Cement industry

Cement is one of the most important raw materials for the construction and expansion of infrastructure. The processes in cement production require a high level of productivity and efficiency. IPTech sensors measure reliably in all areas of this industry: from the quarry to the storage of cement.

Stacker

Detecting the position of the stacker in the blending bed

Application

To maintain a high quality and uniform material consistency in the finished cement, the raw materials are homogenized in a blending bed. To achieve this the rock is distributed evenly over the blending bed with a stacker. Material is reclaimed in reverse order with the help of a scraper. In order to optimally control the conveyor systems, their positions must be determined as precisely as possible.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement despite strong dust generation
Cost effective
Exact position monitoring without mechanical wear
User friendly
Maintenance and wear-free

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement
Measuring point:
Reflective surface
Measuring range up to:
120 m
Medium:
Reflective surface
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Dust, noise

Blending bed

Level measurement of the blending bed

Application

To attain high quality and uniform material consistency in the finished cement, the raw material is homogenized in a so-called blending bed. The rock is distributed evenly over the blending bed with a stacker. Material is removed with a scraper. To ensure that the incoming material is distributed as evenly as possible, the level must be continuously measured.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement even with strong dust generation
Cost effective
Optimum storage capacity utilization
User friendly
Maintenance and wear-free

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement
Measuring point:
Stockpile
Measuring range up to:
30 m
Medium:
Rocks
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Dust, noise

Raw meal silo

Level measurement and point level detection in raw meal silos

Application

Before being burned in the rotary kiln, the material from the blending bed and the aggregates are ground to a fine raw meal in large mills. The powdery material is then transported to the silo by a pneumatic conveyor system. Reliable monitoring of the level is essential for optimal raw material storage.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement ensures a continuous supply of raw material
Cost effective
Optimal stocks ensure continuous production
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement and point level detection
Measuring point:
Silo
Measuring range up to:
20 m
Medium:
Raw meal
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Strong dust generation, buildup

Clinker cooler

Level and pressure measurement in the clinker cooler

Application

To produce cement, the raw meal is burned to clinker in a long rotary kiln. After leaving the rotary kiln, the clinker has a temperature of up to +1300 °C and must be cooled down to a temperature of about +200 °C for further storage. To achieve this, the clinker bed is cooled with a continuous stream of air. Pressure monitoring is required in the lower part of the clinker cooler to make the cooling as effective as possible. The material height of the hot clinker, at over 1000 °C on the conveyor belt, also has to be reliably measured. 
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable monitoring of cooler process
Cost effective
Optimal cooling with minimum energy expenditure
User friendly
Maintenance-free measurement

Process data

Measuring task:
Level and pressure measurement
Measuring point:
Conveyor belt
Measuring range up to:
1 m
Medium:
Burned clinker
Process temperature:
0 … +1500 °C
Process pressure:
0 … +100 mbar
Special challenges:
High temperatures, dirt and buildup

Clinker silo

Level measurement and point level detection in clinker silos

Application

After the raw meal is burned, the emerging clinker of varying consistency is stored for further processing. The silos are filled and emptied through different openings. Continuous operation of the subsequent production processes is ensured by level measurement and point level detection.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement despite high temperatures
Cost effective
Optimal stocks enable continuous production
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement and point level detection
Measuring point:
Silo
Measuring range up to:
30 m
Medium:
Clinker
Process temperature:
-40 … +200 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Dust, abrasion, high temperatures

Compressor

Pressure measurement in air compressor systems

Application

The air compressor system generates the necessary compressed air to transport the material from the silos via the network of feed pipes. To ensure a smooth, steady flow of material, reliable pressure monitoring in the compressors and conveying channels is required.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Safety shutdown in case of excessive pressure
Cost effective
Constant supply of compressed air for production
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Pressure measurement
Measuring point:
Conveyance channels
Measuring range up to:
0 … 18 bar
Medium:
Air
Process temperature:
+5 … +30 °C
Process pressure:
0 … +18 bar
Special challenges:
Pressure shocks

Cement silo

Level and pressure measurement and point level detection in cement silos

Application

Before further processing, the cement is stored in tall silos. The cement is transported both in and out of the silo via pneumatic conveying. Efficient storage and transport of the product is ensured by accurate level measurement and point level detection, as well as also monitoring the pneumatic conveying system pressure.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement ensures a continuous supply of raw material
Cost effective
Optimal stocks enable continuous production
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Level and pressure measurement, point level detection
Measuring point:
Silo
Measuring range up to:
50 m
Medium:
Cement
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Strong dust generation, buildup

Cyclone

Buildup measurement in cyclones

Application

In clinker production, cyclones are used to preheat the raw meal. Before the raw meal enters the rotary kiln it is preheated to +900 °C in the cyclone. Constant monitoring of the buildup thickness on the walls ensures a continuous process.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable buildup measurement despite high temperatures
Cost effective
Monitoring the formation of buildup ensures high availability of the cyclone
User friendly
Simple external mounting

Process data

Measuring task:
Buildup measurement
Measuring point:
Cyclone
Measuring range up to:
3 m
Medium:
Raw meal
Process temperature:
+300 … +900 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Heavy deposits and buildup

Silo for solid fuels

Level measurement and point level detection in silos for solid fuels

Application

Large amounts of energy are needed to burn clinker in rotary kilns. Apart from conventional energy sources such as gas, oil and coal, solid substitute fuels such as dried sewage sludge, old tires or meat and bone meal are increasingly being used. Since the required amounts of energy represent a significant cost factor in cement production, exact level measurement of the solid fuels is essential.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement ensures a continuous supply of fuel
Cost effective
Exact content measurement reduces logistics costs
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement and point level detection
Measuring point:
Silo
Measuring range up to:
20 m
Medium:
Coal, meat and bone meal, recycled materials
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Strong dust generation, deposits

Tank for liquid fuels

Level measurement and point level detection in tanks for liquid fuels

Application

Large amounts of energy are needed to burn clinker in rotary kilns. Substitute liquid fuels such as spent oils or recovered solvents are often used for this purpose. The fuel storage tanks often contain a mixture of solvents, which can produce fumes and vapours in the air space. Due to the large amount of energy needed in cement production, the fuel inputs represent a significant cost factor, so accurate level measurement is essential.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement under all operating conditions
Cost effective
Optimal storage
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement and point level detection
Measuring point:
Tank
Measuring range up to:
5 m
Medium:
Fuel oil, heavy oil
Process temperature:
-10 … +80 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Media with low dielectric constant

Crusher

Level measurement and point level detection in rock crushers

Application

The large boulders are extracted from the solid bedrock with blasting. This very first stage in the process is needed to enable these very large rocks to be crushed by smaller, secondary jaw and roller crushers, which create the smaller sizes for screening to produce the basic building materials like gravel, grit or sand. To enable efficient, continuous operation and keep wear on the crusher as low as possible, level measurement and point level detection are required.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement ensured even in noisy environments
Cost effective
Uninterrupted operation thanks to optimal process feed
User friendly
Simple installation and setup

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement and point level detection
Measuring point:
Crusher
Measuring range up to:
5 m
Medium:
Stones
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Strong noise and dust generation, extreme abrasion

Conveyor belt transfer station

Level measurement and point level detection at the belt transfer point

Application

The transport of coarse and fine bulk solids within a stone processing facility takes place in most cases via conveyor belts. To achieve an even throughput and compensate for volume fluctuations during transport, belt transfer points are integrated in the conveyor line. The incoming bulk material is briefly stored in a buffer silo to prevent belt overfilling. This is the point where the level and the point level must be monitored.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable monitoring of silo filling
Cost effective
Optimal utilization of conveyor belt capacity
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement and point level detection
Measuring point:
Silo
Measuring range up to:
5 m
Medium:
Stones, gravel and sand
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Extremely noisy and dusty environment, abrasion

Conveyor belt

Mass flow measurement on conveyor belts

Application

Bulk aggregates are fed into production processes via conveyor belts or screw conveyors. For effective feed control to and from these processes, or inter-production unit billing, the mass flow of the conveyed bulk material must be measured. A reliable belt-weighing scale system and mass flow rate ensures accurate measurement and smooth operation of the plant.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement despite changing belt tension and vibrations
Cost effective
Optimal mass flow measurement allows exact accounting of bulk solids
User friendly
Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:
Throughput measurement
Measuring point:
Conveyor belt
Measuring range up to:
10,000 t/h
Medium:
Bulk solids
Process temperature:
-40 … +60 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Vibrations, dirt, changing material size

Truck loading

Point level detection during the loading of trucks

Application

Dust-free, closed loading systems are needed for fine aggregates and finished products such as cement. Automated loading of trucks is preferred in the industry and, while the load quantity is determined with a weighing system, it must be ensured that the truck is in the correct place and not overfilled. Reliable point level detection and vehicle positioning shortens loading times, increases throughput and improves the efficiency of the entire system.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Reliable measurement under tough operating conditions
Cost effective
Optimal filling of silo vehicles
User friendly
Simple setup and commissioning

Process data

Measuring task:
Point level detection
Measuring point:
Silo truck
Measuring range up to:
Gravel, grit and cement
Medium:
Stones
Process temperature:
-40 … +50 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Harsh environment, extreme dust generation

Diesel tank

Level measurement in the diesel tank

Application

Accurate measurement of tank content is an essential part of liquids logistics planning, especially when it comes to maintaining a sufficient supply of fuel for the vehicle fleet. Precise level measurement is required in order to ensure optimal stocking.
 

Your benefit

Reliable
Maximum confidence in measurement
Cost effective
Optimum fuel stocks for the vehicle fleet
User friendly
Simple installation and commissioning

Process data

Measuring task:
Level measurement
Measuring point:
Tank
Measuring range up to:
10 m
Medium:
Diesel
Process temperature:
-20 … +60 °C
Process pressure:
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges:
Changes in density due to temperature fluctuations

Beer tank

Application

During the brewing process, a thick layer of foam is always present in the beer tanks. Therefore usually two pressure transmitters are used for level measurement. One transmitter measures the head pressure, while the other at the bottom measures the total pressure. The level is precisely calculated from the differential between these two pressures. Hygienic process fittings are absolutely necessary for these sensors.

Your benefit

Reliable Certified materials according to FDA and EC 1935/2004 regulations Cost effective plics® concept: short delivery time and standardized operation User friendly One measuring system, three measured values: level, pressure, temperature