Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
Alperia Green Future, Via Dodiciville 8, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
Sensors (Basel). 2023 Mar 3;23(5):2805. doi: 10.3390/s23052805.
The cement industry includes energy-intensive processes, e.g., clinker rotary kilns and clinker grate coolers. Clinker is obtained through chemical and physical reactions in a rotary kiln from raw meal; these reactions also involve combustion processes. The grate cooler is located downstream of the clinker rotary kiln with the purpose of suitably cooling the clinker. The clinker is cooled through the action of multiple cold air fan units as it is transported within the grate cooler. The present work describes a project where Advanced Process Control techniques are applied to a clinker rotary kiln and a clinker grate cooler. Model Predictive Control was selected as the main control strategy. Linear models with delays are obtained through ad hoc plant experiments and suitably included in the controllers' formulation. A cooperation and coordination policy is introduced between the kiln and the cooler controllers. The main objectives of the controllers are to control the rotary kiln and grate cooler critical process variables while minimizing the fuel/coal specific consumption of the kiln and the electric energy consumption of the cold air fan units within the cooler. The overall control system was installed on the real plant, obtaining significant results in terms of service factor and control and energy-saving performances.
水泥行业包括能源密集型工艺，例如熟料回转窑和熟料篦式冷却机。熟料通过生料在回转窑中的化学和物理反应获得，这些反应还涉及燃烧过程。篦式冷却机位于熟料回转窑的下游，目的是适当冷却熟料。熟料在篦式冷却机内输送时，通过多个冷空气风扇单元的作用进行冷却。本工作描述了一个将先进过程控制技术应用于熟料回转窑和熟料篦式冷却机的项目。模型预测控制被选为主要控制策略。通过专门的工厂实验获得带有延迟的线性模型，并将其适当地纳入控制器的公式中。在窑和冷却器控制器之间引入了合作和协调策略。控制器的主要目标是在最小化窑的燃料/煤比消耗和冷却器内冷空气风扇单元的电能消耗的同时，控制回转窑和篦式冷却机的关键过程变量。整个控制系统已安装在实际工厂中，在服务因素以及控制和节能性能方面取得了显著成果。
