Thermal imaging helps Saudi Cement monitor kilns
17 Jun 2010
Hofuf, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Cement is employing thermal imaging equipment from Thermoteknix at its Hofuf plant.
The company is monitoring two 10,000 tonnes/day kilns with six-stage preheaters via three Thermoteknix ThermaScope HTV cameras that provide live images of the burner pipe as well as the first and second stage coolers at the site.
The ThermaScope HTV model, which Saudi Cement opted for, offers direct output to a CCTV display giving operators and control engineers a clear image of the process. Abnormal conditions such as over or under temperature, poor temperature distribution or irregular flame shape is instantly shown. These can be alarmed and interpreted by the operator or process engineer with analysis tools and temperature displays.
Live video images of the process are displayed on control room PC monitors. Every pixel in the camera field of view is measured for exact temperature evaluation.
The temperature at points or within areas of interest are measured and can be continuously displayed and recorded. Alarm points for areas of interest can be defined and analogue control outputs can be programmed for interface with process control algorithms.
The system featurs Thermoteknix’ Centurion infrared linescanner combined with dedicated WinCEM application software. This, said the company, has been the industry standard in rotary kiln shell scanners for the cement industry. At the Hofuf plant, WinCem alarms were set to activate blowers to move to and cool essential areas of the kilns.
The two Saudi Cement kilns presented challenges when it came to installing the units. Each kiln features tertiary air ducts on either side, the supports for which interfered with the line of sight to the kiln. Especially problematic were the supports obstructing the view of the kiln tyres where problems are likely to occur.
Two Thermoteknix Centurion stereo systems were, therefore, mounted on 30m high towers to eliminate all blind spots on both kilns resulting in a control room display with clear single brick resolution and all girth gear visible.
Interface to the Centurion TK50 is provided by the new 19” rack mount ruggedised PC interface unit, which supports up to two scanners, eight pyrometer inputs, eight tyre/kiln slip inputs and 12 relay outputs.
Mono/stereo and fill-In pyrometer configurations enable it to operate on covered kilns or where pillars or obstacles obstruct the line of sight between scanner and kiln. Two or more TK50 scanners can be connected to the WinCem software for elimination of shadows and obstructions.
