Endurance Test for Conveyor Tech in the Cement Industry

Conveyor chains in cement plants and RDF processing facilities are high-load components that must function reliably under abrasive and moist operating conditions. Their service life directly influences plant availability and thus the cost-effectiveness of the entire process. This practical case shows how significant improvements can be achieved through an optimized chain design.

Extreme Stress from Abrasive Refuse-Derived Fuels

Conveyor systems for alternative fuels such as plastic granulate typically run in continuous operation. The chains are constantly exposed to mechanical stress, abrasive conveyed materials, moisture, contamination, temperature changes, and insufficient lubrication.

For the operators, this means:

• High sensitivity to unplanned downtime.
• Rising maintenance and spare parts costs due to insufficient chain quality or design, materials, and heat treatment not adapted to conveyor parameters.
• Risk of unplanned operational shutdowns that disrupt the production process and cause high costs.
• Quality chains are functional core components that contribute significantly to process stability.

High Failure Rates and Maintenance Pressure in the Field

For years, a plant operator had recurring problems with the existing chain design: chain pins became loose (only secured by cotter pins), inner and outer links buckled, and the chain joints became rigid due to corrosion. Additionally, bent scrapers and a short service life of approximately 4,000 operating hours led to frequent interventions, increased wear on plant components, and unplanned downtime.

Tailored Chain Geometry for Humid Environments

FB Ketten has extensive experience in recycling, incineration plants, and the cement industry. They inspected the system parameters on-site and selected a field-proven chain design for these conveying tasks. The retrofit was completed without structural changes to the system.

Key technical features:

• Stainless, wear-resistant hardened pins and bushings reduce chain elongation.
• Robust standard design, engineered for abrasive and moist bulk materials.
• Optimized attachment connection to increase operational safety.
• Split sprockets reduce installation time by up to two-thirds.
• Technical consulting and on-site support by application engineers.

375% Longer Runtime: Savings in Detail

The new chain design led to a significant improvement in plant performance: the service life increased from 4,000 hours to over 19,000 operating hours—an increase of 375%. This resulted in cost savings of at least €70,000 (not including avoided repair costs). Over five years, stable, trouble-free operation was achieved without unplanned downtime.

Long-term Process Stability in 24/7 Operation

For plants in 24/7 operation, the reliability of the conveyor chain is a decisive factor. Selecting the appropriate chain design reduces unplanned downtime, maintenance efforts, and consequential damage to plant components. At the same time, it massively increases the operational safety and availability of the entire conveyor line.n?