Technology

New cyclone preheater system boosts productivity

Published

7 years ago

January 6, 2019

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Enhancing sustainable productivity in cement plants through advanced counter current cyclone technology.

With over 135 years of expertise in pyro technology, our latest top-stage Counter Current Cyclone (CCX) has proven to be a revolutionising solution in the pyro processing area to cement plant owners who wish to enhance their production, lower their fuel and power consumption by a significant amount.

With traditional cyclones in which co-current heat transfer occurs between the material and gas stream in the riser duct, the exit gas would have a higher temperature than that of the material by 5-100C, but with CCX, as the name suggests, the use of counter current heat transfer mode between the material and gas within the cyclone, leads to an increase in the heat transfer efficiency, resulting in the material having a higher temperature than the preheater exit gas by 60-700C.

The CCX is an attractive buy for new installations as well as for retrofits and upgrades. For new projects, the CCX will decrease the initial cost of the preheater structure and installation time.

A simple comparison of a four-stage preheater with CCX and a traditional five-stage preheater for a 3000 tpd clinker production could result in a height reduction of more than 12 m of preheater structure. (See illustration for comparison). In existing preheater towers, the acting loads on the structure usually limit installation of larger top-stage cyclones than originally installed. However, due to its lightweight design, the CCX is well suited for such upgrades. For plant owners, this means the ability to boost preheater operation at a lower cost.

CCX Operating Principle
The CCX cyclone combines heat exchange and material separation in one process, ensuring a more efficient cyclone with low pressure drop.

Unlike conventional cyclones, the raw meal is fed to the top of the CCX and dispersed to the gas stream from the centre via a rotating spreader. The gas stream enters the cyclone through the riser duct of the next stage cyclone. As the material travels towards the cyclone wall, heat transfer from gas to material occurs in a more efficient counter-current transfer mode and the material and gas travels down to exit through their respective outlets.

Separating material from gas is done in the same process. The material will travel towards the periphery of the cyclone due to the centrifugal forces acting on it and exit through the material outlet situated at the bottom by gravity. The gas stream exits the cyclone through the gas outlet duct/ centre pipe also situated at the bottom of the cyclone.

Both material and gas flows naturally by gravity and centrifugal forces. Changes in flow direction, as in traditional top stage cyclones are avoided, leading to reduced pressure drop, as the work required to lift material is eliminated. Comparing the CCX cyclone with a traditional top stage cyclone of similar flow condition, the pressure loss is lower by up to 50 per cent.

Benefits of CCX
Savings in fuel due to reduction in net heat consumption by 8-10 kcal/kg clinker.
Savings in power due to reduced pressure drop up to 50 per cent.
Increase in capacity up to 5 per cent.
Lowest civil/structural cost in new preheaters
Fast, simple installation
High flexibility for retrofits and upgrades

Performance results from Ivano Frankvisk Cements
Together with Ivano Frankivsk Cement, we recently successfully completed a CCX upgrade at their site in Ukraine. The results have proven very successful (refer table) and now led to the order of another CCX for their new production line.
A 30 per cent increase in production was obtained with other modifications including CCX.
In India, five CCX cyclones have been sold to Ramco Cements-Jayanthipuram, OCL India Limited-Rajgangpur and JK Cement Works-Mangrol.
Mykola Makoviichuk, Production Director at Ivano Frankvisk Cement, stated, "When we saw reduced pressure losses of 40-50 per cent, we were pleasantly shocked! This cyclone has the equivalent effect of 1.8 standard cyclones, which meant we could reduce one section of the preheater, ultimately reducing construction costs. I want to thank FLSmidth for their collaboration on this upgrade project. Their new CCX is far ahead of anything else on the market and enables us to increase our outputs. We are very happy with the results."

Design features of CCX
Rotating Spreader with VFD: The raw meal is fed at the top of the cyclone to the spreader which disperse the meal to the gases entering through the riser duct. It is easily accessible and changeable from the access platform at the top of the cyclone. As a mitigation plan, in the unlikely event of any issues in the spreader, the CCX can operate as a DDX (Downward Draft Cyclone), the only difference being the feed enters along with the gas stream from the riser duct. In this case, the meal distribution box will be a part of the second stage riser duct which allows the plant to operate without stoppage.

New densulate lining: CCX comes with a new two layer light-weight lining concept. This reduces lining weight by approximately 60 per cent compared to traditional lining.

Conclusion
The new CCX delivers cement plant owners greater opportunities to reduce initial installation expenses and improve plant operations. Leading the way as the next generation of top-stage cyclone technology, the CCX is designed to make the preheating process more economical.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ram Kumar Sridharan, Product Line Manager-Pyro, FLSmidth.

Technology

ARAPL Reports 175% EBITDA Growth, Expands Global Robotics Footprint

Affordable Robotic & Automation posts strong Q2 and H1 FY26 results driven by innovation and overseas orders

Published

2 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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Affordable Robotic & Automation Limited (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics firm and a pioneer in industrial automation and smart robotic solutions, has reported robust financial results for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2025.
The company achieved a 175 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone EBITDA and strong revenue growth across its automation and robotics segments. The Board of Directors approved the unaudited financial results on October 10, 2025.

Key Highlights – Q2 FY2026
• Strong momentum across core automation and robotics divisions
• Secured the first order for the Atlas AC2000, an autonomous truck loading and unloading forklift, from a leading US logistics player
• Rebranded its RaaS product line as Humro (Human + Robot), symbolising collaborative automation between people and machines
• Expanded its Humro range in global warehouse automation markets
• Continued investment in deep-tech innovations, including AI-based route optimisation, autonomy kits, vehicle controllers, and digital twins
Global Milestone: First Atlas AC2000 Order in the US

ARAPL’s US-based subsidiary, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), received its first order for the next-generation Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklift from a leading logistics company. Following successful prototype trials, the client placed an order for two robots valued at Rs 36 million under a three-year lease. The project opens opportunities for scaling up to 15–16 robots per site across 15 US warehouses within two years.
The product addresses an untapped market of 10 million loading docks across 21,000 warehouses in the US, positioning ARAPL for exponential growth.

Financial Performance – Q2 FY2026 (Standalone)
Net Revenue: Rs 25.7587 million, up 37 per cent quarter-on-quarter
EBITDA: Rs 5.9632 million, up 396 per cent QoQ
Profit Before Tax: Rs 4.3808 million, compared to a Rs 360.46 lakh loss in Q1
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.1854 lakh, representing 216 per cent QoQ growth
On a half-year basis, ARAPL reported a 175 per cent rise in EBITDA and returned to profitability with Rs 58.08 lakh PAT, highlighting strong operational efficiency and improved contribution from core businesses.
Consolidated Performance – Q2 FY2026
Net Revenue: Rs 29.566 million, up 57% QoQ
EBITDA: Rs 6.2608 million, up 418 per cent QoQ
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.5672 million, marking a 224 per cent QoQ improvement

Milind Padole, Managing Director, ARAPL said, “Our Q2 results reflect the success of our innovation-led growth strategy and the growing global confidence in ARAPL’s technology. The Atlas AC2000 order marks a defining milestone that validates our engineering strength and accelerates our global expansion. With a healthy order book and continued investment in AI and autonomous systems, ARAPL is positioned to lead the next phase of intelligent industrial transformation.”
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Pune, Affordable Robotic & Automation Ltd (ARAPL) delivers turnkey robotic and automation solutions across automotive, general manufacturing, and government sectors. Its offerings include robotic welding, automated inspection, assembly automation, automated parking systems, and autonomous driverless forklifts.
ARAPL operates five advanced plants in Pune spanning 350,000 sq ft, supported by over 400 engineers in India and seven team members in the US. The company also maintains facilities in North Carolina and California, and service centres in Faridabad, Mumbai, and San Francisco.

Technology

M.E. Energy Bags Rs 490 Mn Order for Waste Heat Recovery Project

Second major EPC contract from Ferro Alloys sector strengthens company’s growth

Published

2 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kilburn Engineering Ltd and a leading Indian engineering company specialising in energy recovery and cost reduction, has secured its second consecutive major order worth Rs 490 million in the Ferro Alloys sector. The order covers the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of a 12 MW Waste Heat Recovery Based Power Plant (WHRPP).

This repeat order underscores the Ferro Alloys industry’s confidence in M.E. Energy’s expertise in delivering efficient and sustainable energy solutions for high-temperature process industries. The project aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions by converting waste heat into clean power.

“Securing another project in the Ferro Alloys segment reinforces our strong technical credibility. It’s a proud moment as we continue helping our clients achieve sustainability and cost efficiency through innovative waste heat recovery systems,” said K. Vijaysanker Kartha, Managing Director, M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd.

“M.E. Energy’s expansion into sectors such as cement and ferro alloys is yielding solid results. We remain confident of sustained success as we deepen our presence in steel and carbon black industries. These achievements reaffirm our focus on innovation, technology, and energy efficiency,” added Amritanshu Khaitan, Director, Kilburn Engineering Ltd

With this latest order, M.E. Energy has already surpassed its total external order bookings from the previous financial year, recording Rs 138 crore so far in FY26. The company anticipates further growth in the second half, supported by a robust project pipeline and the rising adoption of waste heat recovery technologies across industries.

The development marks continued momentum towards FY27, strengthening M.E. Energy’s position as a leading player in industrial energy optimisation.

Technology

NTPC Green Energy Partners with Japan’s ENEOS for Green Fuel Exports

NGEL signs MoU with ENEOS to supply green methanol and hydrogen derivatives

Published

2 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s ENEOS Corporation to explore a potential agreement for the supply of green methanol and hydrogen derivative products.

The MoU was exchanged on 10 October 2025 during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. It marks a major step towards global collaboration in clean energy and decarbonisation.
The partnership centres on NGEL’s upcoming Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka in Andhra Pradesh. Spread across 1,200 acres, the integrated facility is being developed for large-scale green chemical production and exports.

By aligning ENEOS’s demand for hydrogen derivatives with NGEL’s renewable energy initiatives, the collaboration aims to accelerate low-carbon energy transitions. It also supports NGEL’s target of achieving a 60 GW renewable energy portfolio by 2032, reinforcing its commitment to India’s green energy ambitions and the global net-zero agenda.