TESTIMONIAL: JK Cement reduces preheater maintenance with Fuller CCP

Choosing long-term reliability

The central pipe – or dip tube – enables hot gasses to flow efficiently upwards through the preheater cyclones, delivering uniform and efficient heat transfer to the descending raw meal. It sits at the heart of the preheater's separation process, and its condition has a direct bearing on how efficiently the cyclone operates. In the lower stages of the preheater, where temperatures are highest and kiln gases most concentrated, it is also under the greatest stress.

The CCP uses a segmented cast construction that handles temperatures up to 1100°C. This matters not just for thermal resilience, but also for ease of maintenance and installation. Worn or damaged sections can be replaced individually during a planned maintenance stop if desired. Downtime is minimised, and the replacement process is straightforward.

For plants running alternative fuels, material selection is critical. The sulphur and chloride compounds introduced by alternative fuels attack conventional materials aggressively, accelerating wear and shortening service life. Fuller's corrosion-resistant material grade is developed specifically for this environment, providing the chemical resistance needed to maintain performance between planned maintenance intervals.

The CCP also offers different segment thicknesses – 15 mm, 20 mm and 25 mm – which can be combined to tailor the design to the specific mechanical and chemical demands of each cyclone stage. Segment thickness is essentially the wear clock: as the material erodes in service, the remaining thickness indicates how much service life is left. Fuller's team specified the appropriate configuration for JK Cement's fourth stage application, giving the installation the best possible chance of a long and predictable service life.

The optimisation of the airflow, using the Fuller CCP, met and exceeded the customers’ performance expectations – a testament to the project’s success. This is especially challenging when utilising significant levels of alternative fuels.

The Results

Three years after installation, JK Cement has no regrets. Service life has doubled compared to their previous solution, reducing maintenance costs by 10 lakhs.

“On our most recent inspection, there was still 16 mm of segment thickness remaining – that’s less than 10 mm loss in three years,” says Rajesh Dhakar, Manager (Mech.), JK Cement. “We’re delighted with the performance of the Fuller CCP, which has coped well with the challenging environment of our fourth stage cyclone. We will definitely purchase another when the time comes.”