Liebherr-Mischtechnik, Bad Schussenried, Germany, reports that cement plants are increasingly employing its Litronic FMS II continuous moisture measurement system to monitor the quality of RDF (refuse derived fuels) such as PET plastics, composite packaging, wood chips, tyre scrap, technical rubber waste, paper and sludge. The delivered RDF sometimes has very high variations in quality and calorific value caused by different water content of these products. Traditionally very time-intensive and expensive laboratory tests were often performed with laboratory analysis (1-2 buckets per truck load), with only a small sample of the incoming material being checked.

 

With the FMS II system sensors are installed on belt conveyors, chutes or in feed hoppers, providing accurate data directly to the control system of the cement plant. With continuous monitoring of RDF moisture, reliable information is provided for the operation of the rotary furnace. Litronic FMS II can also be used for moisture monitoring of biomass based on wood and other biogenic fuels such as sawdust, pellets, bark and peat. Moisture is measured directly at the truck unloading points in biomass combustion plants. Thus, the monitoring and regulation of the combustion process is ensured and the moisture value is integrated into the user’s process control system. Measurement technology products from Liebherr will be exhibited at Powtech in Nuremberg, 26-28 September, on Stand 540 in Hall 4. www.water-content-measurement.com

 

 

Electronic unit, pictured on the right in a switch cabinet, as part of the Litronic FMS II moisture measurement system; a sensor with clamping flange is shown below