A NOTE ON EFFECTIVE CONTAMINANT CONTROL IN GEAR BOX OILS USED IN

CEMENT INDUSTRY

The cement and concrete industry has some of toughest operating conditions in the
industrial marketplace, including heavy loads, shock loads, temperature extremes, exposure
to the elements and the constant presence of contaminants such as cement dust. To run
their operations, they use a wide range of equipment, including ball mills, kilns, crushers,
vertical mills, bucket elevators, conveyor systems and mobile plants. FILTEK understands
the important role lubricants play in cement and concrete operations. FILTEK
CENTRIFUGAL SYSTEMS can have an immediate impact by increasing machine and oil life
and decreasing maintenance costs. It focuses on removal of wear causing particles which
are not removed by any conventional filtration.

Extreme conditions require high-performance filtration:

The critical equipment in these plants generally has to work 365 days a year, and every hour
of downtime is expensive for the company. Lost production is very difficult to replace.
Following are some of the common lubricant suffering points for cement and concrete
operations
Failed bearings
Greases that do not seal effectively will allow contaminants to enter.
Overheated gearboxes
Cement plant gearboxes tend to be overloaded and consequently they often overheat,
resulting in expensive premature wear and failure of the gears. Other common mechanical
issues include emulsification of the gear oil due to water contamination and extreme
foaming.
Worn open gears on kilns and ball mills
Kilns and ball mills are two of the most critical pieces of equipment for cement plants.
Downtime is not an option for these applications. However, their open gears regularly suffer
from pitting and other wear due to insufficient lubrication and shock loading.

FILTRATION OPTIONS

Portable Off-line Filtration -

While some gear units may incorporate a small pump and perhaps even a filter, many
gearbox lubricants are not filtered. Sometimes, it is not possible to make the necessary
upgrades or modifications without lengthy downtime. Filter carts can usually be adapted by
replacing the fill and drain plugs with quick-connect fittings. Select filter carts for easy
maneuverability and allow for a selection of filter ratings (including small amounts of water
removal) within the design constraints of the pump on the unit. It is best to dedicate a cart to
one oil type or family to avoid cross-contamination of fluids. At least five to seven times the
volume of the oil in the system should be passed through the filter cart to ensure adequate
clean up. Be sure that all safety considerations have been covered to avoid deadheading of
pumps or exploding filter canisters!
Permanent Off-line Filtration - On larger units, or particularly where large volumes of oil
and/or high levels of cleanliness must be maintained, a permanent off-line circuit should be
employed. An extra benefit of the permanent mount is that it can continue to operate while
the gearbox is not in use, although the optimum filtering time is during the higher operating
temperatures. It is often a good idea to incorporate a cooling system to reduce the oil
temperature and increase the oil’s life and improve its performance.

Attaining a cleanliness target of ISO 18/16/13 is reasonable. With improvements to that

level, machine life extensions in excess of three times are realistic.

The cleanliness of units at the commissioning stage is crucial to ensuring successful infant
reliability and increased life of the unit. Whenever the machine is opened for repair, flush the
box with a low viscosity oil before putting it back into service.

CFE600-2PD unit 2 x 20+10 micron filters Centrifuge with carbon soot Filter element