ABB drives in cement

Medium voltage drives for reduced

energy consumption and optimized
process control
2 | ABB drives in cement
Increasing cement quality and reducing operating costs

With product quality demands and production costs rising, yet

cement prices falling, the cement industry needs to use the most
efficient technologies to safeguard its future.

To be profitable, cement producers need to: Variable speed drives

− −Reduce energy consumption per ton of produced cement VSDs provide optimized process control and save energy.
− −Increase availability of equipment and reduce shutdown ABB has been supplying variable speed drives for over 30
period years. Today, VSDs are used in a wide range of applications
− −Reduce maintenance costs in the cement industry, such as:

Achieving high levels of efficiency and availability will increase − −Induced draft (ID) / forced draft (FD) fans
production output, improve product quality, lower energy − −Baghouse fans
costs and CO 2 emissions. − −Preheater tower fans
− −Kiln gas fans
Energy-efficient processes in harsh conditions demand − −Clinker cooler exhaust fans
efficient and reliable process equipment − −Separator fans
Equipment in most cement industry processes are exposed − −Raw mills
to extreme working conditions such as dust and high tem- − −Cement mills
perature variations. − −Conveyors
− −Rotary kilns
Such conditions put a high demand on the process equip- − −Coal mills
ment. To ensure consistent high quality cement, the process
equipment has to operate reliably under these conditions.

Furthermore, cement production is very energy intensive.

Much of the energy used is consumed by electric motors.
Still today, many of these motors are constantly running at
full speed regardless of actual output requirements, wast-
ing a tremendous amount of energy. In many applications,
energy use can be cut by up to 30 percent by controlling
motors with variable speed drives (VSDs).

ABB drives in cement | 3

Variable speed drives for cement applications

Various processes and applications benefit from using variable

speed drives.

Quarry and conveying Raw mill and separation

− −Conveyors − −Fans
− −Crushers − −Filters
− −Mills

4 | ABB drives in cement

Kiln and clinker cooling Fuel handling Cement grinding
− −Rotary kiln − −Mills − −Roller presses
− −Fans − −Conveyors − −Mills
− −Conveyors − −Fans − −Filters
− −Filters − −Filters

ABB drives in cement | 5

Benefits of variable speed drives

Controlling processes with variable speed drives has a direct

impact on a company’s operating costs.

Fixed versus variable speed control Benefits of variable speed drives

The most common flow control method is by means of a − −Lower energy consumption and CO 2 emissions
fixed speed motor where the flow is adjusted by a mechanical − −Minimized mechanical wear of equipment
device. This method can be compared to adjusting the speed − −Higher process quality and efficiency
of a car by braking while keeping the foot on the gas pedal. − −Increased productivity and throughput
This technique does not only waste a tremendous amount − − L ess investment in electrical network compensation
of energy, it also wears out the equipment. devices, such as filters

With electric variable speed drives, changing the flow is

simply achieved by adjusting the speed and/or torque of
the motor, which can be compared to reducing the speed by
taking the foot off the gas pedal. The equipment is operated
at the BEP (Best Efficiency Point) under all operating
conditions. Electric variable speed drives are the most
efficient control method – saving energy, decreasing CO 2
emissions and minimizing total operating costs.

Variable speed drives replace mechanical control devices l

such as hydraulic couplings, valves, fan inlet vanes and l l I l l
dampers which are often used throughout the cement l l l
l
making process.
Fig. 1: Power consumption for various fan control methods

6 | ABB drives in cement

Energy savings and reduced emissions Soft starting eliminates high starting currents and voltage
The energy consumption of most motor-driven applications dips which can cause process trips. By soft starting,
can be reduced with variable speed drives. Fans, for example, maintenance costs will be reduced and the lifetime of the
typically run at partial load. Huge energy savings can be equipment extended.
achieved by controlling their speed with VSDs. The power
required to run a fan is roughly proportional to the cube of the
speed, ie a small reduction in speed can make a big reduction
in the energy consumption. A fan running at half speed
consumes as little as one eighth of the energy compared to
one running at full speed. By employing VSDs on fans instead
of dampers and vanes, the energy bill can be reduced by as
much as 60 percent. Consequently, electric variable speed
drives also help to reduce CO 2 emissions.

Reduced maintenance costs and longer lifetime of

equipment
VSDs also act as soft starters, reducing the stress on
network, motors and process equipment. During the
starting process, the VSD progressively increases the
motor speed and smoothly accelerates the load to its
 N NN
required speed.
Fig. 2: Motor current for various starting methods

ABB drives in cement | 7

Applications

Fans

Energy savings and improved process control

The performance of centrifugal fans is controlled by a set of
rules known as the affinity laws, which state that:
1. Flow is proportional to speed
2. Pressure is proportional to the square of the speed
3. Power is proportional to the cube of the speed.

The diagram shows a typical fan characteristic which is a

function of volume flow and pressure. Also shown is a typical
system characteristic. The operating point of the system is at
the intersection of these two curves. If the required volume of
air is deviating from this point, the fan or system characteristic 2
needs to be changed. 1

Traditionally, the most common way of changing the operat-

ing point is by using a damper which alters the system l

characteristic (operating point moves from position 1 to 2,

see Fig. 3) increasing the system losses. However, increasing
or decreasing the fan speed with a variable speed drive will
change the fan characteristic itself (point of operation moves
from position 1 to 3, see Fig. 3) without adding additional
losses. The energy consumption can be reduced significantly
because lower pressure is needed for the same air flow. Fig. 3: Typical fan characteristic showing operating point

Drives in action
Jura Cement, Switzerland’s second largest cement producer, The replacement resulted in the following benefits:
replaced a 25-year old cascade converter with a VSD from − −Higher availability
ABB. The ACS 2000 drive system, rated at 550 kW, controls − −Reduced maintenance costs
the clinker cooler exhaust fan of Jura Cement’s cement plant − − S ome 20 percent lower energy consumption
in Wildegg, Switzerland. − −Wide range of speed control from 0 to 1,000 rpm

The clinker cooler exhaust fan plays a critical role in the cement
making process. Raw mix enters the kiln and is heated to
1,450 degrees Celsius where it is transformed to clinker. Upon
exiting the kiln, the clinker is cooled to 100 degrees Celsius
by the clinker cooler fans which blow cooling air through the
clinker. By controlling the clinker cooler exhaust fan, the drive
keeps the pressure in the kiln hood constant. It does this by
regulating the fan speed that draws cold air through the clinker
cooler in relation to the hot air that is being drawn through the
kiln.

Accurate energy input is critical to the quality of cement –

insufficient heat will result in poorly burned low quality clinker
whereas excess heat might damage the kiln shell. Clinker cooler exhaust fan motor at Jura Cement

8 | ABB drives in cement

Applications

Mills

In cement production, mills are process critical. Reliable

and precise control has a high impact on production
throughput and operating costs. Controlling them with
variable speed drives results in the following benefits.

Optimized plant production Energy savings

By controlling a mill with a VSD, the speed of the mill is tuned Grinding mills can consume more than 60 percent of the
for optimal grinding and maximum throughput, resulting in a plant’s total electrical energy. Controlling them with VSDs
more efficient use of the grinding power. If up and downstream results in significant energy savings.
processes require a lower grinding throughput, the mill can
be operated at partial load without having to stop the process. Smooth ramp up
VSDs can adjust the speed according to charge volume. Torque pulsations and peak torques, generated by mills during
the starting phase, creates high stresses on network and
Less wear and higher reliability mechanical equipment. VSDs provide a smooth ramp up of the
Grinding raw material and clinker causes considerable wear mill. They deliver high starting torque for the current drawn
to the grinding mill. Starting the mill direct-on-line stresses the from the power plant system and have a programmed upper
mill and the gearbox, increasing the risk of gearbox failure and limit to reduce peak current during the start of the mill. The
shortens the lifetime of mechanical equipment. VSDs help low starting currents and high starting torque enable a smooth
optimize the mill speed to match the material flow, thus start-up of the mill, even when fully loaded.
minimizing the wear of the grinding mill.

ABB drives in cement | 9

Applications

Conveyors

Extended lifetime and increased availability Accurate and fast load sharing
Conveyors are found in almost every cement plant. The ABB medium voltage drives provide an accurate and fast
environment is demanding and there is always a risk of load sharing between several drives. This is useful for
damaging the belt by overstretching, slipping or breaking. conveyor applications, where two or more motors operate
To reduce operational costs, it is important to extend the on the same conveyor belt, making sure all motors are
belt lifetime and availability. loaded as needed. The converter control provides a window
speed limitation to prevent belt slippage.
Variable speed drives provide accurate torque and speed
control of conveyors. This reduces the stress on mechanical Power factor compensation
equipment such as gearboxes, pulley and belts, especially With ABB medium voltage drives the power factor is greater
during start-up and stopping, but also during operation and than 0.95. There is no need for additional power factor
maintenance. compensation and there are less losses on the electrical
network. Also, the electrical network is not exposed to high
With the use of VSDs it is possible to control the speed of inrush currents when the conveyors are started.
the conveyors to match the production capacity and as such
reduce wear and save energy. For maintenance inspection, Regenerative braking of downhill conveyors saves energy
belt changes or repairs or avoidance of ice build-up it is To avoid unnecessary conveyor wear, downhill conveyors
possible to run the conveyor belt at slow speed. require continuous braking, which varies depending on the
raw material transported. VSDs provide precise speed and
torque control which is required for the continuous braking
need demanded by downhill conveyors.

With VSDs, the braking energy can be fed back into the
plant’s electrical network, thereby generating energy.

10 | ABB drives in cement

Applications

Kilns

Variable speed drives are used to control the rotational speed

of cement kilns. As the speed of material flow through the
kiln is proportional to rotation speed, a VSD is required to
control it. In addition to speed, VSDs provide controlled
torque.

Special requirements of kiln drives Accurate and fast load sharing

− −High reliability. As cement making is a continuous process To avoid oscillations in kilns with dual motors, high perfor-
the kiln needs to operate 24 hours a day. As each kiln stop mance torque accuracy is required. This is achieved with
can cost several thousand dollars per hour, maximizing the accurate and fast load sharing function of ABB’s
uptime is paramount. medium voltage drives.
− −A wide range of speed control. During normal operation
the rotary kiln is to be driven with the most suitable speed.
This is decided by the condition of the material combina-
tions and the combustion even if a load variation occurred.
− −High control accuracy is required for an accurate load
sharing if more than one motor is used.
− − High starting torque. For the nominal starting period the
rotary kiln must be driven with low speed until the tem-
perature becomes sufficiently high.

High starting torque

A special design requirement is the starting torque. It is
typically 250 percent of full load torque for the first three to
five seconds before dropping to around 200 percent and
gradually reducing further during the next 15 to 20 seconds
at the end of which period the full speed is attained. This
can be seen in figure 4. The physical size of the kiln and
the weight of its contents mean that its inertia is fairly large.
The eccentricity of the loaded material inside the kiln also
substantially adds to the required starting torque. Fig. 4: Typical starting characteristic for a kiln

ABB drives in cement | 11

ABB medium voltage drives

The heart of a medium voltage drive system is the frequency

converter. ABB offers the entire range of frequency converters
for medium voltage applications in the power range from 250 kW
to more than 100 MW.

ACS 1000 (315 kW – 5 MW, up to 4.16 kV) ACS 6000 (3 – 27 MW, up to 3.3 kV)
The ACS 1000 is suitable for retrofit applications and new ABB’s ACS 6000 is a modular drive designed for single or
standard induction motors. Due to its unique output sine multi-motor applications for synchronous and induction
filter, bearing currents and voltage reflections at the motor motors. It can be equipped with an Active Front End which
are eliminated. The ACS 1000i is a fully integrated drive enables four-quadrant operation for energy regeneration
including input transformer and input contactor. and reactive power compensation.

ACS 2000 (250 kW – 1.6 MW, 4.0 – 6.9 kV) MEGADRIVE-LCI (2 – 100 MW)
The ACS 2000 is suitable for retrofit applications and new ABB’s MEGADRIVE-LCI is an optimal solution for high
standard induction motors. It can be used without an input voltage and high power applications. Standard designs are
isolation transformer, thereby allowing a direct connection available for ratings up to 72 MW; engineered designs for
to the line supply (direct-to-line), with an integrated transformer, more than 100 MW. The MEGADRIVE-LCI is available as
or for connection to an external input isolation transformer. variable speed drive or soft starter.
The ACS 2000 is also available for four-quadrant operation
for energy regeneration and reactive power compensation.

ACS 5000 (2 – 32 MW, 6.0 – 6.9 kV)

The ACS 5000 can be applied to standard industrial motors
(induction and synchronous). It is ideal for applications in
the higher power range such as induced and forced draft
fans, feed-water and cooling water pumps. The air-cooled
ACS 5000 is also available with integrated transformer.

12 | ABB drives in cement

Technology highlights

Reliability is the main guiding principle of the research and

development activities for medium voltage drives.

Direct Torque Control (DTC) Remote monitoring and diagnostics

The ACS drive control platform is based on ABB’s award- DriveMonitorTM allows secure real-time access to the drive. It
winning Direct Torque Control (DTC), resulting in the highest supports monitoring and diagnostics of ABB drives independent
torque and speed performance, as well as lowest losses ever of the implemented control method, thus enabling the
achieved in medium voltage drives. Control of the drive is connection of existing installations.
immediate and smooth under all conditions.
The optional tool consists of a hardware module, as well as a
Power loss ride through software layer that automatically collects and analyzes selected
Due to its power loss ride through function, the drive system drive signals and parameters.
is able to withstand disturbances of the power supply. The
drive will continue to operate in an active but non-torque Long-term monitoring functions deliver important information
producing mode if the incoming supply voltage is cut off. The on equipment status, tasks needed and possible performance
drive is active as long as the motor rotates and generates improvements. Diagnostic procedures and trending can cover
energy to the drive. It will resume normal operation immediately not only the converter itself but other parts of the shaft train
upon return of power supply. as well.

Low parts count

The fewer the parts the higher the reliability. ABB uses high
power semiconductor switching devices and a topology that
minimizes the parts count.

Fuseless design
ABB medium voltage drives are designed to operate safely
without fuses which are known to be unreliable, costly and
subject to aging. The fuseless design results in less spare
parts and fast re-starting.

ABB drives in cement | 13

Motors and transformers

A variable speed drive system includes a medium voltage

converter, motor and transformer.

ABB offers the complete variable speed drive system or

assists in selecting components that match the process
requirements. ABB’s equipment is known for its state-of-
the-art technology, high efficiency, reliability and worldwide
support.

Converter motors Converter transformers

ABB’s converter motors have earned an excellent reputation Converter transformers are especially designed for operation
for performance and reliability. ABB’s product range includes with variable speed drives. They adapt the converter to the
induction as well as synchronous motors. supply network and provide a galvanic isolation between
drive and supply network.
Induction motors are the workhorses of industry due to
their versatility, reliability and simplicity. In the power range Converter transformers are available for nearly all ratings.
up to 10 MW, a squirrel cage induction motor is usually the Secondary voltages are optimized to match the converter
first choice. They are available up to 25 MW. and motor voltage. Oil or dry types for indoor or outdoor
mounting are available. Busbar connections can also be
Synchronous motors are typically considered for higher power provided.
ratings (eg above 8 MW to more than 100 MW). In addition
to their high power capabilities, synchronous motors offer
the benefits of high efficiency and high performance through
the utilization of different rotor designs.

14 | ABB drives in cement

Testing, service and support

ABB drives are backed by comprehensive service and support,

from the customer’s initial inquiry throughout the entire life cycle
of the drive system.

Testing Training
ABB is committed to ensuring the reliability of every drive it ABB provides extensive training for its medium voltage drives.
delivers. To verify that quality standards and customer A range of training programs is offered from basic tutorials to
requirements are fully met, every component of a drive is programs tailored to the customer’s specific needs. In addition,
subjected to thorough testing in ABB’s modern test facilities. site personnel can be given practical training by experienced
specialists on site.
Routine tests and functional tests form an integral part of
the scope of supply of ABB’s medium voltage drives. They Global network, local presence
are performed in accordance with international standards After sales service is an integral part of providing the customer
and ABB quality assurance procedures. with a reliable and efficient drive system. The ABB Group of
companies operates in more than 100 countries and has a
Additionally, ABB can perform a combined test with the worldwide network of service operations.
complete drive system – including transformer, converter
and motor – to verify the performance and to ensure a
smooth integration into the customer’s facility.

Installation and commissioning

Proper installation and commissioning of the equipment,
done by qualified and certified commissioning engineers,
reduces start-up time, increases safety and reliability and
decreases life-cycle costs.

Life-cycle management
ABB’s drive life-cycle management model maximizes the value
of the equipment and maintenance investment by maintain-
ing high availability, eliminating unplanned repair costs and
extending the lifetime of the drive. Services for ABB’s medium voltage drives
− −Installation and commissioning
Life-cycle management includes: − −Training
−− Providing spare parts and expertise throughout the life cycle − −Remote services
– – Providing efficient product support and maintenance for − −Preventive maintenance
improved reliability − −Customized service agreements
– – Adding functionality to the initial product − −Local support
– – Providing a smooth transition to a new technology at the − −24 x 365 technical support
end of the life cycle − − S pare parts and logistics network
− − Worldwide service network

ABB drives in cement | 15

 Contact us

www.abb.com/drives

© Copyright 2011 ABB. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice. 3BHT490737R0001