Kiln Shell Laser for Rotary Equipment

The Kiln Shell Laser is a measurement tool, which measures the deformations in rotary kilns or dryers or other slow rotating cylinders during operation. The tool can be used to measure just one cross section, a specific area containing a few cross sections of interest or the whole kiln to get the full picture. The steel shell of rotary kilns is exposed to high temperature. In case of excessive heat the shell might deform. In areas with deformations the refractory installation becomes typically difficult, which has a negative impact on its lifetime.

To measure the shape (roundness and eccentricity) of the shell, the Kiln Shell Laser is placed along the rotating kiln and measures continuously the distance to the shell surface. Deformations result in changes of the distance and will be recorded by the laptop PC, which is connected via Bluetooth with the laser. From each measured position a graph with the cross-section of the kiln is generated. Several measurements along the kiln can be combined in the software to a full 3d graph. The 3d graph shows the severity of the deformations in different colors. It is a great help to identify the areas where special attention to the refractory is required. In case of reduced refractory life time, due to shell deformation, the software helps to decide, which shell sections need to be replaced.