The Importance Of Volume

Air cannons have been employed extensively in the cement industry since the late 1970s and early 1980s. It therefore may be surprising for many to learn that they have undergone little technological advancement since then. In contrast, the cement industry has changed drastically over the same period. Today’s plants are larger, more dependent on alternative fuel and more regulated. This raises an obvious question: are yesterday’s air cannons and nozzles sufficient for today’s industry?

The answer is no; larger plants have more surface area to clean, and alternative fuels produce problematic buildup. For example, a 2 m riser duct was common fifteen years ago. Plants would therefore simply install two air cannons capable of cleaning 1 m on both sides. But things are quite different today. Riser ducts are often 5 m in length. Consequently, if the plant is burning alternative fuel, the cleaning range of most air cannons will be less than 1 m.

As a solution, most plants supplement air cannons with high-pressure water washing. However, this only provides a short-term solution at the expense of long-term gains. This is because, firstly, it not only increases labour costs but also puts workers in danger of injury. Secondly, it reduces operational efficiency by introducing water into the process. Finally, it damages the refractory (some plants must replace US$500 000 worth of refractory annually due to regular washing). While high-pressure water washing removes the buildup, this comes at a cost. If an air cannon installation is successful, then frequent high pressure water washing should not be required.

The cost of false air

Today’s industry requires a more powerful air cannon. To achieve this, the cleaning force (volume) or the discharge opening should be increased. IGS has developed air cannons with larger tanks and an 8 in. Big Blue Air Cannon which has a peak force that is up to five times greater.

These new air cannons are able to clean as far as 5 m and eliminate the need for high pressure water washing. This will reduce labour costs, create a safer work environment, increase operational efficiency, and extend refractory life. In sum, it would save the cement plant hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions per year. Does such an air cannon exist?

Fortunately, the answer is yes, the Big Blue Air Cannon is designed to meet today’s challenges. It provides better cleaning by increasing the cleaning energy (volume) and applying a more efficient nozzle, representing today’s design, rather than a design from 20 years ago.

With a 300 l tank, this air cannon has 3 – 4x the cleaning energy of other air cannons. The larger volume is an increase in mass, which produces greater kinetic energy and momentum. This is necessary for cleaning a greater area of more problematic buildup. In addition to providing extra cleaning, this tank size allows dual firing of a single air cannon. One 300 l air cannon with two high velocity nozzles can replace two competitor air cannons and nozzles. This results in a potential reduction of the number of air cannons required by 50%. Fewer air cannons with superior cleaning is an attractive option.

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