CEE Jul-Sep-2012

SKF automatic lubrication system with FB pump By providing every lubrication point with the appropriate lubricant, in the right quantity, at the right time, the SKF automatic lubrication system with FB pump enables precise, hands– off, 24/7 bearing lubrication. The system uses a high- pressure pump in combination with a progressive divider to deliver the exact quantity of grease or oil to every clinker cooler lubrication point. This highly precise timing and dosing can cut lubricant costs by as much as 70 per cent and bearing failures by more than 50 per cent. The end result? Far fewer planned and unplanned shutdowns, improved productivity and worker safety the ability to deploy maintenance resources elsewhere. Plus, the system is flexible enough to handle a range of medium to large systems, thanks to several performances. Features: • FB pump available with 6, 15, or 30 kg tanks • Displacement volumes between 0.04 cm 3 and 7 cm 3 • 1-24 pump elements that can be configured to match the application • Oil or grease compatibility. Benefits: • Cut bearing failures by more than 50 per cent • Cut lubricant costs by up to 70 per cent • Limit lubrication-related breakdowns • Reduce planned and unplanned shutdowns • Limit production losses due to down-time • Extend maintenance intervals • Improve worker safety • Reallocate maintenance resources. SKF boosts clinker cooler uptime and saves plant$ 10,000 (Rs 5.50 lakh) per year in grease costs alone The problem A cement mill in the Dominican Republic was experiencing problems with clinker cooler availability. Bearings were being over-lubricated and the reliability of the system, which did not cover all the necessary lubrication points, was poor. The result was downtime and a lot of money spent on grease every month. Furthermore, as some points were manually re-lubricated, maintenance staff risked being burnt by hot clinker particles. Looking for a solution that would increase process availability, cut costs, and increases the safety of their work-force, the mill turned to SKF. The SKF solution SKF suggested a progressive lubrication system that would provide automatic, hands-free lubrication 24/7. The system that SKF ultimately installed featured and FB30 pump, a 30 kg tank, four outlets with progressive feeders, plus piston detectors for system reliability. The results The SKF progressive lubrication system slashed cooler downtime, substantially increasing lubrication effectiveness and process availability. As a plant representative describes, "The arms of the transmission system had seven failures in the two months prior to the installation of the new system and, since it was installed, there has been zero failures." The SKF system also reduced the facility's lubricant consumption, cutting it from an average of 100 kg of grease per week to 35 kg, for a monthly savings of nearly $1000 (Rs 55,000). The system also enabled the facility's maintenance team begin focusing on other duties, and kept them safety away from hot clinker cooler particles. Courtesy: Indian Cement Review, June 2012, P54. Plant & Machinery COOL TECHNOLOGY: CLINKER COOLER BECOMES EVEN BETTER FL Smidth's new Cross-Bar coolers offer benefits in terms of upfront investment, technical design and long-term cost of ownership. Torben Frigaard, FLSmidth, Denmark and K P Sathish Kumar, FL Smidth, India tells us about latest development in cross– bar technology. FL Smidth launched its latest development in Cross-bar technology in 2011, setting yet another standard for clinker coolers called as the FL Smidth Cross-Bar cooler. The FL Smidth Cross-Bar is an evaluation of the design that grew out of feedback from having sold more than 230 Cross-Bar coolers representing a total installed capacity of about 300 million tonnes clinker per annum. The result is one of the most attractive cooler solutions available in 18