In cement production, the heart of the system is the rotary kiln, and the corresponding cooling system that follows. The efficient operation of these two systems together is critical to maintain efficiency and profitability in the cement manufacturing process. With operating temperatures exceeding up to 1300°C, the measurement of important parameters, such as the level of clinker on the cooling grates, is fraught with problems. Traditional, intrusive level measurement technologies simply cannot last in such a harsh environment.
To be cost efficient, the airflow to the clinker cooler must be regulated to the proper amount for the mass of the clinker present on the cooler grates. This requires an accurate level measurement of the clinker. Berthold’s non-contact and nonintrusive radiometric level measurement technology provides an accurate and reliable clinker level measurement while operating outside of this extremely high temperature environment. The high degree of accuracy, stability and repeatability provided with this level measurement ensures high production rates, optimal efficiency, and top product quality.
Detector for extreme operating environments
The clinker is cooled as it is discharged from the rotary kiln onto a moving grate through which air is forced. The cooling is regulated by the feed rate and the amount of airflow. The quality of the clinker is directly affected by the cooling rate.
Cooling too slowly results in larger crystaline structure, which requires more energy to complete the grinding process and can decrease product quality. Increasing airflow to the cooler ensures rapid cooling but also results in high energy costs and inefficiencies in other parts of the process. With an accurate measurement of the clinker level, the proper amount of clinker present on the cooler grates can be regulated. This leads to an optimised process and therefore generates cost savings.
Whether it is the proven two-wire system using remote transmitters or the integrated field devices with HART or Bus protocol, Berthold’s level gauges provide patented technology ensuring long-term stability and temperature stability. This achieves a long-lasting measurement stability that withstands even strong ambient temperature changes (up to 0.002% per °C). Berthold‘s level measurement systems are therefore the proven solution for this application.
These are the advantages of Berthold's radiometric level measurement used for the cement clinker cooler process:
- Accurate and reliable measurement of clinker level
- Energy savings through process optimisation
- Low maintenance cost
- Free of wear and maintenance
- No re-calibration due to unmatched stability and ageing compensation
- Not exposed to harsh process conditions due to external mounting
- Lowest possible source activity through extreme sensitive detector design