Today’s plant upgrades are not always driven by a need to increase capacity, but rather a need to reduce emissions in order to meet new government standards. This was the case with the Monarch Cement Co of Humboldt, Kan., whose cement plant needed to improve the overall airflow in order to meet the new NESHAP (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants) requirements.
As a result, Monarch Cement recently contracted with Gebr. Pfeiffer, Inc. to upgrade its MPS 3450 Raw Mill, provided by Allis Chalmers under MPS license. The 3,450-mtph mill upgrade solution will include new grinding table for the MPS 3450 Raw Mill; SLS 3750 high-efficiency classifier; AZZ 5600 cyclone; fan; and plant engineering. Additional duct work and related engineering services also will be provided, along with installation of a new Gebr. Pfeiffer “lift and swing” device that will simplify, and offer easier access, for the mill maintenance process.
The upgrade project will allow hot gases from two kilns to be both directed through the raw material mill, which will clean the gas pollutants while grinding limestone in the MPS 3450 raw mill, thus improving the overall airflow at the plant. Completion of the upgrade is expected by March 2013 and will result in an overall reduction in emissions.
