Current modernization and maintenance concepts in the cement industry
Summary: There is an increasing trend towards using benchmarking methods for deciding modernization and maintenance measures on the basis of cost considerations. When cement producers decide on a modernization project, they are usually aiming to increase efficiency, either by eliminating a bottleneck, modernizing the entire plant, a plant section or just individual machines and components. Although ready-made concepts exist for all these projects, individual projects are generally approached in a customer-specific manner. The situation with respect to maintenance and servicing of cement plant is similar. Here, too, the possibilities are numerous and therefore very company-specific. This article deals with current topics on this sector.
In recent years, cement production capacity has risen faster than cement sales [1]. The resultant surplus capacities on numerous cement markets have been highlighted by the global economic crisis and recession. Steps have since been taken to substantially reduce overcapacity by means of permanent or temporary factory closures. These have particularly affected uneconomical factories with wet-process kilns or poor capacity utilization in North America, Western and Eastern Europe and also in parts of Asia and South America. Furthermore, production capacities have been adapted at...
