YANBU CEMENT CO.
Yanbu Cement Company has
changed over from Crude Oil to
HFO 380
CONVERSION OF KILN FIRING FROM
CRUDE OIL TO HEAVY FUEL OIL
Introduction to Yanbu Cement Company:
¾Location: Red Sea coast in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
¾Installed clinker capacity 11000 tpd
(3.3million tonnes/year)
¾Four Kilns
¾Kiln No. 1- 1500 tpd Commissioned in 1979
¾Kiln No. 2 - 1500 tpd Commissioned in 1979
¾Kiln No. 3 - 1100 tpd Commissioned in 1983
¾Kiln No. 4 - 7000 tpd Commissioned in 1997
¾Kiln 1,2 & 3 are designed for crude oil firing.
¾Kiln 4 designed for both crude and Heavy Fuel Oil firing
Project Objectives:
¾ The project should be commissioned at shortest
possible time.
¾ Cost of project to be kept at the lowest level
possible.
¾ Least disruption to normal production while
hooking up.
¾ Existing machinery and operational system
should be utilized to the maximum extent.
¾ Flexibility to switch back to the old system if
desired, to be provided.
¾ Existing crude oil tanks to make it suitable for
storing HFO 380 cst.
Project:
¾ Contract signed with M/s Pillard in May 2001 for
design, engineering, supply, erection and
commissioning.
¾ Order placed on local contractor M/s International
Center for Contracting and Commerce for civil
work.
¾ Total time frame for the job was 35 weeks from
date of order.
GENERAL LAYOUT
BOILER HOUSE
HFO FEED FLOW OVERVIEW
CONSUMERS PREHEATER EXISTING HIGH HFO RING PUMP TANK FARM
STATIONS PRESSURE DISTRIBUTERS STATION KILN #1 to 3
PUMPS &
2.424 kg/h
Reserve HTO-BOILERS
140 °C
HGG
Raw Mill
U5 HFO
45.000 kg/h
2.862 kg/h
60 °C Tank 1
140 °C
HGG Clay
Dryer
9.935 kg/h U3 HFO
140 °C Tank 2
KILN 1
9.935 kg/h
140 °C
446 kg/h Tank 3
KILN 2 60 °C
Burner
6.920 kg/h
140 °C
U4 HFO
KILN 3
BOILER 1 BOILER 2
Salient features of Project:
¾ Converting the existing 3 crude oil tanks of 3000
m3 capacity each to make them suitable for storing
heavy fuel oil, by installing Suction heaters.
¾ Oil unloading station for unloading HFO provided in
the Line 4 project to be used for pumping Heavy
Fuel Oil to the existing crude oil tanks.
¾ Construction of boiler house for storing the heating
thermal oil. This boiler house to be interconnected
with the existing boiler house for interchangeability
between old and new plant.
¾ Installation of thermal oil heaters ( heat transfer oil
boilers ) with PLC control burners.
Crude oil and HFO 380 Characteristics
(Typical Values)
Specifications Crude HFO 380
Carbon 80.1% 80.6%
Hydrogen 15.7% 13.6%
Nitrogen 2.20% 2.5%
Sulphur-max 2.00% 3.7%
Density at 15Deg C 0.8554 0.9595
Heating value in Kcal/Kg
Gross 10388.65 10239
Net 9880.64 9559
Viscosity at 50 Deg C 5.69 cst 380 cst
HTO-BOILERS
MAIN FIGURES
Number of boilers: 2
Heat capacity of each boiler: 4 MW
Temp. HTO feed flow maximal: 280 °C
Temp. HTO feed flow nominal: 250 °C
Temp. HFO return flow: 190 °C
Efficiency guaranteed: 85 %
Efficiency expected: 87 %
Thermal oil volume flow: ≈ 124 m³/h
Thermal oil type (design): Mobiltherm 605
Adm. operation pressure: max. 10 bar
Test pressure: 38 bar
MAIN EQUIPMENT (EACH BOILER) SAFETY DEVICES (EACH BOILER)
• Gas separator • 2 HTO flow limitation min.
• Boiling and draining connections • Temp. limitation max. HTO-feed flow
• Shut-off valves HTO inlet and outlet • Temp. limitation max. exhaust gases
• Swivel mechanism for front door • Pressure relief valves for each boiler
• Cleaning holes and doors
• Thermometers and pressure gauges
(local indication)
RING PUMP STATION
MAIN FIGURES
Number of filters: 2
Number of pumps: 2
Temp. HFO inlet / outlet: 60 °C
Pressure HFO at outlet: nominal 6 barg
maximal 10 barg
Capacity of each filter / pump: 45.000 kg/h
Capacity of station : 2 x 100 %
Reqired power: 16,7 kW
Motors installed: 25,3 kW
1.750 min-1
MAIN ACCESSORIES:
• Pressure control station (see picture)
• Remote flow indication
• Local differential pressure indicatation Pressure
with contact for remote alarm Control
signalisation Station
SAFETY DEVICES
• Pressure relief valve for each pump
• Pressure relief valve at control station
HTO-CIRCULATION PUMP
STATION MAIN FIGURES
Number of pumps: 2
Temp. HTO inlet / outlet: max. 300 °C
Pressure HTO at inlet: nominal 2,0 barg
Pressure HTO at outlet: maximal 9,2 barg
Capacity of each pump: 124 m3/h
Capacity of station : 100 %
(for operation of 2 boilers)
Reqired power: 36,0 kW
Motors installed: 62,0 kW
3.550 min-1
MAIN EQUIPMENT SAFETY DEVICES
• Strainer
• Shut-off valves HTO inlet and outlet • n/a
• Bypass valve for emergency operation
with other boiler
• Thermometers and pressure gauges
(local indication)
HTO-STORAGE TANK
MAIN FIGURES
Nominal volume: 40,000 l
Operating pressure: <3 bar
Design pressure: 6 bar
Test pressure: 7,8 bar
Design temperature: 300 °C
MAIN EQUIPMENT SAFETY DEVICES
• 1 Remote continuous level indication • Pressure relief valve
• 1 Local continuous level indication • Underpressure protection
• 1 Nitrogen blanket equipment • Pressure switch with min. and max.
monitoring
Kiln 1,2,3 burner & Raw mill HGP/Dryer
capacities
CONSUMERS Flow rate Flow rate
(Max-ltr/hr) (Normal-ltr/hr)
KILN NO. 1 11200 8100
KILN NO. 2 11200 8100
KILN NO. 3 7600 6800
Hot Air Generator 1500 800
(Raw mills)
CLAY DRYER 1270 600
32770x24 24400 X 24
=786,480 =585,60
Cleaning and Refurbishing of Crude oil
tanks:
¾ 3 Nos. 3000 M3 crude oil tank installed in 1979
refurbished.
¾ Approximately 500 M3 sludge per tank had to be
removed.
¾ Liquid hydro carbon was pumped into the sludge
for diluting.
¾ Sludge was extracted and disposed off in a
environmentally acceptable form.
¾ Floor plates of the tanks were replaced and
additional reinforcement provided.
¾ 50 day was required for refurbishing of the tanks.
¾ 100% safety was ensured during this operation.
Project Execution & Commissioning:
¾ Stoppages expected during commissioning.
9 days per kilns i.e. 9 x 3 = 27 days
¾ Job completed with 2 days stoppages per kilns
i.e. 2 x 3 = 6 days
¾ Stoppages synchronized with brick lining for 2 kilns.
¾ Total lengths of 13.9 km. piping.
¾ Total length of 9.1 km. cable.
¾ Total new insulation 8000 m2
¾ Total 9360 welding joints and 2630 running welding.
Post Commissioning Scenario:
¾ No adverse problems were experienced.
¾ Clinker production rate achieved in 10 days time.
¾ Fuel consumption is comparable with the crude
oil
¾ Energy saving in terms of power consumption.
¾ Minor coating problems were observed in the
coolers, which were eliminated.
¾ Additional sulphur contents in the HFO 380 Cst
had a positive effect on the alkalies in the Raw
Meal.
¾ No effect on chain consumption.
Conclusion:
¾ This project was conceived and implemented with
the in–house expertise without any outside
consultant.
¾ The project was completed well ahead of the
scheduled time.
¾ The state of art equipments has been used in this
project to increase operational efficiency.
¾ The use of existing equipments has resulted in
substantial saving in the project cost.
¾ The project cost has been reduced by utilizing the
local contractor for civil and structural works.
Conclusion (contd.):
¾ The production levels remained the same with no
adverse effect in chain life.
¾ Safety against Fire hazards was ensured and 100
% safety record was maintained.
¾ The capital return period for this project is
anticipated in 18/20 months of kiln operation.
