Improving the coal-feeding conveying system in a Holcim cement plant AERZEN Success Story in Colombia AERZEN, as a specialist in cement applications, has improved the pneumatic conveying coal feeding system to the main burner at the Holcim Colombia plant. The plant is located in Nobsa, a small town 2.5 hours away from Bogotá. The plant capacity is about 3Mt/year of cement and has a market share in Colombia of 12%, with high growth expectations following the establishment of the Lafarge Holcim joint venture in 2015. In 2014, Aerzen USA optimised the pneumatic coal-conveying transport to the main burner, also known as the Pfister system. In this application, two AERZEN GM 35S tri-lobe blowers from the ‘90s were in operation. Each machine operated at an intake volume flow of 37.4 m³/min, differential pressure of 600mbar and with a 75 kW (100 HP) electric motor. The noise generated was calculated at 102 dB as the machines didn’t have acoustic hoods (local Colombian regulations define 80 dB as the maximum allowed noise level). Power consumption demand for the system was measured at an average of 54 kW per machine, which represented an annual energy cost of USD 78,000 (considering a kW cost of 0.1 USD and 20,000 hours MTBR - Mean Time Between Repairs). At Holcim Colombia, each production area is independent in its operation. This makes upgrading projects for specific applications easier. At Holcim, the corporate policy says that every kW counts.Please click on the picture to watch the video.TESTIMONIAL Javier Forero, Pfister Area Manager, indicates the results “10% energy consumption reduction, about 20% noise level reduction in the operating area thanks to the improved acoustic hoods, better control of the coal flow into the burner which improves our kiln operation”.Delta Hybrid, AERZEN technology applied to the cement industryDelta Hybrid rotary lobe compressors, model D62S, are the solution in the Holcim Colombia Plant.AERZEN’s commitment as an application specialist presented a solution with Delta Hybrid rotary lobe compressors, model D62S, that were selected specifically for this application with the primary purpose of improving the following aspects: noise level reduction to comply with the Colombian regulation of 80 dB maximum. The D62S blowers operate at 72 dB under the same operational conditions with a 10% energy consumption reduction, which represents annual savings of around USD 7,800.Installed power reduction was achieved with the Delta Hybrid performance by replacing the existing 75 kW motors for 55 kW IE3 premium efficiency motors. Process stability improved due to the Delta Hybrid’s operating principle that reduces pulsations when the flow is conveyed, delivering a more laminar flow, which makes the burning process smoother.In addition to the obvious advantages which came from upgrading the technology, for Holcim it was also important to have a TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) evaluation of the new machines in the system. AERZEN delivered a 5-year projection which indicated that by using the Delta Hybrid rotary lobe compressors operational costs would be reduced by 40% and would operate at 40,000 hours MTBR, with 50% better performance than could be achieved with conventional tri-lobe blowers.Javier Forero, Pfister Area Manager, sums up the results after one year of operation with the new technology: “10% energy consumption reduction, about 20% noise level reduction in the operating area thanks to the improved acoustic hoods, better control of the coal flow into the burner, which improves our kiln operation.”BackgroundThe AERZEN subsidiary Aerzen USA started operations in Colombia in 2008 with the primary purpose of supporting existing customers, such as Holcim, with AERZEN machinery in their processes.The Holcim Colombia plant uses AERZEN technology in all eight main applications that required oil-free, low-pressure air supply, from raw mill pneumatic conveying to the raw meal silos up to the bagging systems for finished cement. Thanks to AERZEN’s specific knowledge in cement applications, an upgrade was successfully implemented in the coal feeding system to the main burner that brings savings in energy consumption, noise reduction and more stable and laminar air flow that helps improve the burner’s stability.
AERZEN divests its Gas Meter division Aerzener Maschinenfabrik GmbH successfully sold its product division rotary piston gas meters to RMA Rheinau GmbH at the end of 2018.The AERZEN rotary piston gas meter has been a product rich in tradition at Aerzener Maschinenfabrik since 1930. Due to their design, however, demand and sales of measuring instruments were concentrated primarily on the German market. On the basis of the company’s international growth strategy, which mainly focuses on compressor technology and application specialisation, the AERZEN gas meter no longer fits in with the future target orientation. Against this background, the management decided to sell this product division to another company in the industry with good know-how.“For AERZEN it was very important to find a buyer who would offer the product range to our long-standing customers with the usual high quality,” says the CEO, Klaus-Hasso Heller. “We are very pleased that we have now found a reliable partner in RMA, based in Rheinau, who will not only continue the AERZEN technology, but will also develop it further in this way,” adds Klaus-Hasso Heller.
