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Leonard unveils Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve industrial safety and reduce shutdown time by up to 50 per cent.

Industrial robotics and refractory services specialist Leonard has launched Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve safety, accelerate maintenance and reduce shutdown times in hazardous industrial environments. The system made its debut at Lisahally Power Station in Northern Ireland, removing 25 tonnes of slag material within hours.

Developed for the cement, metals, waste-to-energy and petrochemical industries, Descender Duo enables remote-controlled refractory demolition, anchor cutting and welding, and refractory spraying inside boilers, calciners and silos. Its vertical-access design eliminates the need for personnel to enter confined, high-risk spaces during these operations.

Weighing less than two tonnes, the pre-assembled system requires an access opening of just 1.2 m². Supported by an external overhead hoist, it uses electrically operated hydraulic stabilising legs to secure itself inside vessels. The robotic arm offers 360-degree rotation and is suited to vessels approximately 9 m in diameter, with its operating reach extendable through strategically positioned access points.

Equipped with two independently controlled robotic heads, Descender Duo can perform identical or different tasks simultaneously, including refractory demolition, anchor cutting and spraying. Its remote-control system incorporates live camera feeds, allowing operators to monitor operations without entering hazardous environments.

According to Leonard, the technology can deliver time savings of up to 50 per cent compared with manual methods. Its ability to operate at temperatures exceeding 100°C allows maintenance to begin as early as 24 hours after burner shutdown. An all-electric power supply further supports cleaner and more cost-efficient operations.

First Deployment Demonstrates Shutdown Efficiency

The system was first deployed at Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor’s (BWSC) Lisahally Power Station in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The facility generates electricity from grade C waste wood, supplying approximately 40,000 homes and businesses.

Leonard and BWSC collaborated to develop a customised solution for the plant’s 26-metre furnace, where extensive external pipework created significant access challenges.

Mark Leonard, Managing Director, Leonard, said, “It required new thinking and rather than step away from the problem we were committed to solving it for the customer, with the customer. We’re relentless in our approach to tackling complex challenges, head-on. We took our years of cement plant experience, coupled with our working knowledge of the BWSC plant, and designed, engineered and tested a completely new vertical solution within just seven weeks from that initial conversation with the customer. That solution was the Descender Duo as we know it today.”

Traditionally, the furnace required a cooling period of up to 36 hours before preparatory work could begin, followed by manual slag removal using rope-access personnel. With Descender Duo, work commenced just 24 hours after shutdown, reducing downtime by up to one day.

The deployment removed 25 tonnes of slag within hours, eliminated the need for at least six workers to enter the hazardous furnace interior and saved 26 hours in the shutdown programme.

“The effectiveness exceeded expectation,” said Martin Doran, Plant Manager at Lisahally Power Station.

“When the Descender Duo concept was first discussed, we had to spend some time with the team from Leonard looking at how it was going to be moved into the furnace. Every site is different and that presented its own challenges, but nothing that the team couldn’t overcome. Once it was installed we were hugely impressed by its efficiency.”

Expanding Industrial Robotics Applications

Descender Duo joins Leonard’s existing portfolio of robotic maintenance solutions, including the Axis horizontal-access arm, Nano confined-space access arm, Charger cement mill media recharging system and Calibre cement mill media grading system.

Headquartered in Northern Ireland, Leonard provides robotic refractory demolition, installation, inspection and industrial maintenance services across the cement, metals, energy, biomass, glass and civil engineering sectors.

Formerly known as G Leonard, the company has more than 35 years of industry experience and operates across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

The latest innovation reinforces Leonard’s focus on replacing hazardous manual processes with robotic systems that improve workforce safety, enhance operational efficiency and minimise industrial downtime.

Concrete

Martin Engineering Appoints Ashwini Khunte as India General Manager

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Martin Engineering names Ashwini Khunte India General Manager to strengthen operations and drive growth across key bulk material handling sectors.

Pune

Martin Engineering, a global provider of bulk material handling solutions, has appointed Ashwini Khunte as General Manager of its India business, strengthening its leadership as the company expands its presence across the country’s cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure sectors.

Khunte brings more than a decade of experience with Martin Engineering, having joined its Indian operations in 2013 as a Design Engineer, shortly after the company established its presence in the country in 2012.

A mechanical engineer by qualification, she spent her initial five years developing bulk material handling solutions in collaboration with the company’s operations team. During this period, she gained extensive experience addressing operational challenges in the steel, cement and coal industries. She subsequently moved into project engineering, managing major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) projects from initial enquiry to commissioning. Her responsibilities later expanded to overseeing Martin Engineering’s conveyor product portfolio in India, involving customer engagement, technical presentations and site visits across heavy industries.

In 2024, Khunte was promoted to Head of Sales & Marketing for the company’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region. The position broadened her international market exposure and strengthened her strategic and commercial leadership capabilities.

Commenting on her appointment, Ashwini Khunte, General Manager, Martin Engineering India, said: “India represents a tremendous opportunity for Martin Engineering. The country’s continued investment in cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure is creating increasing demand for safer, cleaner and more productive bulk material handling, and that’s exactly what we do. My priority will be to build on the strong foundations already established in India, while continuing to develop our people, strengthen customer relationships and bring practical solutions to the challenges faced by our industry.”

Robert Whetstone, Area Vice President – EMEAI, Martin Engineering, highlighted Khunte’s technical expertise, market understanding and leadership experience.

“Ashwini brings an exceptional combination of technical understanding, customer knowledge and commercial leadership. She has grown as Martin Engineering has grown, and has consistently demonstrated outstanding capability to transform her expertise into practical solutions. Her knowledge of the Indian market, together with her international experience, makes her ideally suited to lead our India business through its next stage of growth for years to come.”

Since establishing its Indian business in 2012, Martin Engineering has expanded its local workforce, manufacturing capabilities and dealership network. The company supplies conveyor products, transfer point solutions, material flow aids, training and technical support to bulk material handling industries. Khunte’s appointment positions the company to further strengthen customer relationships and expand its solutions portfolio in India’s growing industrial and infrastructure markets.

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

2 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

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Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com