APPLICATIONSFinish mill exit - final grade cement

Raw mill exit

Coal mill exit

Baghouse monitoring

REAL-TIME FINENESS MONITORINGON-LINE PARTICLE SIZING FOR CEMENT

Bill Siemering, Vice-President,

Ashgrove Cement Company, Inc

"Insitec contributed to our record

production year"

designed

and

produced

by

steeliris

design

consultancy

ww

w.steeliris.com

photography

by

ester

segarra

ww

w.e-segarra.com

MR

K5

63

-0

1

P R O C E S S S Y S T E M S

W H Y R U N B L I N D ?W W W . M A L P S . C O M

ANALYZER SYSTEMSInsitec T

Auger process interface

Malvern Instruments Limited

Enigma Business Park

Grovewood Road, Malvern, Worcs

WR14 1XZ

UK

TeI: +44 (0) 1684 892456

Fax: +44 (0) 1684 892789

Malvern Instruments Inc

10 Southville Road, Southborough

MA 01772

USA

Tel: +1 (508) 480 0200

Fax: +1 (508) 460 9692

Malvern Instruments Japan

South Bldg, 459 Kobe International Business Center

5-5-2 Minatojimaminami-machi

Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi Hyogo Prefecture 650-0047

Japan

Tel: +81 (0) 78 306 3806

Fax: +81 (0) 78 306 3807

Malvern Instruments GmbH

Rigipsstraße 19

71083 Herrenberg

Germany

Tel: +49 (0) 7032 97770

Fax: +49 (0) 7032 77854

Malvern Instruments S.A.

Parc Club de L'Université

30, Rue Jean Rostand

91893 Orsay Cedex

France

TéI: +33 (1) 69 35 18 00

Fax: +33 (1) 60 19 13 26

Malvern Instruments Nordic AB

Box 15045, Vallongatan 1

750 15 UPPSALA

Sweden

Tel: +46 (0) 18 55 24 55

Fax: +46 (0) 18 55 11 14

Malvern Instruments China

Room 04 8th Floor

699 Nanjing Road, Shanghai 200041

China

Tel: +86 21 5211 0072

Fax: +86 21 5211 0079

LASER RADIATION

DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM

CLASS 2 LASER PRODUCT

Auger motor

Final grade cement

ITECA

Sampling system

Vertical gravity

chute

Malvern

Insitec

Motive air

for venturi

Figure 7: Diagram of Iteca sampling system for Malvern Insitec analyzer.Figure 7: Diagram of Iteca sampling system for Malvern Insitec analyzer.

Automation cabinetAutomation cabinet

PC for real-time

size tracking

Serial link

(max length 10 m)

Clin

ker

Gyp

sum

Fly

ash

Fresh feed)

Motor

Separator

Rejects WaterInjection

Particle size

BaghouseFan

Damper

Motor

Auger

Air

Insitec

Elevator

Finish mill

Ceramic balls

Fan

Damper

Figure 8: RTSizer - analysis software,

running on MS-Windows 2000/XP.

Figure 8: RTSizer - analysis software,

running on MS-Windows 2000/XP.

Figure 9: Malvern Link - automation software for

sampler and analyzer control, and comms to plant.

Figure 9: Malvern Link - automation software for

sampler and analyzer control, and comms to plant.

Figure 6: Flowsheet showing cement finish mill process with location of Insitec and auger continuous sampling system.Figure 6: Flowsheet showing cement finish mill process with location of Insitec and auger continuous sampling system.

Final grade cement

Serial link

(max length 300 m)

From kiln

S O L U T I O N S

softer limestone being very finely ground, and passing

through the mill faster than the cement with little

blending taking place. An alternative limestone feed

system has subsequently been adopted which has led

to a more consistent blending and uniform product.

Malvern now offers a robust solution for fineness

monitoring close to the production line for manual

samples (figure 5). The main features are:

Based on Malvern's Insitec process size

analyzer, using industry-standard laser

diffraction

Robust measurement solution, with

abrasion-resistant parts available, to

withstand the rigors of a process

environment

Sample accessory can take batches of dry

powder up to 200 g per measurement, or

can be fed as a continuous stream using a

scoop

Analyzer can be connected via a real-time

bidirectional data link to plant control

system

Fully automated measurement

Simple user interface allowing operators to

make reliable measurements

Ideal for robotic measurement laboratories

Insitec At-line

THE CUTTING EDGE OF PROCESS ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGY

Over the past 15 years Malvern has pioneered

the use of real-time on-line particle size

measurement in powder processing. As a

result, in excess of 500 plants have been

optimized using Malvern Insitec on-line

particle size analyzers, and each now

produces improved powder products. More

than 50 of these Insitec systems are in cement

plants measuring final grade on finish mills.

Several large cement producers are now

adopting Insitec as a company-wide standard.

Particle size and distribution are important

parameters in the manufacture of cement as

they determine both the strength and cure

properties of the finished product. On-line

particle size analysis leads to sharp

improvements in product quality, and in

process efficiency.

Malvern has developed a robust turnkey

package for on-line particle size analysis for

the cement industry which allows

manufacturers to make significant gains in the

areas of energy consumption, product quality

and consistency, process automation, and unit

throughput.

Payback times associated with using on-line

size analysis can be as low as 6 months.

Particle Analysis in the

Cement Industry

Cement has historically been characterized using

Blaine measurements - an analysis of surface area.

However, two samples with the same surface area

can have different particle size distributions (figure 1).

Other drawbacks of Blaine include:

Where two cements have the same surface

area the cement with the narrower particle

size distribution will have the higher

compressive strength

Typically, for optimum performance, around

60 - 70 % of the particle size distribution of

a cement should be in the range 3 - 32 m

Particles larger than 45 m will not be fully

hydrated even after long curing periods

An excess of particles smaller than 3 m

will result in the cement curing

exothermically and cracking

These points illustrate the critical importance of

particle size distribution data in the optimization of

cement manufacture.

Malvern Insitec systems have been designed for

industrial use in challenging environments. They use

industry standard ensemble laser diffraction to rapidly

generate complete volume-based particle size

distribution data (at a rate of up to 4 distributions per

second). No calibration is required and maintenance

requirements are minimal. Reliability is extremely

high. Dust and vibration do not affect operation.

For cement applications the Insitec is used with a

specifically designed sampling system (figure 7). An

advanced screw auger in combination with an

eductor system allows representative samples to be

extracted from flows in excess of 50 t/hr. The

sampling system design takes into account the

abrasive nature of the product and fulfils the

requirements of ISO 8656-1.

Typically the analyzer is used to monitor final grade

cement, but it can also be used to measure the raw

feed to the kiln, and also the coal mill output.

The Insitec system uses two software packages,

RTSizer (figure 8) and Malvern Link (figure 9), to

generate particle size information in the required

µ

µ

µ

Malvern Insitec

Data Handling

A complete solution for

real-time fineness control

Industrially relevant information

form, control the sampling/analysis, and integrate

the system with existing process control platforms.

Typically in the cement industry Blaine measurements

have been used to monitor product quality. The

Insitec system has been configured to produce an

equivalent Blaine figure for cement applications

(figure 4) but in addition other particle size

information is routinely presented, for example,

%> 45 m, %>32 m and %<3 m. The system

can be configured to meet the specific requirements

of the customer.

The rich flow of particle size data which results from

the installation of on-line analysis allows cement

manufacturers to significantly tighten process control

particularly with respect to the finish mill. On-line

analysis allows the effects of actions to be

instantaneously observed and optimal conditions to

be more rapidly identified thereby improving the

quality of manual control. Additionally, on-line

analysis opens up a route to automated

mill/separator control facilitating further optimization

and elimination of the need for manual intervention.

This improved process control typically generates the

following benefits:

These benefits lead directly to reductions in energy

consumption and waste, and increased throughput.

Manufacturers installing Malvern systems have

typically observed production increases ranging from

5 - 8 % and energy consumption decreases of

around 4 - 8 %. The following examples illustrate

some of the benefits achieved.

Improved product consistency and quality

More rapid product changeover

and start-up

Reduced overgrinding

Enhanced process knowledge

US company Ashgrove Cement has 13 Insitec systems

on nearly all of its finish mills, one of which is installed

at the Leamington plant in Utah. In the year following

µ µ µ

The Benefits of On-line

Size Analysis

Reducing Overgrinding

Meeting the challenges facing

the cement industry

the installation of this Insitec, product fineness was

reduced from 3870 cm2/g to 3770 cm2/g with no

impact on product quality by reducing over-grinding

(figure 2). It has been estimated that this 100 cm2/g

reduction equates to a saving of around

2 - 3 % in milling costs or alternatively a significant

increase in mill throughput. The Insitec has been cited

by plant management as a major contributor to a

record production year at the facility and a 25 %

reduction in standard deviations of the final grade

quality metrics.

Typically finish mills will be switched on occasion from

one product to another, requiring different fineness

and compressive strength specifications, and/or

switched to various sources of clinker feed which have

different grindabilities. Figure 3 shows a cement type

change carried out at Ashgrove, where the plant was

Rapid Product

Changeover

running under full automatic separator control using

real-time fineness data from the Insitec. The fineness

trend (monitored by Insitec) is remarkably stable, with

the type change stabilizing very quickly. However, the

trend also shows that the off-line Blaine measurement

was insensitive to the type change, and even later

reported an erroneous data point that would have led

to an unnecessary process change.

A small proportion of limestone can be added to

cement as a minor additional constituent (MAC), to

reduce carbon emissions, raw materials requirements,

wastage and energy consumption. For these reasons,

the team at Castle Cement's Padeswood Works in

England, where an Insitec system is used to monitor

final product quality, began trials with a simple

limestone addition technique on a finish mill. This feed

system at first appeared to be adequate when judged

using an off-line Blaine measurement averaged from a

composite sample. However,

real-time data from the Insitec system indicated

otherwise. Using particle size distribution data

generated every 10 seconds, it was observed that

periodically the cement fineness would go out of

specification, increasing by 20 % before returning to

its original value over a period of an hour. The

increase in fineness corresponded to the relatively

At Zementwerk Berlin, where an Insitec analyzer has

also been installed, product changeovers are carried

out very frequently. Prior to installation of the Insitec

the changeover time taken was typically 1 hour, which

has been reduced to 6 minutes, thus increasing

throughput and decreasing off-spec transition

cement.

Improved Process

Knowledge

8(0.5x0.5x6) = 12

1x1x6 = 6

(2(1x1) + 4(2x1)) x 3 = 30

Sample A Sample B

Surface area

8(1x1x6) = 48

Surface area

30+12+6 = 48

1cm

1cm

1cm

Figure 1: Two different samples with the same surface

area have different particle size distributions.

MS-Windows

computer with

RTSizer &

Malvern Link

Analysis system

automation

Insitec T

At-line dry

powder feeder

Sample in

(manual sampling)

Real-time digital

data link to plant

control system

Figure 5: At-line analyzer for fineness measurements by

operators close to the finish mill.

With increasingconfidence, the

amountof over-grindingcan be reduced

Reject zoneReject zone

ParticleSize, D

Dmax

Time

Incr

ea

sin

gen

erg

yco

nsu

med

du

eto

extr

ag

rin

din

g

2-4 hourManual update

30 secAutomatic update

On-line automaticmeasurement andseparator control

Off-line manualmeasurement

Figure 2: Diagram showing how overgrinding is reduced

using on-line particle size analysis

100.0

97.5

95.0

92.5

90.0

87.5

85.0

82.5

80.0

77.5

75.0

14:09 14:13 14:17 14:21 15:01 15:05

Time (hh:mm)

%

Fines size fraction% 32 m< µ

Separator speed(under PID control)

Offline Blaine insensitiveto type change

Erroneous offlineBlaine measurement

Type I Type V

Off-line BlaineOff-line Blaine

Figure 3: Cement type changeover at

Ashgrove Leamington plant, Utah

430

420

410

400

390

380

370

360

3500

Speci

fic

Surf

ace

Are

a(m

/kg)

2

Time (days)

2 4 6 8 10 12

Insitec (Real-time)

Blaine (Manual)

Figure 4: Graph showing how Insitec on-line analysis is

tracked by off-line Blaine measurements.

softer limestone being very finely ground, and passing

through the mill faster than the cement with little

blending taking place. An alternative limestone feed

system has subsequently been adopted which has led

to a more consistent blending and uniform product.

Malvern now offers a robust solution for fineness

monitoring close to the production line for manual

samples (figure 5). The main features are:

Based on Malvern's Insitec process size

analyzer, using industry-standard laser

diffraction

Robust measurement solution, with

abrasion-resistant parts available, to

withstand the rigors of a process

environment

Sample accessory can take batches of dry

powder up to 200 g per measurement, or

can be fed as a continuous stream using a

scoop

Analyzer can be connected via a real-time

bidirectional data link to plant control

system

Fully automated measurement

Simple user interface allowing operators to

make reliable measurements

Ideal for robotic measurement laboratories

Insitec At-line

THE CUTTING EDGE OF PROCESS ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGY

Over the past 15 years Malvern has pioneered

the use of real-time on-line particle size

measurement in powder processing. As a

result, in excess of 500 plants have been

optimized using Malvern Insitec on-line

particle size analyzers, and each now

produces improved powder products. More

than 50 of these Insitec systems are in cement

plants measuring final grade on finish mills.

Several large cement producers are now

adopting Insitec as a company-wide standard.

Particle size and distribution are important

parameters in the manufacture of cement as

they determine both the strength and cure

properties of the finished product. On-line

particle size analysis leads to sharp

improvements in product quality, and in

process efficiency.

Malvern has developed a robust turnkey

package for on-line particle size analysis for

the cement industry which allows

manufacturers to make significant gains in the

areas of energy consumption, product quality

and consistency, process automation, and unit

throughput.

Payback times associated with using on-line

size analysis can be as low as 6 months.

Particle Analysis in the

Cement Industry

Cement has historically been characterized using

Blaine measurements - an analysis of surface area.

However, two samples with the same surface area

can have different particle size distributions (figure 1).

Other drawbacks of Blaine include:

Where two cements have the same surface

area the cement with the narrower particle

size distribution will have the higher

compressive strength

Typically, for optimum performance, around

60 - 70 % of the particle size distribution of

a cement should be in the range 3 - 32 m

Particles larger than 45 m will not be fully

hydrated even after long curing periods

An excess of particles smaller than 3 m

will result in the cement curing

exothermically and cracking

These points illustrate the critical importance of

particle size distribution data in the optimization of

cement manufacture.

Malvern Insitec systems have been designed for

industrial use in challenging environments. They use

industry standard ensemble laser diffraction to rapidly

generate complete volume-based particle size

distribution data (at a rate of up to 4 distributions per

second). No calibration is required and maintenance

requirements are minimal. Reliability is extremely

high. Dust and vibration do not affect operation.

For cement applications the Insitec is used with a

specifically designed sampling system (figure 7). An

advanced screw auger in combination with an

eductor system allows representative samples to be

extracted from flows in excess of 50 t/hr. The

sampling system design takes into account the

abrasive nature of the product and fulfils the

requirements of ISO 8656-1.

Typically the analyzer is used to monitor final grade

cement, but it can also be used to measure the raw

feed to the kiln, and also the coal mill output.

The Insitec system uses two software packages,

RTSizer (figure 8) and Malvern Link (figure 9), to

generate particle size information in the required

µ

µ

µ

Malvern Insitec

Data Handling

A complete solution for

real-time fineness control

Industrially relevant information

form, control the sampling/analysis, and integrate

the system with existing process control platforms.

Typically in the cement industry Blaine measurements

have been used to monitor product quality. The

Insitec system has been configured to produce an

equivalent Blaine figure for cement applications

(figure 4) but in addition other particle size

information is routinely presented, for example,

%> 45 m, %>32 m and %<3 m. The system

can be configured to meet the specific requirements

of the customer.

The rich flow of particle size data which results from

the installation of on-line analysis allows cement

manufacturers to significantly tighten process control

particularly with respect to the finish mill. On-line

analysis allows the effects of actions to be

instantaneously observed and optimal conditions to

be more rapidly identified thereby improving the

quality of manual control. Additionally, on-line

analysis opens up a route to automated

mill/separator control facilitating further optimization

and elimination of the need for manual intervention.

This improved process control typically generates the

following benefits:

These benefits lead directly to reductions in energy

consumption and waste, and increased throughput.

Manufacturers installing Malvern systems have

typically observed production increases ranging from

5 - 8 % and energy consumption decreases of

around 4 - 8 %. The following examples illustrate

some of the benefits achieved.

Improved product consistency and quality

More rapid product changeover

and start-up

Reduced overgrinding

Enhanced process knowledge

US company Ashgrove Cement has 13 Insitec systems

on nearly all of its finish mills, one of which is installed

at the Leamington plant in Utah. In the year following

µ µ µ

The Benefits of On-line

Size Analysis

Reducing Overgrinding

Meeting the challenges facing

the cement industry

the installation of this Insitec, product fineness was

reduced from 3870 cm2/g to 3770 cm2/g with no

impact on product quality by reducing over-grinding

(figure 2). It has been estimated that this 100 cm2/g

reduction equates to a saving of around

2 - 3 % in milling costs or alternatively a significant

increase in mill throughput. The Insitec has been cited

by plant management as a major contributor to a

record production year at the facility and a 25 %

reduction in standard deviations of the final grade

quality metrics.

Typically finish mills will be switched on occasion from

one product to another, requiring different fineness

and compressive strength specifications, and/or

switched to various sources of clinker feed which have

different grindabilities. Figure 3 shows a cement type

change carried out at Ashgrove, where the plant was

Rapid Product

Changeover

running under full automatic separator control using

real-time fineness data from the Insitec. The fineness

trend (monitored by Insitec) is remarkably stable, with

the type change stabilizing very quickly. However, the

trend also shows that the off-line Blaine measurement

was insensitive to the type change, and even later

reported an erroneous data point that would have led

to an unnecessary process change.

A small proportion of limestone can be added to

cement as a minor additional constituent (MAC), to

reduce carbon emissions, raw materials requirements,

wastage and energy consumption. For these reasons,

the team at Castle Cement's Padeswood Works in

England, where an Insitec system is used to monitor

final product quality, began trials with a simple

limestone addition technique on a finish mill. This feed

system at first appeared to be adequate when judged

using an off-line Blaine measurement averaged from a

composite sample. However,

real-time data from the Insitec system indicated

otherwise. Using particle size distribution data

generated every 10 seconds, it was observed that

periodically the cement fineness would go out of

specification, increasing by 20 % before returning to

its original value over a period of an hour. The

increase in fineness corresponded to the relatively

At Zementwerk Berlin, where an Insitec analyzer has

also been installed, product changeovers are carried

out very frequently. Prior to installation of the Insitec

the changeover time taken was typically 1 hour, which

has been reduced to 6 minutes, thus increasing

throughput and decreasing off-spec transition

cement.

Improved Process

Knowledge

8(0.5x0.5x6) = 12

1x1x6 = 6

(2(1x1) + 4(2x1)) x 3 = 30

Sample A Sample B

Surface area

8(1x1x6) = 48

Surface area

30+12+6 = 48

1cm

1cm

1cm

Figure 1: Two different samples with the same surface

area have different particle size distributions.

MS-Windows

computer with

RTSizer &

Malvern Link

Analysis system

automation

Insitec T

At-line dry

powder feeder

Sample in

(manual sampling)

Real-time digital

data link to plant

control system

Figure 5: At-line analyzer for fineness measurements by

operators close to the finish mill.

With increasingconfidence, the

amountof over-grindingcan be reduced

Reject zoneReject zone

ParticleSize, D

Dmax

Time

Incr

ea

sin

gen

erg

yco

nsu

med

du

eto

extr

ag

rin

din

g

2-4 hourManual update

30 secAutomatic update

On-line automaticmeasurement andseparator control

Off-line manualmeasurement

Figure 2: Diagram showing how overgrinding is reduced

using on-line particle size analysis

100.0

97.5

95.0

92.5

90.0

87.5

85.0

82.5

80.0

77.5

75.0

14:09 14:13 14:17 14:21 15:01 15:05

Time (hh:mm)

%

Fines size fraction% 32 m< µ

Separator speed(under PID control)

Offline Blaine insensitiveto type change

Erroneous offlineBlaine measurement

Type I Type V

Off-line BlaineOff-line Blaine

Figure 3: Cement type changeover at

Ashgrove Leamington plant, Utah

430

420

410

400

390

380

370

360

3500

Speci

fic

Surf

ace

Are

a(m

/kg)

2

Time (days)

2 4 6 8 10 12

Insitec (Real-time)

Blaine (Manual)

Figure 4: Graph showing how Insitec on-line analysis is

tracked by off-line Blaine measurements.

APPLICATIONSFinish mill exit - final grade cement

Raw mill exit

Coal mill exit

Baghouse monitoring

REAL-TIME FINENESS MONITORINGON-LINE PARTICLE SIZING FOR CEMENT

Bill Siemering, Vice-President,

Ashgrove Cement Company, Inc

"Insitec contributed to our record

production year"

designed

and

produced

by

steeliris

design

consultancy

ww

w.steeliris.com

photography

by

ester

segarra

ww

w.e-segarra.com

MR

K5

63

-0

1

P R O C E S S S Y S T E M S

W H Y R U N B L I N D ?W W W . M A L P S . C O M

ANALYZER SYSTEMSInsitec T

Auger process interface

Malvern Instruments Limited

Enigma Business Park

Grovewood Road, Malvern, Worcs

WR14 1XZ

UK

TeI: +44 (0) 1684 892456

Fax: +44 (0) 1684 892789

Malvern Instruments Inc

10 Southville Road, Southborough

MA 01772

USA

Tel: +1 (508) 480 0200

Fax: +1 (508) 460 9692

Malvern Instruments Japan

South Bldg, 459 Kobe International Business Center

5-5-2 Minatojimaminami-machi

Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi Hyogo Prefecture 650-0047

Japan

Tel: +81 (0) 78 306 3806

Fax: +81 (0) 78 306 3807

Malvern Instruments GmbH

Rigipsstraße 19

71083 Herrenberg

Germany

Tel: +49 (0) 7032 97770

Fax: +49 (0) 7032 77854

Malvern Instruments S.A.

Parc Club de L'Université

30, Rue Jean Rostand

91893 Orsay Cedex

France

TéI: +33 (1) 69 35 18 00

Fax: +33 (1) 60 19 13 26

Malvern Instruments Nordic AB

Box 15045, Vallongatan 1

750 15 UPPSALA

Sweden

Tel: +46 (0) 18 55 24 55

Fax: +46 (0) 18 55 11 14

Malvern Instruments China

Room 04 8th Floor

699 Nanjing Road, Shanghai 200041

China

Tel: +86 21 5211 0072

Fax: +86 21 5211 0079

LASER RADIATION

DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM

CLASS 2 LASER PRODUCT

Auger motor

Final grade cement

ITECA

Sampling system

Vertical gravity

chute

Malvern

Insitec

Motive air

for venturi

Figure 7: Diagram of Iteca sampling system for Malvern Insitec analyzer.Figure 7: Diagram of Iteca sampling system for Malvern Insitec analyzer.

Automation cabinetAutomation cabinet

PC for real-time

size tracking

Serial link

(max length 10 m)

Clin

ker

Gyp

sum

Fly

ash

Fresh feed)

Motor

Separator

Rejects WaterInjection

Particle size

BaghouseFan

Damper

Motor

Auger

Air

Insitec

Elevator

Finish mill

Ceramic balls

Fan

Damper

Figure 8: RTSizer - analysis software,

running on MS-Windows 2000/XP.

Figure 8: RTSizer - analysis software,

running on MS-Windows 2000/XP.

Figure 9: Malvern Link - automation software for

sampler and analyzer control, and comms to plant.

Figure 9: Malvern Link - automation software for

sampler and analyzer control, and comms to plant.

Figure 6: Flowsheet showing cement finish mill process with location of Insitec and auger continuous sampling system.Figure 6: Flowsheet showing cement finish mill process with location of Insitec and auger continuous sampling system.

Final grade cement

Serial link

(max length 300 m)

From kiln

S O L U T I O N S