THE OKTM MILL: MORE VERSATILE AND LARGER THAN EVER

Christian Andersen

1. Introduction

FLSmidth A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark.

As end user strategies change over time, FLSmidth has taken up the challenge to expand our product portfolio. But still maintaining all the favourable features of our versatile grinding machine with regard to: grinding, mixing, drying and separation in one operation. For years it was good practice to use multiple and smaller vertical roller mills (VRM) in a production line if the line output was higher than one VRM could deliver. But due to the cost vs. output it has become more common to invest in very big VRM's for finish grinding. Of course, when deciding whether to choose multiple VRM's or one big VRM, we as a producer see the importance of having a skilled and well-run maintenance organisation to keep the high run factors we have experienced with our VRM's. The advantage of having one big mill is mostly related to purchase and installation cost. But also a slightly lower maintenance cost speaks in favour of one big VRM. The disadvantage is that operating only one big vertical mill may require a different spare parts strategy from running smaller mills as they are normally easier to keep running in case of a sudden breakdown. FLSmidth has been offering the OKTM mill since the early 1990's. Over the years it has undergone various updates; but the grinding portion still retains the well known geometry featuring pre-compression, de-aeration and grinding, with all rollers performing each of these functions in one operation.

2. General performance
With power consumption representing more than 30% of the total power consumption of a complete production line, the cement grinding installation is one of the biggest energy consumers in a cement plant. Therefore, it invariably holds potential for optimisation. The OKTM mill is highly rated by our customers for its: Efficiency: Low power consumption compared to ball mill installations and to other vertical roller mills on the market. Reliability: The run factor is very high > 90% Most of the stoppages are related to the feed or reject system and are not directly related to the mill proper. Versatility: Rapid change between different feed compositions. When optimizing the mill it was important to keep these customer priorities in mind and not jeopardize the mills' reputation.

3. Sizing the OKTM mill, and further changes to the mill design.
The process of upgrading our OK mills started by evaluating the mills in operation and relating the total output to production per roller, the outcome being the OK 6-roller mill. The existing size range went from OK 25-3 to OK 45-4. The new updated OK range which includes the 6 roller OK mills as shown below, ranges from OK 25-3 to OK 62-6 (Figure 1). Installed power is from 1300kW to 12000kW, and output range goes up to 685 t/h (OPC).

Figure 1. Size range including the 6-rollers versions. The mill size number is not directly comparable with other vertical mills in the market. It has to be multiplied by a factor 1.27 (on the four roller versions) to attain the correct table outer diameter, e.g. OK 42-4 (4200x1.27= 5330mm) The 6-roller version differs significantly from the 4-roller version in that the mill base is made of concrete (Figure.2)

Figure 2. Outline of the OKTM 51-6. The mill base is made of concrete with a welded structure on top. The roller size and the swing lever assemblies were adapted from the 4-roller to the 6-roller versions and the same module is used for the various mill sizes. (Figure 3.) Mill size Mill size Roller diameter OK 25-4 1475mm OK 27-4 1590mm OK 30-4 1770mm OK 33-4 1945mm OK 36-4 OK 51-6 2125mm OK 39-4 OK 54-6 2300mm OK 42-4 OK 58-6 2480mm (OK 45-4) OK 62-6 3660mm Figure 3. Shows where parts overlap for various mill sizes.

Just before the size range was expanded, a new design upgrade was released, lowering the weight of the OKTM mill (OKTM 42-4 approximately 20%). Each part of the mill was reviewed. A major, highly visible feature that was updated is the swing lever assembly (Figure 4). The roller shaft boss that was retained by the swing lever (for retaining the roller shaft) was removed and the forged roller axle is now machined square in the end where the swing lever and the axle join together. The joint assembly is via a double tapered king pin solution that locks and retains the axle in the correct position.

Figure 4. Swing lever assembly with the king pin assembly retaining the roller shaft (OK 42-4) Our well known grinding portion has retained its original shape with the grooved roller and bowl shaped table design. As the only VRM in the market, all rollers continue to perform pre compression, de-aeration and grinding in the same operation (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Pressure distribution in the grinding bed Due to the inclined shape of the table the OK mill has a uniform layer thickness that plays a major part in ensuring grinding efficiency. Others VRM's with flat bed tables accumulate the material against a high dam ring and rotating scrapers to consolidate the material are often needed. As the OK mill grinding geometry has been maintained, the wear pattern is predictable and can be used in planning an optimised maintenance strategy.

The wear occurs on the top part of the grinding table segments and on the outside of the roller profile in the grinding zone (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Typical wear profiles in the grinding portion; OPC wear rate 1.1 g/t Although the grinding portion geometry remains the same, the roller design has been changed, reducing the segment to half size (Figure 7). The knowledge gained over time has shown how the wear is restricted to the grinding zone.

Figure 7. Updated grinding roller design with new half size segments and hidden segment bolts. Today the pre-compression zone is part of the hub, which is hard faced, and only the grinding zone is still made of high chrome alloy segments that allow multiple refurbishments. All the bolts that retain the roller segments are placed under the cover plate facing the centre of the mill table, which completely eliminates bolt wear. The grinding table segments (Figure 8) in the OK 42-4, OK 58-6 and OK 62-6 are divided into an inner segment and an outer segment.

Figure 8. Table segments divided in two on the larger versions; each segment is clamped onto the table This facilitates handling of the segments when they need to be renewed. These segments are also made of high chrome alloy, again enabling multiple refurbishments. Experience has shown that the inner segment is exposed too little wear as it is part of the pre-compression zone. Each segment is individually clamped to the table.

During the review undertaken by FLSmidth, we found that hardly any of our mills in operation utilised the maximum specific grinding pressure available (1200kN/m2), the most common range used being around 900kN/m2. So today the maximum specific grinding pressure has been reduced to 1040kN/m2 (Figure 9). Even though the specific grinding pressure has been lowered the resultant peak grinding pressure is still equivalent to ~ 180MPa. This maximum pressure is still higher than any other vertical mill on the market. The high grinding pressure is a result of the narrow grinding zone on the outer diameter, which ensures maximum grinding efficiency.

Figure 9. Specific grinding pressure of 1040kN/m2 with a resultant peak up to 180MPa To optimally utilize the wear segments, an eccentric bushing (Figure 10) has been introduced, which allows shifting the roller assembly position 60 mm towards the centre of the table, thereby extending the running time (if necessary) of the segments before refurbishment. At the same time, it is possible to optimize the pre-compression gap for the fresh feed.

Figure 10. The eccentric solution ensures that the swing lever assembly can be moved 60mm towards the centre of the mill. With the new ROKSH separator the power consumption in the separation process is significantly lower compared to our previous separators (ROKS). The reduction of the absorbed power is approximately 25%. The profile of the mill housing and reject cone causes the dust-laden air to flow to the louvres and the rotor. This has been designed so that the air velocity is lowered through the separator. A significantly lower wear rate is seen in the separator, actually so low that the separator housing no longer requires covering with hard faced plates. The top seal from our OKS separator has been retained because of its durability and long life. Big mills require big drives; being an OEM, it is essential for us to be able to offer complete solutions that also include gearboxes. Our OK mill can be supplied with a wide range of drive solutions depending on the mill size, from traditional two and tree stage planetary gearboxes to FLSmidth MAAG CEMTM drives, and even multiple drives.

The hydraulic system has been updated to a new proven simplified system that is controlled by solenoid valves, and the pumps have been changed to gear and vane pumps, making maintenance and troubleshooting very easy. The system is operated with 4 valves for controlling the lifting and lowering of the rollers, the 5th. valve being a "crossover" valve that redirects the high grinding pressure lifting pressure for emergency lifting, if required. The OK mill 6-roller versions can work with dual pressure, meaning different pressure on rollers 1-3-5 and rollers 2-46. Installation and service has been made easier as the pipes used are fitted together with compression ring fittings.

4. Product types and product quality

The OK mill is supplied as grinding mill for OPC, blended cement and pure slag, so we have gained wide experience with various feed compositions. As we expand into different markets the knowledge with different feed materials also grows (Figure 5).Our latest experience includes Trass, which like other materials can vary a lot in moisture content (from 6% to 25%) and handling requirements. Handling material with up to 8% moisture is not considered a problem with the heated rotary feeders in one feed chute.

Figure 11. Various feed combinations including Trass As often seen, the PSD (Particle Size Distribution) is normally steeper in VRM cement compared to traditional ball mill cement. This can to some extent be modified in the OK mill, working with various parameters such as grinding pressure and dam ring height, but also the air flow and the separator speed are used to customise the PSD curve to customer requirements. The high grinding pressure results in higher energy per over rolling resulting in a less steep PSD curve A higher dam ring results in multiple over rolling of the clinker due to the high bed height. A lower air flow results in a less steep PSD curve. Separator speed has an influence on the circulation factor, and the lower the circulation factor, the lower the inclination of the PSD curve. A combination of the air flow and the separator speed also has a great influence on the PSD curve.

We are often asked to match the traditional ball mill cement in quality and strength development, but there seems to be an increasing interest in the market for grinding to an even steeper PSD curve, adding the possibility of mixing more additives into the finished product. However, modifying the operation to achieve a low inclination of the PSD curve, using a high dam ring and high grinding pressure and a low airflow rate, comes with a price. The result is lower grinding efficiency and consequently higher specific energy consumption due to the higher resistance on the roller from the high grinding bed. The throughput will also be lower because less material will be lifted to the separator, and will load the recirculation system.

Product fineness: Normal product guaranties are: OPC: Max 450m2/kg Blaine Blended cement: +45micron > = 2% Slag: Max 480kg/m2 Blaine with standard table speed Max 600kg/m2 Blaine with reduced table speed Slag: with 5% Gypsum Max 500kg/m2 Blaine with standard table speed Max 630kg/m2 Blaine with reduced table speed Grinding OPC to more than 360kg/m2 normally requires grinding aid Relation between table speed and fineness is shown in the table in Figure 12. Figure 12. Relation table speed /fineness Standard requirements to the granulometry of the fresh feed are minimum: 40% of the clinker is larger than 5mm. The maximum clinker size is 1,8% of the Do (Do = nominal table diameter). For the OK 42-4 it is 1,8% of 4200mm= ~75mm. For the 6 roller mills the reference must be related to the mill size origin of the roller size as described earlier. Other feeds: size can vary but as a rule of thumb maximum sizes should be ~2.7% of the Do OK 42-4=~115mm Slag feed should be kept in the size area of up to 5mm. Multiple experiences has shown that even very dusty clinker can be handled in the mill, but the basic setup of the mill must then be optimised i.e. the dam ring height increased and the grinding pressure adjusted accordingly. Temperature levels: A lot of the additive materials fed to the mill are often wet or at least very moist, so the mill internals have been designed to cope with this demand and the mechanical maximum temperature of the mill is 400 C. However, normal temperatures ranges for the inlet are between 80 to 100C for OPC and PPC and 200C-300C for slag. Our normal prescribed outlet temperature for cement is in the area of 110C-115C. The dehydration of the gypsum must be taken into consideration as this can vary a lot; we have seen temperatures adjusted all the way down to 75C after commissioning. For slag the temperature range is 90C to 105 C to ensure sufficient drying. Dehydration of gypsum: As the VRM roller mill is much more energy efficient than a ball mill, the amount of heat generated from the grinding is less and the dehydration of the gypsum is lower. Good circulation of the process air is mandatory. This can be achieved by returning the ventilation air to the mill to keep the grinding heat in the mill circuit or by providing additional heat to the air. If an external heat source is not available, increasing the feed clinker temperature should be considered. Furthermore, VRMs mills have shorter material retention time than traditional ball mills, and this can be an issue for how and when dehydration occurs. Stabilising the mill: Water can be used as the easy option for stabilising, but it is often incorrectly. Its too easy just to pour on more water, but a lot of stability can be gained by trimming the mill with the correct grinding pressures and dam ring provided the clinker supply does not vary too much in quality. This is a much better approach. Another purpose of the water can be cooling in case of running the mill on very hot clinker.

Green approach and maintenance strategy. As earlier stated the segments are made of high chrome cast iron. There are several reasons for this: The eccentric solution can be seen as part of ensuring full utilisation of the grinding section; and therefore it is possible to re-weld multiple times. This approach ensures that the segments are fully recyclable, which is a more environmentally friendly approach than using any type of ceramic composite materials which are impossible to reuse or hardface! These segments are mostly considered dead material. Hardfacing is still the preferred solution! Hardfacing is now offered and carried out by FLSmidth For OK slag mills the normal wear rate is 10 - 12 g/t (wear rate depends greatly on the free iron content of the slag) without hardfacing. Expected hardfacing off slag mills is every 3 to 6 months. Calculations of lifetime are based on 0.30.5% free iron in the slag. If the free iron content is higher than 1% it is most essential that some means of iron removal is installed in the grinding circuit. With higher wear and total lifetimes of only 3000 -5000 hours, slag mills benefit more from hardfacing; not just due to the price, but also because the wear rate when hard faced is only about half that of chromium cast iron. After more than 10 years experience of hardfacing the OK mill, it is now proven practice globally, some mills having been hardfaced more than 20 times on the table, and up to 10 times on the rollers. The wear profile may vary depending on the type of slag and its moisture, texture, iron content, etc., and thus the optimum timing for re-welding can be determined during the service visit as previously mentioned?. The operation time between hardfacings is determined by looking at the decrease of capacity and the increase of grinding pressure and vibration level associated with progressive wear of the segments that is acceptable in order to maintain the product fineness and production. First time spare parts (FTS): The first time spares strategy was changed when the new version was released. Basically, the FTS package has been reduced to a minimum of parts based on our experience, but additionally included in the mill price is a service visit after 2-5 months depending on the application, including an audit, walkthrough and wear measurement of the grinding section. This will results in a recommended spare parts list and potential advice regarding the continued operation of the mill in co-operation with the plant's production/ maintenance team.

5. Conclusion:
The OKTM mill has been on the market for more than 3 decades. Experience has shown a VRM with outstanding performance, easy maintenance and a very versatile mill with a wide product range. It has been demonstrated through industrial operation that the OK mill can grind any type of cement mixture to required fineness and quality. The size range has been expanded to include the 6 roller versions of the OK TM mill grinding system. At the same time all mechanical parts have been reviewed and updated making the OK TM mill prepared for the years to come. With the updated version of the OK mill in operation in several installations, it has been verified that the effort has been successful and FLSmidth is prepared for the future offering the best Vertical mill in the market.