THE PROBLEM
A major European cement producer operated air blaster nozzles in the clinker cooler at one of its plants. The nozzles were built from a conventional steel structure, exposed to the abrasive, high-temperature conditions inside the cooler. That steel structure only lasted 3–4 months before it needed replacing — a recurring cycle of maintenance shutdowns, replacement labour and lost production time.
THE SOLUTION
Fiberstone was engineered as a direct like-for-like replacement for the steel air blaster nozzles, installed at the same position in the cooler. Two Fiberstone nozzles went into service in during the next maintenance cycle. The bespoke precast pieces were engineered using materials specifically selected to mitigate the issues of the clinker system: thermal shock resistance to survive the cooler’s temperature cycling, abrasion resistance against the clinker stream, and dimensional stability to hold nozzle geometry over extended service.
MEASURABLE SUCCESS
| Steel structure | Fiberstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Service life | 3-4 months | >12 months |
| Condition at inspection | Heavily worn | Excellent |
| Maintenance cost | Recurring replacement cycle | ~€10,000 saving |
Close to a three-fold increase in service life over the original steel structure. The nozzles were still performing in excellent condition at the most recent inspection. The extended life directly reduced maintenance, downtime and energy costs — quantified by the customer at close to €10,000 saved.