Technology

Technology for alternative fuel firing

Published

5 years ago

July 1, 2021

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Use of low-grade alternative fuels such as waste coal, tyres, sewage sludge, and biomass fuels (such as wood products, agricultural waste, etc.) in pre-calciners is a feasible option since combustion in pre-calciner takes place at a lower temperature.

India is the second largest cement producer in the world and accounted for over 8 per cent of the global installed capacity as of 2019 with an overall cement production capacity of around 545 MT in FY20. The Indian cement industry is swiftly developing due to the increasing demand of construction sectors, be it housing, commercial, industrial, etc.

Cement manufacturing being a high energy consuming and heavy polluting process accounts for at least 8 per cent of the total emission of greenhouse gases. At the same time, energy-related expenses in the cement sector, mostly on fossil fuels and electricity, account for 30 to 40 per cent of the industry?? cash costs.

Historically, the primary fuel used in cement industry is coal. Recent increases of coal prices in the Indian market again made the cement industry vulnerable to fuel cost. Since then, petroleum coke has been successfully used as fuel and the use alternative fuels in cement kilns is now common and increasing. Although fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, etc. can provide all the energy the world needs for the time being, their finite nature, high prices and most importantly, their damaging effect on the environment underscore the need to develop alternative fuels.

Today?? cement industry becomes more challenging for the following main factors: the lowest production cost and minimum environmental impact. Beyond the cost-reduction benefits of alternative fuels, use of these fuels can contribute greatly to the environmentally sound disposal of waste and to the mitigation of greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG). Therefore, key cement players have started to consider alternative fuels as a lever to improve their contribution to sustainable development and as a key component of corporate social responsibility.

This is certainly a win-win option for both cement industry and the society at large. There is, hence, an urgent need to implement appropriate policies and practices in favor of co-processing in the country so that it can contribute reasonably towards the waste management needs of the country and help industry in substituting alternative resources in the cement manufacturing process. This would require substantial capacity building in the relevant stakeholder community ??particularly the policy makers, authorities, waste generators, facility providers and the cement plants.

Alternative Fuel options available

The range of alternative fuels is extremely wide. Use of low-grade alternative fuels such as waste coal, tyres, sewage sludge, and biomass fuels (such as wood products, agricultural waste, etc.) in pre-calciners is a feasible option since combustion in pre-calciner takes place at a lower temperature. The major Alternative Fuel available to use in India would be MSW (Municipal Solid Waste).

Sewage sludge: In several countries, sewage sludge is used in cement production. The sludge is usually co-fired with coal in pre-dried form. Pre-dried sludge is easier to store, transport and feed. However, it has a high content of SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 which could affect the quality of cement if excess amounts are used.

Used Tyres: Combustion of whole tyres requires long residence times to obtain complete conversion. In some cement installations, tyres are fired whole, mostly in the rotary kiln. More commonly, they are shredded in a slashing process, producing tyre chunks or chips, and co-fired with coal in the precalciner. They cannot, however, be finely comminuted economically. FLSmidth offers HOTDISC? Combustion Device for high efficient firing of used tyres.

Agricultural Biomass- A largely untapped renewable energy source: The type of biomass utilized by cement plants is highly variable, and is based on the crops that are locally grown/available. For e.g., rice husk, hazelnut shells, coconut husks, corn stover, coffee pods, and palm nut shells are among the many varieties of biomass currently being burned in cement kilns. Biomass fuels are considered carbon neutral because the carbon released during combustion is taken out of the atmosphere by the species during the growth phase.

Major challenges of using agricultural biomass residues include the relatively low calorific value which can cause flame instability, and availability since most of the agricultural residues are seasonal (not available all year round). The flame instability problems could be overcome with lower substitution rates and ability to adjust air flow and flame shape.

Other major Alternative Fuels include waste oil, liquid waste, Plastic, Meat and bone meal, etc.

Benefits of using Alternative Fuels in Cement Production

Cement producers are striving to lower their production costs. One effective method of achieving this end is the use of alternative fuels.

The reduction in emissions to the atmosphere and the positive environmental impact it holds is a major benefit of Alternative Fuel firing. In pre-calciners where kiln exhaust gases pass through, the NOx emissions are much reduced due to reburn reactions. Also, there is an increased net global reduction in CO2 emissions when waste is combusted in the cement kiln systems as opposed to dedicated incinerators, resulting a reduction in penalties.

Key considerations and challenges for co-processing Alternative Fuels

The potential benefits of burning alternative fuels at cement plants are numerous. However, the contrary is possible where poor planning results in higher emissions or when they are not put to their best use with best practices.

Alternative fuels used in cement manufacturing have different characteristics compared to the conventional fuels. Switching fuels present several challenges that must be addressed in-order to achieve successful application. The type of fuel used can introduce some material components which can interfere with the chemistry of the cement materials as well as affect the operation of the system. The use of a type of fuel is hence subject to the constraints imposed by any effect on cement quality, refractory life, gas and material flow or potential emissions to the atmosphere.

Poor heat distribution, unstable pre-calciner operation, blockages in the preheater cyclones, build-ups in the kiln riser ducts, higher emissions and dusty kilns are some of the major challenges.

FLSmidth Alternative Fuel Firing Technology

Introducing alternative fuels has an impact across the plant. The materials can have totally different characteristics from fossil fuels. They can be sticky, fluffy, moist, and fluctuating in size and quality or you may need to switch between different types of fuel with very different characteristic due to governed by availability. They will burn differently, have a different reaction in the kiln and may require you to take other actions to ensure consistent clinker quality. There are a lot of variables at play ??which is why you need an experienced partner on your side.

With over 25 years of direct alternative fuels experience and more than 130 years in the cement industry, FLSmidth? offers a range of products to enable Cement Manufacturers to increase their substitution of Alternative Fuels.

JETFLEX? Burner

Cement kilns have several characteristics which make them ideal installations for disposal of waste through co-processing in an environmentally sound manner:

– High temperatures

– Long residence time

– Oxidizing atmosphere

– High thermal inertia

– Alkaline environment

– Ash retention in clinker

FLSmidth?? JETFLEX? Burner is a highly flexible kiln burner, designed to produce the best flame shape and lowest NOx emissions for various fuel types and operating conditions. It fires rotary kilns with pulverized coal or coke, oil, natural gas, or any mixture of these fuels. Alternative fuel firing of plastic chips, wood chips and sewage sludge can also occur through the same common fuel channel to improve heat and power consumption and minimize cold airflow entering from the fuel transport.

JETFLEX? PLUS Burner

For optimum combustion flexibility, our JETFLEX PLUS Burner offers superior combustion of cost-effective grade fuels, complete flame-forming control and increased fuel retention time. The two design features that characterize the JETFLEX PLUS Burner model are individually rotatable jet air nozzles and a retractable center pipe for alternative fuel firing.

The individual rotatable nozzles also enable fuel lift configuration. This is used with solid alternative fuels to increase fuel retention time in the flame. The result is less fuel drop-out, improved combustion, and improved clinker quality. The swirler is the main mechanism for shaping the flame during start-up and daily operation.

The JETFLEX PLUS burner offers retraction of the swirler and central duct. In combination with the axial air nozzles, this enables a significant drop in fuel velocity in front of the burner. This feature strongly increases the fuel retention time in the flame and enables early ignition of low grade fuels. In combination with the fuel lift configuration as noted above, spillage to the charge is minimised. This allows the burner to contribute to superior flame and clinker quality control as well as a high alternative fuel substitution.

HOTDISC? Combustion Device

The HOTDISC solution allows cement producers to substitute coal or other fossil fuels with a wide range of alternative fuels. The HOTDISC is a flagship solution for FLSmidth?? MissionZero that helps cement producers take an important step toward zero-emission cement plants by 2030. Launched in 2004 and over 35 installations worldwide, the HOTDISC Combustion Devices has already firmly established itself as an attractive technology to accelerate cement plants??transition toward alternative fuels.

From wet powders to solid waste up to 1.2 metres in diameter, our HOTDISC Combustion Device can burn them all. The waste to energy process eliminates the need for expensive shredding and gives you the flexibility to select the most economical choice from a wide range of alternative fuel options. The HOTDISC Combustion Device is designed to achieve a calciner fuel substitution rate of up to 80%, although results vary significantly depending on specific plant conditions.

As an integrated part of your kiln system, the HOTDISC Combustion Device is added onto the calciner and functions as a slow-moving disc furnace. When alternative fuel, preheated raw meal and tertiary air are fed into the HOTDISC, it produces combustion gases, partly calcined meal and combustion residues. These are then processed in the calciner alongside the other streams entering it. The result is calcined meal ready for the kiln and well-controlled emissions.

Alternative fuels are introduced onto the slowly rotating disc and they start to burn in fully-oxidising conditions when they meet the hot tertiary air. The burning fuel is transported approximately 270? on the disc until it reaches the scraper, where the remaining ash and partly calcined materials are discharged into the riser duct. Heavy combustion residues fall into the kiln inlet, while lighter fragments and combustion gases move up into the calciner.

HOTDISC-S? is a recently developed version of HOTDISC specifically to cater the needs of customers with SLC type calciners, hence enabling them to achieve Alternative Fuel firing. Two of these devices have been commissioned globally and running successfully.

Low NOx Calciner

With a goal to optimise production costs, FLSmidth?? Low NOx Calciner has been enhanced for operational stability, availability and combustion efficiency.

NOX regulations are continuously being tightened around the world. Meeting NOx emissions limits is therefore a key demand for cement producers, not only because NOx-related issues, such as smog pollution, have a direct impact on the local society, but also because your plant?? license to operate is directly linked to its NOx emissions.

Multiple fuel inlets are given to ensure optimal distribution between the kiln gases and the fuel. To achieve the best distribution between the kiln gases and the fuel, there are multiple inlets (four or six, depending on plant size). Better fuel distribution provides optimal mixing, which gives the highest average cross-sectional temperature without any build-up problems.

The Low NOX Calciner has the flexibility to burn almost any type of fuel. This includes traditional fuels, including coal and natural gas, more difficult-to-burn fuels, such as petcoke, and most solid and liquid waste fuels. These fuel types are burned while achieving low NOx and CO emissions.Primary Mitigation

Another simple solution FLSmidth? provides for reducing the NOx emissions in the existing plants is the Primary mitigation NOx reduction through calciner design changes. These are basically layout changes to create one firing location, one meal split, one air stream entering tangentially to the calciner and creating “hot zone??and ??eduction zone?? The plant system is studied and appropriate modifications are recommended. For even lower NOx emissions, FLSmidth? provides SNCR system as an add-on solution.

Kiln Gas By-pass System

Kiln gas bypass systems have traditionally only been used in regions where the local raw materials are naturally high in chloride, sulfur or alkalis. The growing use of alternative fuels and other materials is also increasing the input of chloride to kiln systems to the point that may require a bypass to maintain process stability or product quality. FLSmidth has extensive experience with the design and use of kiln bypass systems.

Main features:

– Quench chamber with dual layer dip tube

– Quench air inlet flap valve

– Control scheme for maximum stability

– Special lining design in transition pipe section

– Constant force support system

– Multiple layout possibilities

While the fundamental principles of a bypass system have not changed, state-of-the-art technology and design tools have been incorporated to improve bypass efficiency and maximise reliability. Most projects today will at least have the space for a future small chloride bypass (less than 10%) with respect to use of alternative fuels and materials.

Conclusion

The co-processing of waste as AFR disposes the waste completely and thereby eliminates the societal concerns associated with it. In Indian cement industry, if these initiatives could increase thermal substitution to the level of European countries, the cement industry can reduce its GHG emission by a significant amount, impacting the overall country?? GHG emission.

The type of fuel used in cement production is subject to the constraints imposed by its effects on cement quality, refractory life, emissions to the atmosphere, etc. and hence requires proper study and planning by specialists before implementation.

To reduce fuel cost in cement industry, globally, waste materials and low-grade fuels are co processed extensively as alternative fuels or energy sources. India still has a long way to go in ensuring greater substitution of AFRs, resulting in sizable conservation of natural materials and fossil fuels and to make the most out of the technology available for the same.

Author:

Gopika Krishnakumar

Product Line Manager

Cement Industry/Pyro Technology

FLSmidth

Concrete

Redefining Efficiency with Digitalisation

Published

2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

admin

Professor Procyon Mukherjee discusses how as the cement industry accelerates its shift towards digitalisation, data-driven technologies are becoming the mainstay of sustainability and control across the value chain.

The cement industry, long perceived as traditional and resistant to change, is undergoing a profound transformation driven by digital technologies. As global infrastructure demand grows alongside increasing pressure to decarbonise and improve productivity, cement manufacturers are adopting data-centric tools to enhance performance across the value chain. Nowhere is this shift more impactful than in grinding, which is the energy-intensive final stage of cement production, and in the materials that make grinding more efficient: grinding media and grinding aids.

The imperative for digitalisation
Cement production accounts for roughly 7 per cent to 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions, largely due to the energy intensity of clinker production and grinding processes. Digital solutions, such as AI-driven process controls and digital twins, are helping plants improve stability, cut fuel use and reduce emissions while maintaining consistent product quality. In one deployment alongside ABB’s process controls at a Heidelberg plant in Czechia, AI tools cut fuel use by 4 per cent and emissions by 2 per cent, while also improving operational stability.
Digitalisation in cement manufacturing encompasses a suite of technologies, broadly termed as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), AI and machine learning, predictive analytics, cloud-based platforms, advanced process control and digital twins, each playing a role in optimising various stages of production from quarrying to despatch.

Grinding: The crucible of efficiency and cost
Of all the stages in cement production, grinding is among the most energy-intensive, historically consuming large amounts of electricity and representing a significant portion of plant operating costs. As a result, optimising grinding operations has become central to digital transformation strategies.
Modern digital systems are transforming grinding mills from mechanical workhorses into intelligent, interconnected assets. Sensors throughout the mill measure parameters such as mill load, vibration, mill speed, particle size distribution, and power consumption. This real-time data, fed into machine learning and advanced process control (APC) systems, can dynamically adjust operating conditions to maintain optimal throughput and energy usage.
For example, advanced grinding systems now predict inefficient conditions, such as impending mill overload, by continuously analysing acoustic and vibration signatures. The system can then proactively adjust clinker feed rates and grinding media distribution to sustain optimal conditions, reducing energy consumption and improving consistency.

Digital twins: Seeing grinding in the virtual world
One of the most transformative digital tools applied in cement grinding is the digital twin, which a real-time virtual replica of physical equipment and processes. By integrating sensor data and
process models, digital twins enable engineers to simulate process variations and run ‘what-if’
scenarios without disrupting actual production. These simulations support decisions on variables such as grinding media charge, mill speed and classifier settings, allowing optimisation of energy use and product fineness.
Digital twins have been used to optimise kilns and grinding circuits in plants worldwide, reducing unplanned downtime and allowing predictive maintenance to extend the life of expensive grinding assets.

Grinding media and grinding aids in a digital era
While digital technologies improve control and prediction, materials science innovations in grinding media and grinding aids have become equally crucial for achieving performance gains.
Grinding media, which comprise the balls or cylinders inside mills, directly influence the efficiency of clinker comminution. Traditionally composed of high-chrome cast iron or forged steel, grinding media account for nearly a quarter of global grinding media consumption by application, with efficiency improvements translating directly to lower energy intensity.
Recent advancements include ceramic and hybrid media that combine hardness and toughness to reduce wear and energy losses. For example, manufacturers such as Sanxin New Materials in China and Tosoh Corporation in Japan have developed sub-nano and zirconia media with exceptional wear resistance. Other innovations include smart media embedded with sensors to monitor wear, temperature, and impact forces in real time, enabling predictive maintenance and optimal media replacement scheduling. These digitally-enabled media solutions can increase grinding efficiency by as much as 15 per cent.
Complementing grinding media are grinding aids, which are chemical additives that improve mill throughput and reduce energy consumption by altering the surface properties of particles, trapping air, and preventing re-agglomeration. Technology leaders like SIKA AG and GCP Applied Technologies have invested in tailored grinding aids compatible with AI-driven dosing platforms that automatically adjust additive concentrations based on real-time mill conditions. Trials in South America reported throughput improvements nearing 19 per cent when integrating such digital assistive dosing with process control systems.
The integration of grinding media data and digital dosing of grinding aids moves the mill closer to a self-optimising system, where AI not only predicts media wear or energy losses but prescribes optimal interventions through automated dosing and operational adjustments.

Global case studies in digital adoption
Several cement companies around the world exemplify digital transformation in practice.
Heidelberg Materials has deployed digital twin technologies across global plants, achieving up to 15 per cent increases in production efficiency and 20 per cent reductions in energy consumption by leveraging real-time analytics and predictive algorithms.
Holcim’s Siggenthal plant in Switzerland piloted AI controllers that autonomously adjusted kiln operations, boosting throughput while reducing specific energy consumption and emissions.
Cemex, through its AI and predictive maintenance initiatives, improved kiln availability and reduced maintenance costs by predicting failures before they occurred. Global efforts also include AI process optimisation initiatives to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.

Challenges and the road ahead
Despite these advances, digitalisation in cement grinding faces challenges. Legacy equipment may lack sensor readiness, requiring retrofits and edge-cloud connectivity upgrades. Data governance and integration across plants and systems remains a barrier for many mid-tier producers. Yet, digital transformation statistics show momentum: more than half of cement companies have implemented IoT sensors for equipment monitoring, and digital twin adoption is growing rapidly as part of broader Industry 4.0 strategies.
Furthermore, as digital systems mature, they increasingly support sustainability goals: reduced energy use, optimised media consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. By embedding intelligence into grinding circuits and material inputs like grinding aids, cement manufacturers can strike a balance between efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Conclusion
Digitalisation is not merely an add-on to cement manufacturing. It is reshaping the competitive and sustainability landscape of an industry often perceived as inertia-bound. With grinding representing a nexus of energy intensity and cost, digital technologies from sensor networks and predictive analytics to digital twins offer new levers of control. When paired with innovations in grinding media and grinding aids, particularly those with embedded digital capabilities, plants can achieve unprecedented gains in efficiency, predictability and performance.
For global cement producers aiming to reduce costs and carbon footprints simultaneously, the future belongs to those who harness digital intelligence not just to monitor operations, but to optimise and evolve them continuously.

About the author:
Professor Procyon Mukherjee, ex-CPO Lafarge-Holcim India, ex-President Hindalco, ex-VP Supply Chain Novelis Europe, has been an industry leader in logistics, procurement, operations and supply chain management. His career spans 38 years starting from Philips, Alcan Inc (Indian Aluminum Company), Hindalco, Novelis and Holcim. He authored the book, ‘The Search for Value in Supply Chains’. He serves now as Visiting Professor in SP Jain Global, SIOM and as the Adjunct Professor at SBUP. He advises leading Global Firms including Consulting firms on SCM and Industrial Leadership and is a subject matter expert in aluminum and cement. An Alumnus of IIM Calcutta and Jadavpur University, he has completed the LH Senior Leadership Programme at IVEY Academy at Western University, Canada.

Concrete

Digital Pathways for Sustainable Manufacturing

Published

2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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Dr Y Chandri Naidu, Chief Technology Officer, Nextcem Consulting highlights how digital technologies are enabling Indian cement plants to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and transition toward sustainable, low-carbon manufacturing.

Cement manufacturing is inherently resource- and energy-intensive due to high-temperature clinkerisation and extensive material handling and grinding operations. In India, where cement demand continues to grow in line with infrastructure development, producers must balance capacity expansion with sustainability commitments. Energy costs constitute a major share of operating expenditure, while process-related carbon dioxide emissions from limestone calcination remain unavoidable.
Traditional optimisation approaches, which are largely dependent on operator experience, static control logic and offline laboratory analysis, have reached their practical limits. This is especially evident when higher levels of alternative fuel and raw materials (AFR) are introduced or when raw material variability increases.
Digital technologies provide a systematic pathway to manage this complexity by enabling
real-time monitoring, predictive optimisation and integrated decision-making across cement manufacturing operations.
Digital cement manufacturing is enabled through a layered architecture integrating operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). At the base are plant instrumentation, analysers, and automation systems, which generate continuous process data. This data is contextualised and analysed using advanced analytics and AI platforms, enabling predictive and prescriptive insights for operators and management.

Digital optimisation of energy efficiency

Thermal energy optimisation
The kiln and calciner system accounts for approximately 60 per cent to 65 per cent of total energy consumption in an integrated cement plant. Digital optimisation focuses on reducing specific thermal energy consumption (STEC) while maintaining clinker quality and operational stability.
Advanced Process Control (APC) stabilises critical parameters such as burning zone temperature, oxygen concentration, kiln feed rate and calciner residence time. By minimising process variability, APC reduces the need for conservative over-firing. Artificial intelligence further enhances optimisation by learning nonlinear relationships between raw mix chemistry, AFR characteristics, flame dynamics and heat consumption.
Digital twins of kiln systems allow engineers to simulate operational scenarios such as increased AFR substitution, altered burner momentum or changes in raw mix burnability without operational risk. Indian cement plants adopting these solutions typically report STEC reductions in the range of 2 per cent to 5 per cent.
Electrical energy optimisation
Electrical energy consumption in cement plants is dominated by grinding systems, fans and material transport equipment. Machine learning–based optimisation continuously adjusts mill parameters such as separator speed, grinding pressure and feed rate to minimise specific power consumption while maintaining product fineness.
Predictive maintenance analytics identify inefficiencies caused by wear, fouling or imbalance in fans and motors. Plants implementing plant-wide electrical energy optimisation typically achieve
3 per cent to 7 per cent reduction in specific power consumption, contributing to both cost savings and indirect CO2 reduction.

Digital enablement of AFR
AFR challenges in the Indian context: Indian cement plants increasingly utilise biomass, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), plastic waste and industrial by-products. However, variability in calorific value, moisture, particle size, chlorine and sulphur content introduces combustion instability, build-up formation and emission risks.
Digital AFR management: Digital platforms integrate real-time AFR quality data from online analysers with historical kiln performance data. Machine learning models predict combustion behaviour, flame stability and emission trends for different AFR combinations. Based on these predictions, fuel feed distribution, primary and secondary air ratios, and burner momentum are dynamically adjusted to ensure stable kiln operation. Digitally enabled AFR management in cement plants will result in increased thermal substitution rates by 5-15 percentage points, reduced fossil fuel dependency, and improved kiln stability.

Digital resource and raw material optimisation
Raw mix control: Raw material variability directly affects kiln operation and clinker quality. AI-driven raw mix optimisation systems continuously adjust feed proportions to maintain target chemical parameters such as Lime Saturation Factor (LSF), Silica Modulus (SM), and Alumina Modulus (AM). This reduces corrective material usage and improves kiln thermal efficiency.
Clinker factor reduction: Reducing clinker factor through supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag and calcined clay is a key decarbonisation lever. Digital models simulate blended cement performance, enabling optimisation of SCM proportions while maintaining strength and durability requirements.

Challenges and strategies for digital adoption
Key challenges in Indian cement plants include data quality limitations due to legacy instrumentation, resistance to algorithm-based decision-making, integration complexity across multiple OEM systems, and site-specific variability in raw materials and fuels.
Successful digital transformation requires strengthening the data foundation, prioritising high-impact use cases such as kiln APC and energy optimisation, adopting a human-in-the-loop approach, and deploying modular, scalable digital platforms with cybersecurity by design.

Future Outlook
Future digital cement plants will evolve toward autonomous optimisation, real-time carbon intensity tracking, and integration with emerging decarbonisation technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Digital platforms will also support ESG reporting and regulatory compliance.
Digital pathways offer a practical and scalable solution for sustainable cement manufacturing in India. By optimising energy consumption, enabling higher AFR substitution and improving resource efficiency, digital technologies deliver measurable environmental and economic benefits. With appropriate data infrastructure, organisational alignment and phased implementation, digital transformation will remain central to the Indian cement industry’s low-carbon transition.

About the author:
Dr Y Chandri Naidu is a cement industry professional with 30+ years of experience in process optimisation, quality control and quality assistance, energy conservation and sustainable manufacturing, across leading organisations including NCB, Ramco, Prism, Ultratech, HIL, NCL and Vedanta. He is known for guiding teams, developing innovative plant solutions and promoting environmentally responsible cement production. He is also passionate about mentoring professionals and advancing durable, resource efficient technologies for future of construction materials.

Concrete

Turning Downtime into Actionable Intelligence

Published

2 weeks ago

February 19, 2026

admin

Stoppage Insights instantly identifies root causes and maps their full operational impact.

In cement, mining and minerals processing operations, every unplanned stoppage equals lost production and reduced profitability. Yet identifying what caused a stoppage remains frustratingly complex. A single motor failure can trigger cascading interlocks and alarm floods, burying the root cause under layers of secondary events. Operators and maintenance teams waste valuable time tracing event chains when they should be solving problems. Until now.
Our latest innovation to our ECS Process Control Solution(1) eliminates this complexity. Stoppage Insights, available with the combined updates to our ECS/ControlCenter™ (ECS) software and ACESYS programming library, transforms stoppage events into clear, actionable intelligence. The system automatically identifies the root cause of every stoppage – whether triggered by alarms, interlocks, or operator actions – and maps all affected equipment. Operators can click any stopped motor’s faceplate to view what caused the shutdown instantly. The Stoppage UI provides a complete record of all stoppages with drill-down capabilities, replacing manual investigation with immediate answers.

Understanding root cause in Stoppage Insights
In Stoppage Insights, ‘root cause’ refers to the first alarm, interlock, or operator action detected by the control system. While this may not reveal the underlying mechanical, electrical or process failure that a maintenance team may later discover, it provides an actionable starting point for rapid troubleshooting and response. And this is where Stoppage Insights steps ahead of traditional first-out alarm systems (ISA 18.2). In this older type of system, the first alarm is identified in a group. This is useful, but limited, as it doesn’t show the complete cascade of events, distinguish between operator-initiated and alarm-triggered stoppages, or map downstream impacts. In contrast, Stoppage Insights provides complete transparency:

Comprehensive capture: Records both regular operator stops and alarm-triggered shutdowns.
Complete impact visibility: Maps all affected equipment automatically.
Contextual clarity: Eliminates manual tracing through alarm floods, saving critical response time.

David Campain, Global Product Manager for Process Control Systems, says, “Stoppage Insights takes fault analysis to the next level. Operators and maintenance engineers no longer need to trace complex event chains. They see the root cause clearly and can respond quickly.”

Driving results
1.Driving results for operations teams
Stoppage Insights maximises clarity to minimise downtime, enabling operators to:
• Rapidly identify root causes to shorten recovery time.
• View initiating events and all affected units in one intuitive interface.
• Access complete records of both planned and unplanned stoppages

Driving results for maintenance and reliability teams
Stoppage Insights helps prioritise work based on evidence, not guesswork:
• Access structured stoppage data for reliability programmes.
• Replace manual logging with automated, exportable records for CMMS, ERP or MES.(2)
• Identify recurring issues and target preventive maintenance effectively.
A future-proof and cybersecure foundation
Our Stoppage Insights feature is built on the latest (version 9) update to our ACESYS advanced programming library. This industry-leading solution lies at the heart of the ECS process control system. Its structured approach enables fast engineering and consistent control logic across hardware platforms from Siemens, Schneider, Rockwell, and others.
In addition to powering Stoppage Insights, ACESYS v9 positions the ECS system for open, interoperable architectures and future-proof automation. The same structured data used by Stoppage Insights supports AI-driven process control, providing the foundation for machine learning models and advanced analytics.
The latest releases also respond to the growing risk of cyberattacks on industrial operational technology (OT) infrastructure, delivering robust cybersecurity. The latest ECS software update (version 9.2) is certified to IEC 62443-4-1 international cybersecurity standards, protecting your process operations and reducing system vulnerability.

What’s available now and what’s coming next?
The ECS/ControlCenter 9.2 and ACESYS 9 updates, featuring Stoppage Insights, are available now for:

Greenfield projects.
ECS system upgrades.
Brownfield replacement of competitor systems.
Stoppage Insights will also soon integrate with our ECS/UptimeGo downtime analysis software. Stoppage records, including root cause identification and affected equipment, will flow seamlessly into UptimeGo for advanced analytics, trending and long-term reliability reporting. This integration creates a complete ecosystem for managing and improving plant uptime.

(1) The ECS Process Control Solution for cement, mining and minerals processing combines proven control strategies with modern automation architecture to optimise plant performance, reduce downtime and support operational excellence.
(2) CMMS refers to computerised maintenance management systems; ERP, to enterprise resource planning; and MES to manufacturing execution systems.