ROLLER MILL

Used in cement industry

Vertical Mills used for
Pre-grinding of clinker (lumps to coarse
powder)
Finish grinding (lumps to powder) of
Coal/Petcoke for kiln
Raw materials for kiln
Cement, OPC or mixed
Slag, pure or mixed
VRM Functions
Vertical Roller Mill (VRM) - Details
feed gate
(air lock)
mill casing
water
injection
dam ring
louvre ring
nozzle of
material scraper
mill outlet duct
speed reducer with
table bearing
and motor
clutch
grinding table
hot gas inlet
hydraulic cylinder
table liner
roller with tyre
or segments
roller axle
rocker arm
discharge flap
separator
tailings cone
separator
guide vanes
cage rotor
separator
product discharge
mill exhaust
Working principle
Vertical mills comprise 2-4 conical rollers
which are hydraulically pressed onto a
horizontal rotating grinding table.
The roller axis is inclined at 15
o
to the table
and, as axes of rollers and table do not
intersect in the plane of the table. the relative
motion involves both rolling and sliding which
enhances comminution.



Feed material is directed onto the centre of the table and is
thrown outward by rotation under the rollers and into a rising air
current at the periphery which is directed by means of a louvre
ring. The air sweep passes through an integral
rotary classifier; fines pass out with the air current while coarse
material falls back onto the feed table.
Material drying occurs in air suspension between table and
classifier. Circulating load is typically 800%. Roller mills are
prone to vibration due to an unstable grinding bed.
A major cause of material instability is fine, dry mill feed which
can usually, be mitigated by spraying water directly onto the
bed.



VRM - Working principle
Vertical roller mill
Feed size:
f (Roller )
Material bed
Feed material
Max Particle size in feed: 5-8 % of roller diameter
Grinding force =
Roller weight + (pressure) Force
Table moves with drive
Roller rolls freely
with table
VRM - Material Flow inside
Gas & Product Material
Feed Material
Separator Rejects
Internal Circulation
Large Material falls through to
scraper
Internal gas
flow
Material & Gas
Material
Gas
Separator:
removes fine
material
rejects coarse
material
VRM - Some Common Mill Configurations
G.Pfeiffer Loesche FLS Atox Polysius
static separator conventional rotor type cage rotor type
with guide vanes
F T
P
F F F T T
P
F F
T
P
T F
P
F =
P =
T = Tailings
Product
Feed
F T
VRM - Built-in Separator
Cage Rotor type Conventional
Rotor type
Static type
Separation control:
1. Vane adjustment
2. Speed control
Separators of 3
rd
Generation
(Vertical roller mill)
Guide vane system
Reject cone
Cage rotor
VRM - Accessories
Rotary valve
Weigh belt Metal extraction
Reduces false
air entering
with feed
material. Good
for dry, small
size material.
Weighs the passing material
ensuring a continuous
grinding bed in the mill
Metal objects
damage the
roller & table.
The magnet
removes them
VRM - External Circulation
Used for reducing
gas flow pressure
lost over the mill
(less pneumatic
internal circulation)
collecting conveyor
fresh feed
louvre ring
scraper
bucket elevator
VRM - Example flow-sheet
Control points
1 gas flow
2 pressure
difference
3 return gas
flow pressure
4 outlet
temperature
5 external
recirculation
VRM MAINTENNACE
Maintenance

Wear - Rollers & Table
- Separator (sealing!) & Housing
Lubrication & Hydraulics (filters and seals)

Outlet duct
Inlet chute
Mill housing
Armour &
nozzle rings
Rollers and
table liners
Separator cone
Separator
Scrapers
Vertical roller mill internals suffering from wear
Nihard 4



High Chromium alloys



Wear resistance material alternatives
% C % Cr % Ni Weldable
< 3.5 < 10 < 6.5 yes
% C % Cr % Other Weldable
< 3.6 < 17 Mo + Ni yes
< 2.6 < 20 Mn No
< 3.5 < 28 < 1.2 No
Example
Chromodur, FMU18, VegalineV16s
FMU 52
FMU 46
Wear resistance material alternatives
Metallic inserts roller liner
Hard metallic insert
Soft material base
Ceramic inserts roller and grinding track liners
Wear resistance material alternatives
Metallic base (High Cr)
Ceramic insert
Operation and Optimization of
Vertical Roller Mills
Raw material characteristics
Feed Size
Product Fineness
Moisture Content
Grindability
Abrasiveness
Ball Mill
Maximum 5% + 25 mm

Vertical Roller Mills
Up to 150 mm
Feed Size
5% - 25% + 90 m

1.0% - 2.0% + 212 m
Product Fineness
Normal moisture content: 3% - 10% H
2
O

Possible to dry >20% H
2
O in vertical mills

Up to 6 to 7%-H
2
O Drying with kiln gases

Above 7% H
2
O Supplementary heat from auxiliary
furnace or cooler
Moisture Content in Raw Materials



OPERATIONAL ASPECTS

Material granulometry
Roller pressure
Dam ring
Louvre ring
External circulation



PARAMETERS TO BE MONITORED DURING
OPEARATION
Production rate, tonnes/hour
Grinding press. (bar) or (kN/m2)
Mill Motor (Kw)
Grinding bed thickness (mm)
Vibration level (mm/s)
Pressure drop across the mill
Mill outlet temperature
Fan flow
Rejects (If external recirculation present)
Water flow


Additional paramters to be monitered
Operating hours
Involuntary downtime hours
kWh/tonne (mill motor + fan + seperator)
Product fineness on 90/212 microns for raw
mill ,coal mill and blaines for cement mill
Feed moisture, %
Product moisture, %
Feed size

How the nozzle ring velocity corresponds
to reject rate and pressure drop
Running with a high velocity in the nozzle
ring gives a high pressure loss, but also a
low reject rate.
However the lower pressure drop with e.g.
45 m/s is to prefer and will both give
considerable power savings on the fan and
less wear in the mill body

Operational problems
Vertical roller mill for finish grinding
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY

VERY SUITABLE FOR GRINDING BLENDED CEMENT OR SLAG

COMPACT GRINDING INSTALLATION

ENERGY SAVING - UP TO 30%-40% kWh/Mt

SUITABLE FOR GRINDING MOIST FEED

EASY MAINTENANCE AND OPTIMUM UTILIZATION OF WEARING
ROLLERS
VRM versus BALL MILL for CEMENT
GRINDING
Blaine Surface, cm2/g: 4000
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
V
R
M
B
a
l
l

M
i
l
l
V
R
M
B
a
l
l

M
i
l
l
Mill Fan, etc.
Cement (OPC)
Slag
Grinding systems comparison
Power Consumption when grinding to 3800 cm
2
/gm for
150 tph capacity
GRINDING SYSTEM
CLOSED
CIRCUIT
BALL
MILL
ROLLER
PRESS
PREGRINDER
ROLLER MILL
PREGRINDER
ROLLER
PRESS
SEMI
FINISH
FINISH
GRINDING IN
ROLLER
PRESS
OK VRM
Mill (kWh/t) 38.2 29.7 28.0 20.8 / 21.8
Separator and Fans (kWh/t) 4.5 3.9 3.9 6.1 14.2 7.2
Roller Press/Pregrinder (kWh/t) / 4.5 10.0 9.7 20.5 /
Auxiliary (kWh/t) 0.6 1.0 1.0 1.5 1.6 0.2
Total (kWh/t) 43.4 39.0 42.8 38.0 36.3 29.2
Maximum Output (t/h) 200 (300) 275 - 300 275 - 300 300 - 350 < 150 450 tph

Operational Guidelines
for
Process Optimization
LOWER PRESSURE DROP
LESS WEAR OF MILL BODY LINERS
FAN POWER SAVINGS OF 15-30%
Nozzle Ring Velocity
versus
Material Rejects and Pressure Drop
N/R Velocity Reject Rate
Relative Pressure
Drop
(m/s) (% Fresh Feed) (%)
75-85 Trace 100
60-65 5-10 84
40-45 20-30 60


Air flow
A correct airflow in the mill is important, because the air is
transporting the material and also an important factor for
efficient separation.
Airflow is kept constant through mill and cyclone/ filter by
operating the mill fan with constant power consumption on
the motor.
This is normally done by the help of an automatic loop
between the mill fan damper position and the power
consumption of the mill main motor. Alternatively by the help
of an automatic loop between the speed of the mill fan motor
and the power consumption of the mill main motor.
Feed
A correct feed rate in the mill is important. if the feed rate is
to high and the mill be filled up with material and trip on
vibration, because the mill fan dont have the capacity to
transport material out of the mill.
If the feed rate is to low will the mill emptied out and trip on
vibration, due to low grinding bed. The feed rate depends on
the applied grinding pressure and the grind ability of the
material.
The mill differential pressure or the mill motor power
consumption is an indication of how much material inside the
mill. Normally the feed rate is controlled by the mill motor
power consumption through an automatic loop.
Vibrations
A constant and acceptable level of
vibrations is important.
If vibrations are to high then the mill be
stopped by the safety interlocking of the mill
in order not to damage the machine.
The vibrations are minimized by injecting
water. The injected amount according to
experience.
Operational problems
Changes in feed material properties
Equipment problems
Deficiencies of control elements
Control signal errors
External effects

Problems -action
Type of problem Action
Mill vibrations,
Too high
Reduce feed supply if differential pressure is high.
Increase feed supply if differential pressure is low.
Check water injection.
Reduce grinding pressure.
Lift rollers at excessive vibrations.
Mill output,
Too low
Check grinding pressure.
Check differential pressure.
Product fineness very fine.
Coarser raw materials.
Grindability of raw material changed.
Raw materials too wet.
Table and roller segments are worn.
Mill product,
Too coarse
Increase speed of separator rotor.
Check sieving of samples.
Mill product,
Too fine
Decrease speed of separator rotor.
Increase feed supply.

Type of problem Action
Mill outlet temperature,
Too high
Hot air amount too high.
Hot gas temperature higher than normal.
Adjust (close) hot gas damper.
Decrease oil for heat generator.
Open cold air damper.
Increase water injection.
Mill outlet temperature,
Too low
Raw material moisture increased.
Increase hot air amount.
Adjust (open) hot gas damper.
Adjust (open) mill fan damper.
Increase oil for heat generator.
Close cold air damper, if open.
Decrease water injection
Grinding pressure,
decreases
Check hydraulic system. Piping is leaking.
Oil pump fault.
Oil level in tank for hydraulics minimum.
Oil temperature in hydraulics minimum.
Malfunction of valves.
Sealing air pressure,
Minimum
Filter blocked.
Check electrical equipment.

Type of Problem Action
Starting the mill without
grinding layer
Fill mill with material before start.
Use automatic program for mill filling.
The filling must be done manually by starting transport devices in
correct sequence.
Fill in 300 500 kg of material.
Heat generator is failing No oil/gas available.
Oil/gas filter contaminated.
Ignition gas bottle empty.
Adjustment of ignition and main burner has changed.
Pre-heating of oil not working.
Supply of hot gases from kiln
interrupted
Mill operation must be stopped.
Check position of kiln (hot) gas damper.
Feeder units disturbed Feed supply from other feeders must be increased.
Stop the mill, if feed transport fails.

Type of Problem Action
Fee bins almost empty Feed bins must be filled up.
Stop the mill.
Oil pressure or oil flow
through mill gear minimum
Mill will be stopped automatically.
Check leakage in piping.
Oil pump fault.
Oil level minimum.
Electrical fault.
Oil temperature too high.
Check cooling water supply.
Oil pressure or oil flow
through the separator gear
minimum
Separator and mill will stop automatically.
Check leakage in piping.
Oil pump fault.
Oil level minimum.
Electrical fault.
Oil temperature too high.
Check cooling water supply.
Mill fan bearing temperature
maximum
Automatic stop of fan and mill.
Check supply of cooling water.
Check greasing of fan bearings.
Electrical fault.

Vertical roller mill caluclations
Caluclation of capacity of the mill
Generally speaking, the production capacity
refers to grinding capacity and drying
capacity of grinding mill.
The material grindability will affect the
grinding capacity, the roller pressure and the
type of grinding mill.
G=K1 * D
2.5

Where G is capacity of the mill
K1 is coefficient, which is relevant to the
typer of roller mill, the selected and used
pressure, the performance of grinded
material. Different specification of roller mill,
so the K1 is different.

K1 of Loesche Mills series roller mill is 9.6 and for
Atox mills it is 7 and for MPS mills it is 6.6.
D is table diameter
Example: for atox 50 mill
The capacity of mill is G= 7 * D
2.5
= 7* 5^2.5
= 391 TPH~ 400TPH