The entire FLSmidth know-how in the process of producing clinker is used in the configuration of a gas analysis system capable of providing a level of safety that may be trusted. Working together with FLSmidth will ensure that all machinery involved is linked and talking together. This will provide real safety for plant personnel and machinery.
Benefits
The main objective achieved by preheater gas analysis is safety. Experience shows that a final evaluation of the combustion process leaving the preheater tower is compulsory due to safety concerns, regardless of the type of kiln system filter used. If the combustion process accidentally produces unwanted high levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) and/or Methane (CH4), the safety of the plant personnel and equipment is at risk. A gas analyser monitoring the gas as it leaves the preheater tower must be able to trigger an interlocking sequence which ultimately may shut down kiln and calciner burners. The equipment does in theory only have to trigger one safety interlocking in order to provide a full pay-back of the investment. Running a cement plant without this equipment is simply not an option. In most parts of the world, the demand to protect the plant personnel will make the equipment a compulsory installation in order to get an approval of the operation of the kiln system.
To secure a safe clinker production, the analyser must be on-line all the time providing consistent, comparable and accurate data of the preheater operation. As this measurement is the foundation for a safe interlocking, using true continuous gas analysis is a must. FLSmidth has developed a special double probe named DDOP especially for this purpose. The DDOP probe guarantees one filter sampling while the other is being cleaned by compressed air. Two probes shift between each other during purging periods in order to extract gas for analysis at any given time. If the system was to have a "blind" period during probe cleaning, potentially dangerous concentrations of process gas could pass the measuring undetected. For maximum safety, the application can be configured as a true redundant system to fulfil safety demands such as BAT – Best Available Technique.
As safety is the key issue to be provided no compromise has been taken. Even though extractive sampling techniques are not the fastest possible measuring method, it offers the safest technique, combining easily verified calibration and gas analysis together with true continuous gas sampling regardless of process conditions and possible dust contamination.
To learn more about our capabilities in preheater gas analysis – please download the brochure or contact a sales representative.