Choking in DP measuring lines of ball tube mill - A Case study Alok Kumar Gupta Engineer / C&I Paras TPS

Site. Project Rating &o' of Tube $ills Ty)e of Tube $ill : Paras TPS : 1 !"# $% :( : **D +,,!

-ntroduction For a Ball tube mill a dire t relation e!ists bet"een t#e primar$ air %lo" entering t#e mill and t#e pul&eri'ed %uel e!tra ted %rom t#e mill. T#is relation (air) oal ratio* s#all be maintained to get good balan e in t#e analog loop load ontrol. T#e air oal ratio is "idel$ dependent on t#e tube mill load ontent. For t#is reason it is ne essar$ to maintain onstant le&el o% pul&eri'ed oal in t#e mill. T#e le&el is measured b$ deep tube s$stem "#i # is designed to gi&e a reliable signal independent o% tube mill load/output. Princi)le In t#is met#od+ a %lo" ontroller maintains air %lo" at &er$ lo" speed in t#e measuring pipes. T#e pressure in pipe is dependent on spe i%i "eig#t o% t#e li,uid -". and t#e distan e -#. bet"een t#e in/e tion point and %ree atmosp#ere T#en t#e pressure p 0 " 1 # It is possible to graduate manometer to read le&el -#. dire tl$. I% t#e li,uid sur%a e is not at atmosp#eri pressure but in pressuri'ed &essel it is possible to measure t#e le&el using di%%erential pressure measurement. %orking of DP Panel T#is s$stem uses measuring probes pla ed abo&e (top* and in t#e pul&eri'ed oal (bottom* o% t#e tube mill. 2 nos. pressure taps are also pro&ided on t#e line "#i # is onne ted to t#e upper tap o% t#e mill %or ot#er uses "#i # re,uire measurement o% pressure inside t#e tube mill. T"o air ir uits are used+ one %or t#e measurement and se ond %or purging to a&oid blo kages. T#e measuring taps and pipes s#ould be "it#out blo kage ot#er"ise it "ill result in %alse reading. 3easuring air ir uit introdu es instrument air ontinuousl$ in t#e measuring pipes at lo" speed %or measurement o% pressure in t#e tube mill. A bu%%er tank stabili'es t#e pressure o% measuring air "#i # is ontrolled b$ a pressure redu ing &al&e to get onstant di%%erential pressure (425 mm" * in t#e pressure redu ing ori%i es. T#is s$stem maintains ontinuous onstant air %lo" and &elo it$ in t#e measuring pipes independent o% t#e pressure e!isting in t#e tube mill. T#e orre t %un tioning o% t#e s$stem is ensured b$ a di%%erential pressure s"it #. Ea # o% t#e si! lines going to t#e mill is onne ted to a 6ormall$ open and 6ormall$ losed 2/2 pneumati &al&e. Ea # pair o% 6ormall$ open and 6ormall$ losed 2/2 pneumati &al&es are onne ted in parallel to 7/2 solenoid

operated poppet &al&es. T#is arrangement dis onne ts lo" pressure measuring air ir uit during #ig# pressure purging o% air lines going to t#e tube mill.

Problem Statement T#e trouble started in 6o&ember 2545 end "it# t#e #oking o% bottom side 8P line o% bot# sides. 8ue to t#is+ it "as di%%i ult to appropriatel$ ontrol t#e mill le&el/parameters. Preliminary ste)s Follo"ing steps "ere taken %or learing t#e blo kage o% 8P line sin e t#e emergen e o% problem9 Firstl$ t#e impulse line "as ut open /ust be%ore entering t#e mill. T#is parti ular line "as %ound lear o% blo kage b$ blo"ing air %rom panel t#roug# t#e line . Air at t#e pressure o% : Kg/ m2 "as blo"n t#roug# t#e ut line but to no e%%e t. T#e ne!t step "as to go inside t#e mill and #e k t#e taps/no''le. T#e s re"s pro&ided %or poking #ad been "elded (SS*. So t#e onl$ option "as to ut open t#e bra ket/guard o% no''le. ;sing armor/ "ire t#e line "as poked but it "as ine%%e ti&e. Again t#roug# t#e no''le air o% < kg/ m2 pressure "as blo"n but t#at didn.t #elp eit#er. .urther Actions taken As t#e blo"ing o% air upto a pressure o% < kg/ m2 "as ine%%e ti&e so it "as de ided to emplo$ a me #ani'ed #$drauli pressure pump ("#i # is o%ten used %or impulse line #$dro test*. A olle tion o% %ittings "ere arranged to onne t t#e %itting o% #$drauli pump as it "as o% non standard si'e and %inall$ it "as onne ted to t#e no''le. =ig# pressure air along "it# mild sulp#uri a id "as pumped t#roug# t#e no''le. Subse,uentl$ t#e pressure "as raised to <5 kg/ m2. Result As a result o% pumping #ig# pressure air "it# dilute sulp#uri a id t#e blo kage "as %inall$ leared. Conclusion T#e blo kage inside 8P line ould not be leared using on&entional blo kage) learing te #ni,ues &i'. air blo"ing + poking et . =en e a ne" met#odolog$ "as adopted a%ter e!#austing all t#e a&ailable met#ods. T#is ne" met#odolog$ in&ol&ed t#e use o% me #ani'ed #$drauli pressure pump %or blo"ing air mi!ed "it# mild sulp#uri a id t#roug# t#e 8P lines. T#e use o% sulp#uri a id "as parti ularl$ #elp%ul as it in&ol&es o!idation and sulp#onation "#i # disintegrates t#e oal lumps.

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1' Delta-) Panel

!' Cut DP line just outside mill

(' The /onder machine- manual hydraulic )um)