1. PAINPOINT DRIVEN OPENING

Managing the final stage of clinker cooling presents persistent operational challenges that directly impact plant profitability. Inefficient cooling leads to hightemperature clinker entering the conveyor system, accelerating belt wear and creating safety hazards for personnel. Excessive fan power consumption drives up operational costs, while inconsistent quenching results in poor cement quality and potential mill inefficiencies. Unplanned maintenance due to refractory damage or mechanical failure in the cooler causes costly kiln downtime.

Are you facing rising energy costs per ton of clinker? Is your maintenance team constantly addressing downstream equipment damage from hot clinker? Are you achieving optimal cement quality and mill performance from your cooled clinker? A highperformance grate cooler is engineered to address these exact issues.

2. PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The reciprocating grate cooler is a critical heat recovery and quenching machine installed at the kiln discharge. Its primary function is to rapidly reduce clinker temperature from approximately 1200°C to below 100°C for safe handling and grinding, while recovering thermal energy for process optimization.

Operational Workflow:
1. Distribution: Hot clinker from the kiln is evenly distributed across the full width of the stationary inlet grate.
2. Transport & Quenching: Reciprocating grates move the clinker bed toward the discharge end while controlled volumes of ambient air are forced upward through the bed.
3. Heat Recovery: Hightemperature exhaust air (approx. 300400°C) is directed to the kiln or precalciner as secondary/tertiary air.
4. Cooling & Discharge: Further cooling with ambient air occurs in subsequent compartments before clinker is discharged at a stable, low temperature.
5. Dust Handling: Fines are collected via drag chain conveyors beneath the grate.

Application Scope & Limitations:
This equipment is designed for dryprocess cement plants with rotary kilns. Optimal performance requires consistent clinker granulometry and controlled kiln feed chemistry. It is not suitable for wetprocess plants or for cooling materials with significantly different thermal or physical properties than cement clinker.

3. CORE FEATURES

Grate Plate Design | Technical Basis: Highchrome, alloyed castings with optimized venting geometry | Operational Benefit: Exceptional resistance to thermal shock and abrasion, ensuring stable airflow distribution and extended service life | ROI Impact: Reduces replacement part costs by up to 30% and minimizes downtime for plate changes

Modular Compartmentalization | Technical Basis: Independently controlled air chambers with dedicated fans and dampers | Operational Benefit: Allows precise air volume adjustment across each cooling zone for optimal heat transfer based on realtime bed conditions | ROI Impact: Improves heat recovery efficiency by 510%, directly reducing kiln fuel consumption

Advanced Drive System | Technical Basis: Hydraulic or electromechanical drives with frequency control and load monitoring | Operational Benefit: Provides smooth, adjustable grate movement, prevents bed disturbance ("snowplowing"), and protects against overloads | ROI Impact: Enhances operational stability, reduces mechanical stress failures, and lowers specific power consumption

Retractable Air Tightness Seals | Technical Basis: Springloaded sealing strips that automatically adjust to wear on moving grates | Operational Benefit: Maintains highpressure sealing between moving and stationary parts, minimizing air leakage | ROI Impact: Improves fan efficiency, reducing electrical power waste by an estimated 815%

Integrated Process Control Interface | Technical Basis: Standardized communication protocols (e.g., OPC UA) linking cooler sensors to plant DCS | Operational Benefit: Enables centralized monitoring of temperatures, pressures, and drive loads for predictive maintenance scheduling | ROI Impact: Facilitates proactive interventions, preventing unplanned stoppages that can cost over $50k per day in lost production

4. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

| Performance Metric | Industry Standard | Our Grate Cooler Solution | Advantage (% improvement) |
| : | : | : | : |
| Clinker Outlet Temperature | ~120°C + Ambient | < 100°C + Ambient | Up to 25% lower |
| Heat Recovery Efficiency (Secondary Air Temp.)| ~900 1000°C| 1050 1150°C| ~1015% higher |
| Specific Power Consumption (kWh/tclinker) | 6.5 8.5 kWh/t| 5.0 6.0 kWh/t| ~2025% reduction |
| Grate Plate Service Life (in abrasive zones) | 1218 months| 2430 months| ~80100% longer |
| Operational Availability (excluding planned stops) | 96% |>4 percentage points |

5. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity Range: Configurable from 1,500 to 12,000 tonnes per day (TPD) of clinker.
Power Requirements: Total installed fan power varies by capacity; e.g., a 5,000 TPD unit requires approximately 8001000 kW total connected load.
Material Specifications: Grate plates cast from GX40CrNiSi275 or equivalent highchrome alloy; side liners in wearresistant steel; housing in carbon steel with internal refractory lining in highheat zones.
Physical Dimensions: Length scales with capacity; a standard module width is ~2.8m. A midrange unit may be ~25m L x ~6m W x ~8m H.
Environmental Operating Range: Designed for ambient temperatures from 20°C to +45°C; dust concentration in cooling air up to <50 g/Nm³.

6. APPLICATION SCENARIOS

Plant Capacity Upgrade Challenge

A plant aimed to increase kiln output by 20% but was constrained by an existing cooler causing bottlenecks and high temperatures.

Modernization of Legacy Cooler

An older planetary cooler suffered from frequent breakdowns, poor heat recovery (<850°C secondary air), and inconsistent final clinker temperature.

Results

The new modular grate cooler installation matched increased throughput while lowering final clinker temperature by over °40C compared to previous peaks.

Results

The retrofit included new grate modules, highefficiency fans, and upgraded controls within the existing footprint.

Results

Secondary air temperature increased consistently above °1000C improving specific fuel consumption by .9%. Maintenance costs dropped %60 yearoveryear.

7 COMMERCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Pricing for a complete grate cooler system is projectspecific based on required capacity customization site conditions ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors ancillaries like dust collectors .

Pricing Tiers: Budgetary ranges are typically categorized by capacity Small ( tpd ) .

Optional Features: Upgraded instrumentation packages advanced refractory designs special alloys for highly corrosive feedstocks redundant drive systems .

Service Packages: Threetiered offerings are available:
1 Basic commissioning spares .
2 Comprehensive annual inspection vibration analysis wear part monitoring .
3 Fullservice contract including performance guarantees preventive maintenance parts supply .

Financing Options: Equipment financing operating leases projectbased leasing structures are available subject to credit approval often structured over a year term aligned with projected savings .

8 FAQ

What level of modification is required to integrate this cooler with our existing kiln discharge?
Integration engineering includes detailed interface design for the kiln hood transition area foundation modifications if necessary ductwork routing Our team conducts full site surveys prior proposal

How does this equipment handle variations in clinker size or "red river" conditions?
The compartmentalized airflow system allows operators increase pressure specific zones counteract red channeling The robust grate design withstands thermal cycling while maintaining bed distribution

Can we expect an immediate reduction electrical consumption after installation?
Field data shows immediate reduction specific fan power due higher efficiency fans reduced leakage Longterm savings accumulate through lower maintenance reduced downstream equipment wear

What typical warranty period what does cover?
Standard warranty covers manufacturing defects materials workmanship key components years Wear parts plates seals have separate prorated warranty terms Extended warranties available purchase

How long does installation commissioning typically take major replacement project?
For greenfield project schedule integrated into overall plant construction brownfield replacement typical outage window weeks including demolition new foundation work erection commissioning Critical path planning minimizes total kiln downtime