Induced Draft Fans In Cement Manufacturing: Supporting Sustainable Production In Industry 4.0 Technology

Neel Rao
Induced draft (ID) fans are of immense value in many sectors, with the cement manufacturing  industry being one of those. The primary function of these industrial fans, also called blowers, is to  discharge gasses and air present in a specific space into the outside environment. The ID fans  achieve this using generating negative pressure.

  • The ID blowers are among the most pivotal elements of any cement manufacturing plant. In  these facilities, it is seen that the induced draft fans collect gases having high temperatures  inside the kiln, and expel them into the atmosphere. The uppermost part of the kiln is the  precise area where these fans are deployed, in a cement factory.
  • The presence of these industrial fans in cement factories ensures that there is sufficient  ventilation in the required places. By providing appropriate ventilation, the health and well being of the staff is safeguarded to a significant extent. 
  • The induced draft blowers used in the cement sector have to combat extremely harsh  conditions. For this reason, these ID fans are manufactured from materials resistant to harsh  conditions such as cast iron, stainless steel, and aluminum.
  • The ID fans that are seen in cement manufacturing plants are in the forward-curved, radial,  or backward-inclined categories. For, only the blowers with these designs can handle the  volume of pressure needed in the relevant processes.
  • The process of combustion in a kiln is an important one in every cement manufacturing  facility. Here, the induced draft fans make sure that this process progresses smoothly; the  overall efficiency of the operations gets boosted.
  • The process in the kilns of a cement plant is such that the airflow requirement keeps  changing rapidly. Hence, the industrial blowers have to operate accordingly, meeting the  changing airflow demands of the system. And, one of the best ways to realize that objective  is to install ID blowers that are equipped with VFDs (variable frequency drives). Nowadays,  many induced draft fans found in cement plants have these accessories.
  • When fans with accessories like VFDs are installed in cement plants, there will also be a  noteworthy drop in the amount of energy consumed. The business will then be enabled to  save costs on energy consumption over some time.
  • Many models of induced draft flowers presently available in markets are fitted with various  sensors. Because of these sensors, it has become possible for the concerned personnel to  monitor and control the fans even from distant locations.
  • With modern-day technologies, predictive maintenance has now become a simple matter, as  well. A possible issue with the fans can be predicted well in advance. Prompt corrective  action can then be taken, rather than waiting for a major issue to cause grave disruption.
  • If the induced draft fans are absent in a cement plant, there will be no way to control the  accumulation of hot gasses within the kiln. And that would seriously affect both the kiln and the materials/substances undergoing combustion.
  • It’s now clear that induced draft blowers in cement manufacturing plants make it simpler for  the management to adhere to sustainable practices. Sustainability is all about following  environmentally friendly practices that are simultaneously cost-effective. These practices are required to conform to the norms of safety of employees, too. And all these aspects are  successfully addressed by induced draft fans.