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Maximising Kiln Potential through KHD’s Unique Upgradation Concepts

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3 years ago

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Turnaround story of Dalmia Cement, Kalyanpur Works (DDSPL)

Mr. S. K. Gupta†, Executive Director – Projects
† Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited

Mr. A. K. Dembla††, President & Managing Director
Mr. Sitaram Sharma††, Director – Parts & Services
†† Humboldt Wedag India Pvt. Ltd.

  1. Introduction:
    India is the second largest cement producer in the world and accounts for over 7 per cent of the global installed capacity. We are witnessing a consistent increase in cement capacity demand over the years. The Indian cement industry has made remarkable strides in technological upgradation and assimilation of latest technology. Presently, more than 98 per cent of the total capacity in the industry is based on modern and environmental friendly process technologies. The appetite for continuous modernisation and technological upgradation with state-of-the-art solutions is on upward trend to achieve enhanced productivity, improved energy efficiency, environmental and quality standards. The installed capacity of Indian cement industry is expected to reach 550-600 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2025.
    Apart from building new production lines to increase the capacity, there is enormous scope for upgradation and modernisation of existing set-ups. Utilisation of existing kiln to its maximum potential is an art. This concept not only enhances clinker production but also significantly contributes in improving the overall operational efficiency.
    The reduced thermal and electrical energy demands will aid in reducing the carbon footprint of existing plants.
    To cater market demands in this area, KHD, a pioneer in this field offers extensive modernisation solutions which includes PH cyclones modification, optimised dip tubes, suitable riser ducts, high efficiency top cyclones, new generation clinker cooler, cooler plates, state-of-art Low NOx-AF calciner solutions etc. in Pyro section and latest generation separators, milling parts etc. in Grinding section. KHD’s experience in this area is unparalleled and hence established as one of the leading technological solution provider to modernize existing cement plants.
  2. Background:
    Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited (DCBL), one of the top 5 cement producers in India, has acquired Kalyanpur Cements under the subsidiary name DDSPL in 2018. Within short period after takeover, DCBL has set an immediate target to enhance the clinker production. As the plant was originally supplied by KHD in 80’s, DCBL has approached KHD for the revamping of existing Pyroprocess and Raw material grinding sections and subsequently awarded a contract to complete the machinery supplies within 7 months on EP basis.
  3. Snapshot of Plant Performance before modification:
    Before the takeover of DCBL, the Kalyanpur Cements was almost locked-down without active clinker and cement production to market. However, DCBL has restarted the plant after takeover.
    Subsequently DCBL has asked KHD to audit the plant to identify debottlenecking areas in both Raw grinding and Pyroprocess systems with prime target to enhance clinker production and further possibilities of improving energy efficiency.
    KHD’s technical audit team has performed a
    detailed plant audit and established following operating parameters for Pyroprocess and Raw grinding systems.
  4. Implementation of KHD’s Modernisation solutions:
    Looking in to the debottlenecking areas identified after the detailed plant audit study, KHD has proposed and implemented the following modifications.

PYROPROCESS SYSTEM:
Taking in to account the existing kiln size and its maximum potential and also considering the layout feasibility in upstream and downstream sections such as Preheater and Cooler sections, the following modifications were proposed and subsequently implemented after several rounds of technical deliberations with DCBL team.

  • Kiln feed section has been modified partially to cater the capacity requirement of Preheater section. As part of modification, blending silo extraction gates were replaced with higher capacity and new bucket elevator is installed to feed material from silo bottom to kiln feed bin which is configured in Preheater building. Necessary modifications in material handling equipment such as Air slide etc. are incorporated.
  • In preheater, the existing top cyclones were replaced with bigger size latest design twin cyclones keeping in view the capacity enhancement requirement and also to improve the overall collection efficiency of PH system.
  • A new bigger In-Line Calciner (PYROCLON-R with PYROTOP) is installed outside the PH building as shown in 3D drawing to increase the retention time at enhanced clinker production and also to take care of solid AF utilisation
  • in future.
  • KHD’s tubular calciner design aptly suitable for solid AF utilisation due to sufficient velocities, high retention time and good mixing of tertiary air in to gases from kiln stream. Besides the retention time in the calciner, turbulence is the most important criterion for assuring good fuel conversion. To create turbulence, the PYROCLON® calciner is equipped with the so-called PYROTOP® compact. This compact mixing chamber is installed at the reversal point of the calciner and ensures that there is perfect mixing at this point between the residual oxygen, the burning particles, pre-calcined meal and the waste gas. Theoretical studies and practical experience from converted plants prove the effectiveness of this mixing in, achieving better burnout and correspondingly lower CO emissions.
  • KHD’s latest generation PYROBOX® calciner firing system is also installed for improved calcination. The PYROBOX® is a sturdy and simple solution for the combustion of pulverised or granular fuels like coal dust, petcoke or dried sewage sludge. The PYROBOX® enables a pre-mixture of fuel and meal. This ensures fast ignition on the hot material, direct heat transfer and therefore a more even heat profile in the calciner with benefits regarding improved combustion and refractory service time will be achieved. The special design of the PYROBOX® burners requires no additional primary air.
  • In addition, custom made solutions such as new optimised dip tubes (immersion pipes with improved geometry), PH cyclones inlet area & height increase, raw meal pipes diameter increase along with compensators and flaps, meal inlet boxes with splash plates, kiln riser modification etc. are implemented considering plant specific conditions.
  • A new bigger PH fan of suitable specifications is also installed with motor and VFD to take care of enhanced clinker production.
  • To increase kiln speed, a new kiln main gearbox is also installed with suitable reduction ratio. The suitability of kiln critical components has been checked for
  • higher clinker production through detailed stress analysis matrix.
  • By retaining the outer skeleton of existing grate cooler housing the complete moving grate has been replaced with new generation cooler plates along with new fans of adequate capacity.
  • Fine coal dosing system is suitably upgraded with latest generation weighing & dosing systems (Coriolis feeders) for both kiln as well as calciner firing applications.

RAW MATERIAL GRINDING SYSTEM:
As the existing raw material grinding capacity is not adequate, following modifications are implemented to enhance the raw grinding capacity to cater the requirement of Pyroprocess system.

  • Existing Roller Press (RP) speed has been increased from 1.4 m/s to 1.6 m/s by installing bigger motors of 2 x 900 kW. Also, existing RP hydraulics and ROLCOX® software are upgraded.
  • New V-separator (static) for primary classification and drying purposes, and SKS-separator (dynamic) for final product classification are integrated with existing roller press in finish mode.
  • For close circuiting of above machines, new bucket elevators are installed for handling and recirculation of V-separator and Roller press discharge material.
  • Two set product collection cyclones are installed along with one SKS circulating fan.
  • To handle increased gas volume requirement, the existing kiln bag house (BH) was upgraded to 361,000 m3/h and new bigger BH fan of 420,000 m3/h @ 40 mbar is installed.
  1. Performance after upgradation:
    After implementation of above proposed modifications in meticulous manner, the overall performance of the plant is very much satisfactory and all the performance guarantees for both the sections have been achieved successfully. The snapshot of performance guarantee (PG) test results are summarised in below table.
    All the performance parameters guaranteed as per contract are successfully demonstrated for specified PG test duration.
    For KHD, it’s an immense pleasure to successfully revamp an old plant installed almost 35 years ago and to establish all the performance parameters which are quite close to the modern plants.
    This success story is a perfect example on how an old plant can still be modernised subject to layout feasibility, with marginal capital expenditure to enhance productivity and also improve
    energy efficiency.
  2. Conclusion:
    The scope for utilisation of existing equipment to its full potential is an area which can enhance not only the production but also provides additional benefits in terms of improvement in operational efficiency. KHD through its unique and customised modernisation solutions can improve the existing system productivity. The capacity enhancement by this concept will not only reduce the capital expenditure per ton of clinker produced but benefits can be materialised much earlier than an independent green field project. KHD as your partner is
    always willing to extend support in modernising existing plants with state-of-art, environmental friendly technologies.

Gist of tangible gains achieved in Pyroprocess system after upgradation:

  • Production increase of around 61 per cent from base line value.
  • Specific heat consumption reduction by more than 100 kcal/kg clinker.
  • Approx. 2.8 kWh/t cli saving in specific power consumption.
  • Significant NOx reduction after conversion to PYROCLON® R type calciner

Gist of tangible gains achieved in Raw grinding system after upgradation:

  • Production increase of around 68 per cent from base line value.
  • 1.34 kWh/t raw meal saving in specific power consumption.

(Communication by the management of the company)

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Concrete

Cement Margins Seen Rising 12–18 per cent in FY26

Healthy demand and GST cut to boost cement profits per tonne.

Published

11 hours ago

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September 29, 2025

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Cement companies’ operating profit for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) is projected to grow by 12–18 per cent, reaching Rs 900–950 per metric tonne (MT), supported by robust demand, improved realisations, and stable input costs, according to ratings agency Icra.
In FY25, operating profit before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation (OPBIDTA) stood at Rs 806 per MT, declining 16 per cent year-on-year due to weak realisations amid an extended monsoon and subdued government capital expenditure during the general elections.
Icra’s sample covers ACC, Ambuja Cements, JK Cements, JK Lakshmi Cement, The Ramco Cements, UltraTech Cement, Dalmia Bharat, Birla Corporation, Shree Cement, Sagar Cements, and Heidelberg Cement India, which together account for 74 per cent of industry capacity.
The recent GST cut on cement is expected to lower rural housing construction costs by 0.8–1.0 per cent, boosting volumes and supporting additional capacity. Average cement realisations are expected to rise 3–5 per cent in FY26.
Cement volumes increased by 8.5 per cent in the first five months of FY26, driven by strong demand from housing and infrastructure projects, despite early monsoons in some regions. During this period, cement prices rose 7.4 per cent year-on-year, particularly in northern and eastern markets. Input costs, especially for pet coke and freight, remain sensitive to global crude price movements and geopolitical factors.
Anupama Reddy, vice-president and co-group head of corporate ratings at Icra, said: “With the GST rate cut from 28 per cent to 18 per cent expected to be passed on to consumers, the average retail price of cement, currently Rs 350–360 per bag, will offer savings of Rs 26–28 per bag. Driven by strong demand, capacity additions may rise to 41–43 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in FY26 from 31 MMTPA in FY25, with the eastern region leading the growth in grinding capacity.”

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Adani’s Strategic Emergence in India’s Cement Landscape

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2 weeks ago

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September 16, 2025

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Milind Khangan, Marketing Head, Vertex Market Research, sheds light on Adani’s rapid cement consolidation under its ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy while positioning it to rival UltraTech, and thus, shaping a potential duopoly in India’s booming cement market.

India is the second-largest cement-producing country in the world, following China. This expansion is being driven by tremendous public investment in the housing and infrastructure sectors. The industry is accelerating, with a boost from schemes such as PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, and the Vande Bharat corridors. An upsurge in affordable housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) further supports this expansion. In May 2025, local cement production increased about 9 per cent from last year to about 40 million metric tonnes for the month. The combined cement capacity in India was recorded at 670 million metric tonnes in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA). For the financial year 2026, this is set to grow by another 9 per cent.
In spite of the growing demand, the Indian cement industry is highly competitive. UltraTech Cement (Aditya Birla Group) is still the market leader with domestic installed capacity of more than 186 MTPA as on 2025. It is targeted to achieve 200 MTPA. Adani Cement recently became a major player and is now India’s second-largest cement company. It did this through aggressive consolidation, operational synergies, and scale efficiencies. Indian players in the cement industry are increasingly valuing operational efficiency and sustainability. Some of the strategies with high impact are alternative fuels and materials (AFR) adoption, green cement expansion, and digital technology investments to offset changing regulatory pressure and increasing energy prices.

Building Adani Cement brand
Vertex Market Research explains that the Adani Group is executing a comprehensive reorganisation and consolidation of its cement business under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy. The plan is to integrate its diversified holdings into one consolidated corporate entity named Adani Cement. The focus is on operating integration, governance streamlining, and cost reduction in its expanding cement business.
Integration roadmap and key milestones:

  • September 2022: The consolidation process started with the $6.4 billion buyout of Holcim’s majority stakes in Ambuja Cements and ACC, with Ambuja becoming the focal point of the consolidation.
  • December 2023: Bought Sanghi Industries to strengthen the firm’s presence in western India.
  • August 2024: Added Penna Cement to the portfolio, improving penetration of the southern market of India.
  • April 2025: Further holding addition in Orient Cement to 46.66 per cent by purchasing the same from CK Birla Group, becoming the promoter with control.
  • Ambuja Cements amalgamated with Adani Cement: This was sanctioned by the NCLT on 18th July 2025 with effect from April 1, 2024. This amalgamation brings in limestone reserves and fresh assets into Ambuja.
  • Subject to Sanghi and Penna merger with Ambuja: Board approvals in December 2024 with the aim to finish between September to December 2025.
  • Ambuja-ACC future integration: The latter is being contemplated as the final step towards consolidation.
  • Orient Cement: It would serve as a principal manufacturing facility following the merger.

Scale, capacity expansion and market position
In financial year-2025, Adani Cement, including Ambuja, surpassed 100 MTPA. This makes it one of the world’s top ten cement companies. Along with ACC’s operations, it is now firmly placed as India’s second-largest cement company. In FY25, the Adani group’s sales volume per annum clocked 65 million metric tonnes. Adani Group claims that it now supplies close to 30 per cent of the cement consumed in India’s homes and infrastructure as of June 2025.
The organisation is pursuing aggressive brownfield expansion:

  • By FY 2026: Reach 118 MTPA
  • By FY 2028: Target 140 MTPA

These goals will be driven by commissioning new clinker and grinding units at key sites, with civil and mechanical works underway.
As of 2024, Adani Cement had its market share pegged at around 14 to 15 per cent, with an ambition to scale this up to 20 per cent by FY?2028, emerging as a potent competitor to UltraTech’s 192?MTPA capacity (186 domestic and overseas).

Strategic advantages and competitive benefits
The consolidation simplifies decision-making by reducing legal entities, centralising oversight, and removing redundant functions. This drives compliance efficiency and transparent reporting. Using procurement power for raw materials and energy lowers costs per ton. Integrated logistics with Adani Ports and freight infrastructure has resulted in an estimated 6 per cent savings in logistics. The group aims for additional savings of INR 500 to 550 per tonne by FY 2028 by integrating green energy, using alternative fuel resources, and improving sourcing methods.

Market coverage and brand consistency
Brand integration under one strategy will provide uniform product quality and easier distribution networks. Integration with Orient Cement’s dealer base, 60 per cent of which already distributes Ambuja/ACC products, enhances outreach and responsiveness.
By having captive limestone reserves at Lakhpat (approximately 275 million tonnes) and proposed new manufacturing facilities in Raigad, Maharashtra, Adani Cement derives cost advantage, raw material security, and long-term operational robustness.

Strategic implications and risks
Consolidation at Adani Cement makes it not just a capacity leader but also an operationally agile competitor with the ability to reap digital and sustainability benefits. Its vertically integrated platform enables cost leadership, market responsiveness, and scalability.

Challenges potentially include:

  • Integration challenges across systems, corporate cultures, and plant operations
  • Regulatory sanctions for pending mergers and new capacity additions
  • Environmental clearances in environmentally sensitive areas and debt management with input price volatility

When materialised, this revolution would create a formidable Adani–UltraTech duopoly, redefining Indian cement on the basis of scale, innovation, and sustainability. India’s leading four cement players such as Adani (ACC and Ambuja), Dalmia Cement, Shree Cement, and UltraTech are expected to dominate the cement market.

Conclusion
Adani’s aggressive consolidation under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy signals a decisive shift in the Indian cement industry, positioning the group as a formidable challenger to UltraTech and setting the stage for a potential duopoly that could dominate the sector for years to come. By unifying operations, leveraging economies of scale, and securing vertical integration—from raw material reserves to distribution networks—Adani Cement is building both capacity and resilience, with clear advantages in cost efficiency, market reach, and sustainability. While integration complexities, regulatory hurdles, and environmental approvals remain key challenges, the scale and strategic alignment of this consolidation promise to redefine competition, pricing dynamics, and operational benchmarks in one of the world’s fastest-growing cement markets.

About the author:
Milind Khangan is the Marketing Head at Vertex Market Research and comes with over five years of experience in market research, lead generation and team management.

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Concrete

Precision in Motion: A Deep Dive into PowerBuild’s Core Gear Series

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1 month ago

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August 16, 2025

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PowerBuild’s flagship Series M, C, F, and K geared motors deliver robust, efficient, and versatile power transmission solutions for industries worldwide.

Products – M, C, F, K: At the heart of every high-performance industrial system lies the need for robust, reliable, and efficient power transmission. PowerBuild answers this need with its flagship geared motor series: M, C, F, and K. Each series is meticulously engineered to serve specific operational demands while maintaining the universal promise of durability, efficiency, and performance.
Series M – Helical Inline Geared Motors: Compact and powerful, the Series M delivers exceptional drive solutions for a broad range of applications. With power handling up to 160kW and torque capacity reaching 20,000 Nm, it is the trusted solution for industries requiring quiet operation, high efficiency, and space-saving design. Series M is available with multiple mounting and motor options, making it a versatile choice for manufacturers and OEMs globally.
Series C – Right Angled Heli-Worm Geared Motors: Combining the benefits of helical and worm gearing, the Series C is designed for right-angled power transmission. With gear ratios of up to 16,000:1 and torque capacities of up to 10,000 Nm, this series is optimal for applications demanding precision in compact spaces. Industries looking for a smooth, low-noise operation with maximum torque efficiency rely on Series C for dependable performance.
Series F – Parallel Shaft Mounted Geared Motors: Built for endurance in the most demanding environments, Series F is widely adopted in steel plants, hoists, cranes, and heavy-duty conveyors. Offering torque up to 10,000 Nm and high gear ratios up to 20,000:1, this product features an integral torque arm and diverse output configurations to meet industry-specific challenges head-on.
Series K – Right Angle Helical Bevel Geared Motors: For industries seeking high efficiency and torque-heavy performance, Series K is the answer. This right-angled geared motor series delivers torque up to 50,000 Nm, making it a preferred choice in core infrastructure sectors such as cement, power, mining, and material handling. Its flexibility in mounting and broad motor options offer engineers’ freedom in design and reliability in execution.
Together, these four series reflect PowerBuild’s commitment to excellence in mechanical power transmission. From compact inline designs to robust right-angle drives, each geared motor is a result of decades of engineering innovation, customer-focused design, and field-tested reliability. Whether the requirement is speed control, torque multiplication, or space efficiency, Radicon’s Series M, C, F, and K stand as trusted powerhouses for global industries.

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