Increasing competition within the cement industry and growing concerns about sustainable cement production have placed more rigorous demands on maintenance in cement plants, including the maintenance of the kiln. Therefore, kiln maintenance requires a more dedicated focus than ever. By Dr Nijat Orujov and Frank Henning, VDZ, Germany.
Driven by a competitive business climate and growing concerns about environmental protection, maintenance counts now more than ever before. Some decades ago, cement manufacturing equipment was less technically complex and more people were involved in keeping cement plants in operation. By optimising production processes and introducing state-of-the-art plant automation systems, many plants have significantly reduced their number of employees. Moreover, a steadily increasing alternative fuel (AF) usage rate and the introduction of new AF types involve modifications to existing plant layouts or even additional plant units.
