Application example: Fan in the cement industry

With the active balancing system AB 9000 from Hofmann, it is possible to correct sudden unbalance changes without stopping the machine.

In the case of fans in the cement industry, dust buildup can become detached suddenly and cause major unbalances. Normally, the vibrations caused by the unbalance will only be detected by a monitoring system, which shuts down the equipment when a preset limit value is exceeded.

This leads to a disruption of operation and considerably reduces efficiency of the entire plant. Balancing machines or field balancing instruments cannot correct the unbalance because it changes during the machine operation.

PROBLEM: Unbalance is caused by

  • Dust buildup that comes loose and flies off during operation
  • Component wear during the process
  • Play in couplings or drive shafts

SOLUTION: Active balancing systems from Hofmann

  • Hofmann’s AB9000 active balancing system is used to correct unbalance during operation of the machine. Therefore, no shutdown is required.

Long-term monitoring of a fan in the cement industry

The diagram shows the long-term behavior of bearing vibrations of an approx. 12 ton fan impeller before and after the installation of an AB 9000 system.

The vibration amplitude of the floating bearing side (blue) and the fixed bearing side (orange) is shown over a period of 9 months without AB 9000 and with AB 9000, respectively.

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