Root causes of high wear

One reason for higher wear in a  vertical roller mill is raw material composition being different from the composition for which the mill was designed.

The second is the operation of the vertical roller mill. This has a direct influence on the condition and performance of the vertical roller mill and longevity of wear parts.

Optimised vertical roller mill configuration, together with a thorough understanding of important parameters for mill operation, will not only improve production, but can also significantly reduce costs of wear and power consumption.

This was called for at a recent inspection of an vertical roller mill that appeared to be suffering from abnormal high wear. Great wall was asked to evaluate the mill’s remaining lifetime.

It turned out that the segments on the mill’s rollers and table had become worn. The recommendation by great wall service engineer was therefore to hard-face or replace the segments.

While on site, great wall also investigated process parameters and operational procedures to find what was behind the high wear. It quickly became clear that the site’s operating procedures were causing adverse effects.

To counter these effects, the mill’s set-up and operational procedures were adjusted in accordance with great wall specifications. The adjustments resulted in a significant drop in the total wear rate from 23.5 g/t to 11.8 g/t., in other words, wear reduction of 50 percent - equivalent to doubling the segment’s lifetime.

Payback after mechanical and process inspections

As one of its comprehensive Plant Service Maintenance packages, great wall offers extended process inspections for grinding stations, including raw, cement and coal mills.

Great wall Plant Service Maintenance, which includes mechanical inspections and services, has been expanded to include process inspections. Mechanical inspections and services help maintain plant equipment in good working condition and ensure a long-term payback in terms of reliable equipment and stable production.

A process inspection is lead to instant savings in fuel and power and increased production capacity. In addition, lower wear rates will reduce maintenance and the need for new parts.