If your operations rely on a rotary kiln, then proper maintenance of your kiln is a must. Keeping a good supply of replacement kiln parts on hand can help, but nothing beats frequent check-ups and awareness of the overall condition of your kiln.
With decades of experience maintaining, repairing, and refurbishing kilns, we know what problems are most likely to occur – and are likely to be the most damaging. These are the critical issues to watch out for.
Four Critical Kiln Maintenance Issues to Watch Out For
- Improper lubrication
It’s only common sense that your kiln needs lubrication, and most kiln-owners are scrupulous about making sure it’s running smoothly. However, did you know it’s also possible to over-lubricate a kiln? Too much lubrication on the shell, guards, housings, or foundation can create a fire hazard, or damage the grout.
- Misalignment
The most common maintenance issue we tend to see on kilns is misalignment. This will lead immediately to unpredictable operation, as well as significantly increased wear-and-tear on the entire structure – especially the rollers, and the foundation. You should have your kiln professionally aligned every 1-2 years for best performance.
- Kiln shell dogleg
Another form of misalignment, dogleg (also called ‘banana’ or ‘crank’) happens when the kiln shell center is eccentric to the axis of rotation. In extreme circumstances, it can end up entirely offset, like the crankshaft of a car. This places significantly more strain on the rollers, as well as causing vibrations and – if left unfixed long enough – changes to the shell structure or shape.
- Shell flex
If your kiln runs for too long with misalignments or other issues rolling smoothly, you can get shell flex – where the shell begins to take on an oval cross-section, rather than being perfectly round. This, of course, can seriously affect the operation of the kiln, as well as disrupting the heat levels inside. You should be regularly measuring your shell on both the horizontal and vertical axis for any signs of flex. If the shell is becoming misshapen, it’s probably due to larger uncorrected maintenance problems.
Kiln Technology Company Has You Covered
We are one of the nation’s few true specialists in kiln maintenance, repairs, and operation. We keep a huge stockpile of replacement kiln parts on hand, as well as possessing the expertise to fix broken kilns. If your kiln isn’t operating properly, contact us to start working on a solution.