How to improve fan efficiency by

internal inspection
Pyroprocessing

PR PYR P06-17 V1

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Introduction
Different factors impacts the efficiency of a fan:
Build-up inside the impeller or between the impeller and the inlet cone
Wears between the impeller and the inlet cone
Inappropriate gap between impeller and inlet cone
False air

Objectives
Lower the power consumption of the plant
Concerning the ID fan (when in limit), maintain the kiln feed at the highest level. Effectively, in that case,

a fan inefficiency will waste kW, lower the gas flow available for the kiln and consequently reduce the
kiln feed to maintain the level of O2 kiln inlet

Safety aspects
Before entering the fan, comply to all safety rules:
Lock out : fan, upstream/downstream flaps
For big fans, block mechanically the impeller before entering the fan
Special caution in case of ID fan: make sure there are no build-ups in the upstream duct. Buildup can occur when water is injected in the duct.

Where applicable respect confined space rules and procedures

Ask the maintenance department to create a visit door in the outlet preheater duct. Before you enter the
fan, ask Maintenance to open the door and to check that there is no build-up.

Prerequisites
Before on-stop inspection, evaluate the level of fan efficiency:
1 How to measure fan efficiency
Evaluate the level of the fan false air:
1 How to measure the false air
You can evaluate false air by:
O2 measures inlet/outlet of the fan (when the gas isnt air). Be careful to be airtight at the hole you
make the sample. The depression is sometimes very high (ex: -100 mb). Any entrance will false the
measure.

hearing any noise around the fan (ex: at flanges, around the shaft)
checking with wooden string technique any aspiration. Check especially the flanges of the
casing, expansions joints)
In this procedure you may find references to other information (tools, other How to procedures, knowledge
documents, etc) which are available from their respective domain of the Web Cement Portal (e.g. Grinding,
Pyroprocessing...) or from the BRS database (indicators).

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Pyroprocessing

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Action Steps
0.

General considerations
Figure 1: assuming all else with the fan is in good shape, the alignment and critical gaps are generally
found where the stationary inlet cone interfaces with the rotation wheel. Shown below:
Key area of concern

Inlet box
Fan wheel

Inlet Bell

Fan casing

Figure 2: in high efficiency fans, the shape and positioning of the inlet to the fan wheel is aerodynamically
critical. Illustrated below.

Close-up of inlet to wheel

If the gap is incorrect, either the inlet is
too turbulent and/or too much air is
allowed to recirculate inside the casing.
POSITIVE PRESSURE
wheel
Inlet bell

Small amounts
helps to reduce
turbulence
here.

Engineered gap, specified by OEM

Larger gaps = less efficiency

Small gaps = more efficiency
Inlet is shaped to guide air
smoothly into the fan
wheel note that the
curve of the inlet exit is
close to the taper of the
rotating wheel.

Old wheels have large gaps (>20 mm)

Modern high efficiency wheels have
small gaps (< 5 mm)

NEGATIVE PRESSURE

In any centrifugal fan the gaps between the rotating part and inlet; the overlap of the inlet to the wheel is
crucial. Otherwise the internal recirculation of air/gas increases (from positive side outside the wheel to
negative inside the wheel) and thus increases the wasted energy as well the fans capacity to move gas.

How to improve fan efficiency by

internal inspection
Pyroprocessing

PR PYR P06-17 V1

1.

Comply with all safety rules

2.

Open the door and enter the fan

3.

Check all build-ups

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Between impeller and inlet cone

This build up has a strong influence on fan efficiency. It is common to be able to increase fan efficiency
from 3 to 5 points with a thorough cleaning.

Clean manually with a small scraper around the inlet cone until you can see again the iron casing.
Clean also the anti-rotating plate fixed on the inlet cone. They avoid turbulences and are very important.
PLN ID fan Impeller

Anti rotating plates on inlet

cone has to be clean

Rotating buildup on the inlet

cone

Impeller

Inside the impeller

A high pressure water jet can be used to remove build-up

How to improve fan efficiency by

internal inspection
Pyroprocessing

4.

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Check for wear

Important wear of the impeller due
to recirculationg gas

Impeller

5.

Check for false air

Based on the observations you made when the fan is running (see prerequisites), try to locate and
remediate to false air.

Another way to check for false air is to close the fan door and check if you can see any outside light
when in the dark.

6.

Measure the gaps with maintenance department

Penetration gap of inlet cone inside the impeller. For high efficiency wheels the overlap is engineered.

1 See n7 on appendix 1 and illustrations in Figures 3 and 4

Radial gap between impeller and inlet cone. For high efficiency wheels the overlap is engineered.

1 See n8 on appendix 1 and illustration in Figure 5

Before taking the measures, block the impeller always at the same position. The inlet cone is probably
not circular. It will change the gaps measured. Identify with a mark on the coupling.

Compare with the design value (usually on a drawing plan). If there is none, ask the supplier for the
values and acceptable tolerances.

1 See Figure 5
CAUTION, for high efficiency fans in hot gas applications tolerances are given for cold
conditions to allow for thermal growth when at running temperature.

Check that fan is aligned inside the casing and not skewed

1 See Figure 3
If there is an important unbalance, ask the Maintenance department to correct the gap by adjustment
(moving the casing a little to reduce penetration gap for example).

It is mandatory to align the fan to its housing first, then to align the fan shaft and the
motor, not the opposite.

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internal inspection
Pyroprocessing

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Other points to check:

the cut-off near the fan casing outlet is important to the fans performance.

1 See Figures 6, 7
at the inlet there is sometimes a vortex splitter or blocking plate. These need to be in good
shape.

Figure 3 The wheel may be misaligned inside the casing, creating excessive gaps.

Alignment Problems
Wheel separated from inlet

Too much
internal
recirculation

Wheel pushed into inlet

Too much inlet

turbulence

Wheel skewed to inlet

Too much recirculation

and inlet turbulence
(BTH Kiln ID fan 02)

Figure 4 In the past the inlet may have been cut to facilitate wheel removal, but not restored. Note
covering the gap with a rolled piece of steel will improve the fans efficiency but it will still be less than
perfect, since it will still be aerodynamically poor. It would be a good temporary action.

Inlet bell cut to ease wheel

replacement, but never
restored. Huge gap left
causing high internal
recirculation. (WSK Kiln ID
fan, 88)

Inlet bell replaced with scrolled flat

steel. Loss of aerodynamic inlet.
(ESW K5 ID fan, 04) Covering gap is
better than leaving open but inlet
turbulence is high.

How to improve fan efficiency by

internal inspection
Pyroprocessing

PR PYR P06-17 V1

Figure 5 The radial gap, all around the wheel must be correct.
Excessive gap

CAUTION HOT FANS

Wheel
Wheel inlet
Inlet bell

When wheel is not centered to

the inlet. Allows more internal
recirculation. (BTH FM ID fan,
01)

Except in case of hot fans OEM spec.s

different gap clearances from top vs.
bottom. Purpose is to allow for thermal
growth of casing. When at temperature,
gap clearances will be OK.

Figure 6 Fan outlet cut-off

Cut-offs prevents air from spinning inside

the casing. Sometimes this is a small
piece of plate welded inside. (BTH FB
mill ID fan 97) caution may not show on
drawings. Often needed when installing
a modern wheel inside an old casing.

Figure 7 Inlet box vortex splitter

Fan Wheel will have a tendency to
try and rotate the mass of air in the
inlet box which uses up power.

Inlet box

To fan wheel
VORTEX SPLITTER

The vortex splitter BLOCKS a

portion of this spin especially to
the outside of the inlet. Shape is
engineered. OEM sometimes
forgets to install this. (May not be
shown on drawings.)
Not always used depends on the
design of the inlet box.
BTH FB mill ID fan (86)

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How to improve fan efficiency by

internal inspection
Pyroprocessing

PR PYR P06-17 V1

Appendix
1.

ID fan, double entrance type

Schematic showing parts and critical measuring points

1
3

7
8
9

5
1 - Impeller
2 Inlet cone or inlet bell or inlet pavilion
3 - Anti rotating plate
4 - Inlet gas
5 - Outlet gas of the impeller
6 - Internal recycling of the fan. TO BE AVOIDED
7 - Gap: penetration pavilion in impeller
8 - Radial gap impeller and pavilion
9 - Wear of the impeller

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Pyroprocessing

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Gaps measurement at Port-La-Nouvelle Plant (France)

2.

Design gaps :

C = 30mm+/-1
D = 13.5mm (top) and 7.5 mm (bottom)

1 Impeller

D (top)
2
Inlet
cone

B
Objective January 2006

A
(btm.)

B
C
D

(measure) top
bottom
(C=B - A)

top
bottom
Top
Bottom

(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)

30
30
13,5
7,5

41
43
60
19
17
20
10

September
2005
35
29
60
25
31
20
10