SHELL FLEXING

(aka OVALITY)

ANALYSIS
for Kilns &
Other Refractory-Lined
Rotary Units
 It is the kiln tire
that determines
Thickness the OVALITY of
the kiln shell
Determines
Bending
Strength Face Width

Determines
Hertz Pressure
Process determines diameter

tyre FLEX calculated according to NIES; may require dimensional increase

 The tire dictates
the basic shell
OVALITY…
but

Where the shell is not supported by the tire

Ovality increases by the size of the gap
 Shell Flattens - Bricks Loosen

2
Shell Pinches Shell Pinches
Bricks Compress Bricks Compress

3 1

Compression and Relaxation

1, 2, 3 Cycles per turn
 Shell Flattens - Bricks Loosen

Shell Pinches
Bricks Compress

3 Cycles per turn x 3 turns per minute x 60 minutes per hour x 24 hours per day

= 12,960 Cycles per Day

The Principle of Shell Flexing Measurement

b
Distorted Cross Section

a
O.D. meter)
(outsid e shell dia

H
H

According to Rosenblad:
X
SF

4xOD2 x H (mm)
Ovality abs = 3

(Ovality abs)
%Ovality relative = (OD x 1000)
x 100%

Where: OD = ID + 2 x shell plate thickness (Meters) and ΔH = 2(a – b) (mm)

 What is % Ovality?
Example: a 5 meter kiln
Midrange expected ovality = 0.5%
0.5% = 0.5/100
5 meters = 5000mm
0.5/100 x 5000 = 25mm
Therefore A
A - B = 25mm [1”]

Ovality is the percent B

change of the nominal
diameter during one
rotation.
 2
2
2
2

1
1 Uphill
Downhill

3 1
Uphill
3
1 Line “A” is
Downhill usually on the manhole

BEAM POSITIONS
Count Filler Bars to get the 120º positions
Shell Flexing
or Ovality
Measurement
tells us

The Mechanical
Stability
of
Refractory
Click here for SFX video
The "Normal" Ovality Curve
Curvature more severe
Top of shell

Shell deflection
(+)
(+)
Normal
diamet Right roller
(-)
er
Left roller
(-)

Curvature flat
of normal 0 90 180 270
diameter Top of shell
180 Rotation

270 90
Rotation

Left roller. Right roller

Bottom dead center
0
 Interpretation Of Ovality Curves
Common Characteristics
Rotation Rotation
Rotation

Large
Large
Spread
Spread

1) Heavily loaded or 2) Excessive tire/shell gap 3) Bowed shell

undersized tire (requires at least two curves)

*
Small Spread Right

* * Peaks
Higher
Abrupt
Change of
than Left Curvature
Peaks
4) Under loaded pier or 5) Misalignment: Pier holding shell 6) Cracked shell plate
oversized tire left in relation to adjacent
piers
 Indication: Differential Shell Slope
0.60

Downhill Curves
0.40
Ovality meter readings in MM

0.20

0.00

-0.20

Kiln shell top center

-0.40 Uphill Curves

-0.60
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Readings for one Revolution

 Ovality Measurements
0.6
Ovality meter readings in MM

0.4

0.2

0.0

-0.2 Damaged shell plate

causing erratic and
-0.4 unpredictable curves!

-0.6
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 51 54 57 60 63 66 69 72

Readings for One Revolution

Case Study #1

Kiln Specifications:
Kiln Size: 11'-0" Dia. x 10'-0" Dia. x 270' long
- (3) Pier Design Mfg. By: Allis Chalmers
Ring Size: 157-1/2" O.D., 139" I.D., 22" Face
Roller Size: 42" O.D. x 24" Face
Design Slope: 0.313" /ft.

Kiln Problems:
Recommendations:
• Mechanical Instability
• Unsatisfactory Refractory Life • Ovality Analysis
• Alignment
• Replace Ring Support Pads (Filler Bars)
• Recondition Rings and Adjust Rollers
Case Study # 1
OVALITY CURVE AND FINDINGS
FROM HOT ALIGNMENT - Before Repairs
Ovality meter readings in MM

0.80

0.60

0.40 1.25 MM
Shell Deflection
0.20
Over 1 Meter Span
0.00

-0.20

-0.40

-0.60
Support #1 - DOWNHILL
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Case Study # 1
Alignment BEFORE Roller
Adjustments

.320" .030"
LEFT RIGHT .320"
PLAN VIEW LEFT
.010"
LOW

.140"
HIGH .140"
ELEVATION VIEW HIGH
Case Study #1 Saxer also suggests that for kilns
ACCEPTABLE OVALITY RANGE larger than 5 meters, 0.5% ovality
should not be exceeded.

0.8
.61% Before .95" Creep
Ovality %

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
3.353 Meters 3 4 5 6 7
11' Diameter Kiln Diameter (Meters)
Per H. Erni, B. Saxer, F. Schneider (Holderbank) ZKG 1979
Zoom in on Refractory - Before Repairs

GAP IS TOO
tyre
LARGE

Shell
Zoom in on Refractory - After Repairs

GAP REDUCED
tyre
TO NORMAL
Filler Bar + Shim
Shell
Case Study #1
Before and After Raw Data Curves
0.80
Support #1 - DOWNHILL
Ovality meter readings in MM 0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
1.25mm Span Before
0.00
-0.10
-0.20
Repairs
-0.30
-0.40
-0.50
-0.60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Note: Improvement on roller alignment after adjustments.

Ovality meter readings in MM

Support #1 - DOWNHILL
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
0.68mm Span After
-0.10
-0.20
-0.30
Repairs
-0.40
-0.50

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
 Case Study #1
ACCEPTABLE OVALITY RANGE Saxer also suggests that for kilns
larger than 5 meters, 0.5% ovality
should not be exceeded.

0.8
.61% Before .81" Creep
Ovality %

0.6

0.4
.43% After .57" Creep
0.2

0.0
3.353 Meters 3 4 5 6 7
11' Diameter Kiln Diameter (Meters)
Per H. Erni, B. Saxer, F. Schneider (Holderbank) ZKG 1979
SFX-Report
 Windows®-based data transfer from
PDA to computer
Select Icon on Toolbar to View & Print :
Ovality Summary Table
Ovality Summary Graph (Omega Chart)
Individual or Grouped Data Curves
Choice of Polar Plot or Linear Plot Format
ASCII Data Files (plain text) for use
by other applications
Acceptable Upper Limit
Linear Graphs

C
Polar Diagrams
Routine FLEX
Measurements
• Understand shell behavior
• Maximize refractory life

Document:
• FLEX measurement
• Shell & tire temperatures
• Creep