Condition Monitoring Benefits for Cement Manufacturing

By: Tim Milburn Project Engineer Holcim (US) Inc. Devils Slide Plant (Utah) John Price Maintenance Manager Holcim (US) Inc. Devils Slide Plant (Utah) John Sommers Computer Systems Administrator Holcim (US) Inc. Devils Slide Plant (Utah) Jeffery Francis Maintenance Technician Holcim (US) Inc. Devils Slide Plant (Utah) Lyle Neuteboom Maintenance Technician Holcim (US) Inc. Devils Slide Plant (Utah)

For Presentation at the IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference April 2006, Phoenix, Arizona

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Abstract Condition Monitoring (CM) has been an integral part of the maintenance process at the Holcim (US) Inc. Devils Slide Cement Plant since 2002. The use of CM at the plant has been successful at increasing the availability of plant equipment by enabling the maintenance staff to predict failures and take the proactive steps necessary to avert catastrophic failures. The CM program at Devils Slide has two major constituents, those being vibration analysis and lubrication analysis. The combined use of these two components in CM has increased the run time on the plant equipment because small problems are fixed fairly easily before they turn into big problems. This paper will discuss how to incorporate CM for use by plant maintenance personnel. Some of the most important aspects of CM are how to configure the system for data collection and measurement routines so one can be assured they are obtaining viable data for analysis. It is then important to realize where alarm limits should be placed and when to take action. Training is the key part of a successful CM program. Success comes from having employees trained as experts and certified in the CM arena. Certified maintenance personnel give credence to knowing how to collect pertinent data, interpreting the data, and communicating the results of the data to those responsible for maintenance planning and execution. Devils Slide Plant History Two parallel slabs of limestone rock approximately 12 meters high and 4.5 meters apart run 245 meters up a hillside in Morgan County, Utah USA. Fur trappers in the early American west named this rock formation the Devils Slide. (Figure 1)

Figure 1

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The year was 1904 when a group of local businessmen from Ogden, Utah saw the cement making potential of the limestone mountain across from the Devils Slide and formed a company, Union Portland Cement Company, for the purpose of constructing and operating a cement plant. This plant was completed in late 1906 and the first cement shipped in 1907. The first plant consisted of small dry kilns that produced approximately 110,000 metric tons of cement per year. After World War II a new cement plant was constructed that consisted of two long wet kilns (122 meters long by 3 meters diameter) with annual cement production of approximately 320,000 metric tons. The company was then known as Ideal Cement Company. In 1986 Ideal Basic Industries (renamed from Ideal Cement Company) was purchased by one of the largest cement producers in the world, Holderbank Financere Glaris of Switzerland. Holderbank has since changed its name to Holcim Ltd., hereafter referred to in this paper by that name Holcim Ltd. In 1990 Holcim Ltd. consolidated their North American holdings into one company and named it Holnam Inc. In December of 2001 Holnam was re-named Holcim (US) Inc. and it will be referred to in the remainder of this paper as Holcim. During 1995 Holcim began a study for a new cement plant at Devils Slide. The study was favorable for constructing a new plant. Holcims Board of Directors voted to proceed and in February of 1996 construction on a new plant was started. Holcim (US) Incorporateds cement plant at Devils Slide, Utah put the new production plant on line in November of 1997. The new state-of-the-art plant was designed to produce 635,000 metric tons of cement per year and at present is producing at over 15% above design capacity. Condition Monitoring at the Devils Slide Holcim (US) Inc. Cement Plant

The idea behind Condition Monitoring is to analyze and prevent failures before they happen so that the needed corrections or repairs can be made on a planned schedule rather than at the mercy of the failing equipment. This concept is especially important for a 24 hour, 7 day per week operation where equipment cannot be taken offline without affecting production schedules. The Devils Slide Plant benefits from condition monitoring because it schedules only one major maintenance shutdown per year and the CM program identifies a good number of the maintenance jobs that need to be addressed during the shutdown. This requires an intimate knowledge of the plant equipment and it requires a program (Condition Monitoring) that will tell us

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which machines need attention and which are in good condition and ready for another 12 month campaign. There are many different tools that specialize in Condition Monitoring that will give some type of indication of machine condition. Some of these tools include vibration analysis, oil analysis, thermography, motor current analysis, wear measurements, and non-destructive testing. Because of the nature of the failure modes for equipment in a cement plant, vibration analysis and lubrication analysis can readily deliver the information necessary to determine a machines condition. For this reason, vibration analysis and lubrication analysis are the cornerstones of Devils Slides Condition Monitoring program and each has proven to be very beneficial. It is important to point out that, during the implementation of the CM program, there were some management changes at Devils Slide that affected the structuring of the maintenance department. The restructuring allowed for a full time Condition Monitoring team that solely focused on data collection and analysis. Along with the newly created CM team, a full time reliability engineer was appointed to coordinate the teams efforts to most efficiently serve the plants needs. This ultimately proved to be very important to the success of the program because it allowed the people involved to stay focused on their tasks without having to be pulled off to help with the other maintenance tasks. It can be shown from past experience that if people do not spend time practicing their skills, then they will loose those skills. This is imperative to making a CM program sustainable. Vibration Analysis Originally the vibration program started with a handheld walk-around unit that was purchased many years ago but was never really adopted as a regular use program. In 2001 a walk-around unit was purchased and the maintenance team started developing some meaningful data collection routes based on equipment criticality. The initial program started off well because it was driven by local management but not necessarily by Holcims corporate management. In 2002 Devils Slide agreed to participate in a pilot project initiated by Holcim corporate for a, more or less, company wide standard program using hardware and software supplied by a certain vendor. This vendor was chosen based on the fact that they not only had the walk-around platform but also an online platform that allowed data to be collected at intervals controlled by a computer. Additionally, it was found in the beginning that this vendor had a support base that would prove to be useful when learning a new system. The bulk of the condition monitoring program is based on a personal walk-around, which means that the technician will take a handheld data collector into the plant and measure a series of points on each piece of equipment. These measurements are recorded in the unit allowing it to be downloaded to a database upon completion of the route. There are a series of routes loaded which range from small blowers to an entire finish mill area. It is important that the routes be designed to be well-organized to allow the technician an efficient path through the plant. This is a small detail but will eventually prove to be very beneficial as it allows more time for more pieces of equipment to be checked and analyzed. Routes should be scheduled based on the equipments criticality to overall plant production. The frequency of the data collection should also be based on the criticality of the equipment. At Devils Slide the collection routes are embedded in our Computer Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to help ensure they are planned and executed on a frequent basis. There may be, on occasion, the necessity to collect data on a non-critical piece of equipment that is not on a collection route. Any good data collector will allow an off-tour point to be configured for such a case. This allows for quick analysis for auxiliary equipment that may be questionable. Once the routes are completed they are downloaded into the database and then are analyzed. It is important for this data to be kept on a database that will allow trending of the data

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which enables the technicians to detect changes in the equipments condition. Many times we hear of baseline measurements. In condition monitoring a baseline is just like the name implies; a line. It takes a number of measurements to establish the so-called baseline to which future readings can be compared. Correct analysis is the most important aspect of a Condition Monitoring program. It will do a plant no good to have collected thousands of readings and then not analyze the results. It also doesnt do any good if the readings that are collected do not show the analyst everything that should be analyzed. The other aspect to analysis is having an idea of where alarm limits should be set. Most equipment manufacturers will provide the acceptable levels of vibration for machinery components. Correct analysis begins with correct configuration of the data points within the collection system. It should be known what frequency span needs to be seen. For example, the frequency span for a slow turning ball mill will not be as wide as that for a high speed fan. The frequency span depends on the fault frequencies of the fastest turning component in the piece of machinery. But, in some cases of gearboxes where speed can be reduced many times, each data point collected may have different frequency spans. Again, it is very important to know the equipment intimately. After the frequency span is known, the resolution needs to be set. The resolution applies to how clearly one can see the picture. Just like with a digital camera or television where the higher resolution results in the clearer picture. This mainly applies to the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectrum that is produced by the vibration software. FFT is the computer algorithm that the software uses to produce the spectrum. Spectrum analysis is the tool that most analysts will used to identify machinery problems. However, there are some problems that can only be identified by looking at the raw data or time-waveform data. For example, in some cases there may be bearing fault frequencies that are very close to other machine frequencies. If the resolution were set too low, the analyst might mistake the bearing frequency for a normal running machine frequency. In these cases, the resolution needs to be configured to allow a distinct separation of the peaks on the FFT. Devils Slide has set and modified the alarm levels for each piece of equipment after review of the baseline measurements. Alarms have been set using two different methods. One is an overall alarm which is common but often is set so arbitrary that it doesnt have much meaning by itself. It usually will only show changes in machine condition when serious attention is needed. While this is a good starting point and can give indication of an overall issue, it is primarily used for trending to see how the equipment is running compared to the norm. Without making adjustments it can give too many indications of a problem or it may not give enough. The sole use of overall alarms can be deceiving because early bearing failures will usually start showing up at higher frequencies with relatively low energy. This fault will not have a noticeable affect on the overall vibration reading and thusly will go undetected until the bearing has reached the final stage of failure. Devils Slide has gone one step further in configuring alarms. They have done so by the use of band alarms around certain sections of the FFT spectrum. This method is not new in vibration analysis. In fact, there are several higher level steps that can be, but this method is a solid foundation for finding most failures that are commonly seen in cement plant equipment. See Figure 2 below:

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These peaks have exceeded their band alarm

Figure 1- Devils Slide Rock Formation Figure 2

It can be seen from the example above that there are two peaks that have exceeded the band alarm. This is a prime example to show that small changes in the spectrum can trigger specific alarms even though the overall vibration has not increased noticeably. Devils Slide adopted this strategy based on training provided by a consulting firm from Charlotte (North Carolina) who specializes in vibration analysis and training. In using this methodology we have found many issues prior to triggering the overall vibration alarm and have been able to correct the problems before incurring severe equipment damages.

Keys to successful vibration analysis: 1) Training Have those personnel responsible trained so that they understand overall alarms and more importantly so that they can understand and implement spectral band alarms (this saves the headache of reviewing all of the data and only the exception need further review). Once these are in use there are many more detailed trainings available to learn even more about vibration analysis of your equipment 2) Take the data - One of the best forms of analysis on a high level is simply to see where the data is trending this can be done with virtually no analysis training 3) Set up a route that is functional and will produce repeatable and reliable data 4) Network tools and resources By having others to bounce ideas off more solutions are found to problems. Devils Slide currently works with several other Holcim facilities to help them understand and trouble shoot issues. 5) Set up a structure that allows for data to be collected, analyzed, and then for corrections to be made, if necessary. Without analyzing problems and then correcting those problems, there is no sense in taking the data.

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Oil Analysis As mentioned previously, the other corner stone to condition monitoring at Devils Slide is the oil analysis program. Oil is analogous to the life blood of the equipment. Just as a doctor conducts blood tests on people, the CM team at Devils Slide conducts oil tests on the equipment. The results can indicate many different problems including oil condition, component wear, presence of water, and cleanliness of oil. Devils Slides oil sampling lab is capable of checking viscosity, particle count, and water content. These are 3 easy tests that will detect a good number of the problems experienced in a cement plant. Just like the vibration program, the oil sampling program is structured around equipment criticality. Sample frequencies are determined based off of the equipment criticality and the conditions under which the equipment is running. Sampling routes are also built within the CMMS to ensure that they can be planned and executed accordingly. Not only is testing being performed in-house, but Devils Slide will also send samples to an independent oil analysis laboratory located in Salt Lake City, Utah. This independent lab is capable of doing more detailed testing such as elemental analysis, acid and base numbers, and ferrography analysis. Alarm levels can also be set around oil viscosity, cleanliness based on ISO codes, elemental contamination, acid and base number, and water content. Devils Slide received oil analysis training from a separate consultant. In their training they presented a method for determining ISO cleanliness codes for certain types of oil and equipment. The cleanliness codes need to be established for cases where oil may contaminated beyond OEM specifications or there may be a case where oil is changed too frequently when an oil change is not really required. Again, personal knowledge of the equipment is essential. Additional Condition Monitoring used by Devils Slide As mentioned before, Devils Slides CM program is structured around the two main components of vibration and oil analysis. However, there is additional testing that is performed by the CM team or by certified contractors. The other testing includes thermography, nondestructive testing, motor current circuit analysis, wear measurements, and visual inspections using a video scope. Devils Slide purchased a thermographic camera about two years ago and has since continued to find new ways to use it for condition monitoring. Initially it was used to review MCC rooms for hot wires or loose connections as Figure 3 shows.

Figure 3

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However, thermography can prove to be very useful in trouble shooting an assortment of problems. For instance, most cement plants have shell scanners for their kiln. A thermal camera is very handy when one wants to verify readings from the shell scanner or it can even be used in emergency cases when the shell scanner has failed. A thermal camera can also be used to find build-ups in pneumatic conveying lines as the line will be warmer upstream of the build-up. One interesting case can be shown in Figure 4 below that shows a bag filter for the kiln system. One can see from the thermal image where insulation is missing.

Figure 4

Thermography can also be useful for the Condition Monitoring of the herd at night as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

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External condition monitoring includes outsourcing motor current circuit analysis on our bigger 480V and 4160V motors on an annual basis. Motor current circuit analysis is useful because numerous electrical problems can be identified such as loose rotor bars, rotor unbalance, and even some mechanical problems. Devils Slide also performs wear measurements that are included in equipment preventive maintenance work orders. Wear measurements are typically performed in most cement plants as a condition monitoring tool. It is helpful because it lets the maintenance personnel trend wear to determine the rate of wear which will allow them to plan for replacement. Another useful tool that Devils Slide has employed is a video boroscope. The video scope is very helpful for inspection purposes. It enables the maintenance technician to inspect the internals of plant equipment without having to disassemble that equipment. Disassembly for inspection can be hazardous for equipment because it creates the potential for greater contamination or damage to internal components. The video scope is also comes in handy sometimes for simply being able to provide an eye where people cannot get. Examples of Success Here are some examples of successes we have experienced at the Devils Slide plant. There was an incident were there was a problem getting enough coal to the main kiln burner. When the feed pipe was examined with the infrared camera it was found to be partially plugged with wet coal dust as seen in Figure 6 - Before. The infrared pictures verified what was suspected and allowed us to see exactly where the blockage to the feed pipe was located so it could be eliminated. When it was eliminated another thermograph was taken showing the results in Figure 6 After.

Figure 6 Before

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Figure 6 After In another instance, vibration readings on a cooler fan showed some misalignment and looseness. This can be seen in Figure 7 below. During the following outage it was planned to do an inspection of the fan and bearings. Three things were found. First, during the initial installation of the bearings they were not aligned with the shaft. Secondly, the outboard bearing, which was the locked bearing, was never locked down correctly. Additionally, the grid coupler was found to be dry, without grease. Because analysis showed that there was a problem, materials were ordered to make the repairs. One can see in Figure 8 that there was a significant decrease in the fan vibration overall.

Reading taken before outage work

Figure 7

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Reading taken after outage work

Figure 8

There was another instance on a process dust collector fan where there was considerable vibration at 1X rpm. It was assumed that the fan rotor was in need of balancing. When the opportunity came to shut the fan down, it was inspected. Upon inspection it was found that a recent issue with the filter bags in the collector had allowed dirty air to pass through the fan which had caused a build-up on the edge of the rotor. After cleaning the rotor, the fan vibration decreased greatly as shown in a comparison of Figures 9 and 10 below.

Before cleaning fan blades.

Figure 9

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After cleaning fan blades.

Figure 10

There a many tools to help with running a successful CM program but they are powerless without dedicated people. Again, the more training and experience these people receive, the more effective they will be in administering the condition monitoring program. Conclusion The CM technicians are the doctors of the cement plant. These employees perform the tests needed to diagnose equipment problems. And, just like doctors, a good CM technician needs to have proper training and experience. Additionally, just as a good hospital is organized with an effective personnel structure, the same should be applied to an effective CM team. Although this paper is a summarization of the benefits from condition monitoring experienced at the Devils Slide plant, it is hoped it can provide some insight to what is possible and what can be expanded upon. It is important to mention that even though there are many tools and technologies available, it needs to be decided by the plant what is worth the time. There is an infinitesimal amount of parameters that can be measured; however a line needs to be drawn where the amount of benefit no longer justifies the means. .

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