Field Operator Certification

High Efficiency Separators

Learner Guide
 High Efficiency Separators Learner Guide

Introduction
This lesson on High Efficiency Separators, as with your other lessons on Auxiliary Equipment,
consists of two main learning components a self-directed/in-class component and an on-the-job
component. You are expected to complete both components as part of your Certification Program.

Review the remaining information contained in the Introduction section of this document prior to
beginning the Content section. If you have any questions about this information, speak with your
Instructor.

Objectives
Your learning objectives are broken down into two categories learning objectives for the self-
directed/in-class portion of your learning; and, learning objectives for the on-the-job portion of your
learning. They are listed below for your information.

Self-Directed/In-Class Learning Objectives

State the purpose of High Efficiency Separators (HES)
Name the main components of a HES
Explain the principle of operation for a HES
State the applications for a HES in cement manufacturing
Describe the running and static inspections for a HES
Describe the troubleshooting for common HES problems
State safety concerns related to a HES

On-the-job Learning Objectives

Perform a running inspection on a HES
Perform a static inspection on a HES

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Lesson Outline
The first portion of the lesson, the self-directed/in-class portion, involves reviewing the following
information:

The purpose and basic principle of operation of a HES

A listing and description of the various components of a HES
Various applications of a HES
Inspection points of a HES and basic troubleshooting
Safety concerns related to a HES
Pictures and graphics are included where appropriate to help you understand how a HES function.
At the end of this section, there are a series of questions that you will be required to answer and
review with your Instructor.

The second portion of the lesson, the on-the-job portion, primarily involves the completion of
several inspections on HES, including both a running and static inspection. When you are ready to
perform these inspections, inform your Instructor.

If you are a new Field Operator, you will complete a series of steps in your OJT portion of this
lesson. These steps are listed below for your information.

Step One
Your Instructor will walk through an inspection procedure with you. At that time
you can ask questions and take down any notes required.
This walkthrough may be completed out in the field or during a meeting with your
Instructor.
Step Two
Your Instructor will demonstrate an inspection procedure in the field.
Step Three
You will conduct an inspection procedure in the field under the supervision of your
Instructor.
Your Instructor will provide you with feedback about your performance during the
inspection.

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Step Four
You will complete a full inspection procedure without any assistance from your
Instructor.
This inspection will be assessed against the inspection checklist contained in this
document. If you achieve 100% on the inspection, you will be certified on it. If you do
not achieve 100% your Instructor will provide you with further feedback and you will
have the opportunity to be re-assessed.
If you are an experienced Field Operator, you may already be quite familiar with inspection
procedures. Discuss this with your Instructor and you may only be required to actually complete
Step Four as discussed above.

Reference Material
NA

Pre-requisites
All auxiliary equipment should be completed prior to taking this lesson

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HES Learning Content

Purpose
The purpose of the High Efficiency Separator is to divide a given material feed into two
separate streams using air as the carrying medium
HI GH E FFICIENCY S EPARATOR (#01)

The two resulting material streams are referred to as:

1. Fines: Material that is fine enough to be considered finished product
2. Rejects: Material that will be returned to the process for further size reduction

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Components

H IGH E FFICIENCY S EPARATOR C OMPONENTS

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Separator Drive: Consists of the drive motor, reducer, high and low speed couplings. The
separator drive rotates the cage or rotor assembly of the HES at variable speeds
Shaft assembly with bearings: Driven element of the HES drive that supports the rotor
assembly. The main shaft is equipped with an upper and lower bearing assembly along with
support struts in the exit duct to maintain a stable rotor position
C ERAMIC L INED D ISCHARGE C HUTE
Exit duct: Evacuates all finished product and
all transport air to the Dust Collector
Material feed chute(s): Directs Feeds
material to the dispersion plate on top or the
rotor assembly

O SEPA R OTOR WITH D ISPERSION

P LATE B ATH
Dispersion plate: Replaceable wear liner
located on top of the rotor assembly that is
used to disperse the feed material against the
buffer plate

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O SEPA S EAL
Air Seal: A labyrinth type air seal located
between the rotor assembly and the HES
housing that is designed to eliminate bypass
from the separation zone to the outlet duct
Vertical flow adjusting blade: Vertical
support member of the rotor assembly
designed to impart centrifugal forces on
material within the separation zone
proportional to rotor speed
Partition plate: Horizontal support member
of the rotor assembly that is designed to
ensure a precise horizontal vortex is formed as air enters the separation zone through the inlet
guide vanes and passes into the rotor assembly

P RIMARY & S ECONDARY I NLETS

Primary air inlet duct: The largest of the
two air inlet ducts designed to draw air into
the HES tangentially. In some applications
this air duct is connected to the discharge of
the mill to provide ventilation. The primary
inlet duct uses an opposed louver damper to
control air flow into the Separator
Secondary air inlet duct: The smaller of the
two inlet ducts designed to draw air into the
HES tangentially. The secondary air inlet
duct also uses an opposed louver damper to
control air flow into the separator. In some
applications the secondary inlet duct is used to vent auxiliary equipment
Tertiary air inlet ducts: Originally designed to provide air flow into the rejects hopper in
order to wash the rejects of any additional fines. Fines recovered in this manner would be
re-entrained in the ascending airflow and pass through the rotor to finished product. Note:
new HES designs do not have these tertiary air inlet ducts as they were found to be
ineffective

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R OTOR
Rotor or Cage assembly: Rotating cage
assembly located in the center of the
separator. The variable speed of the rotor is
used as the main control element for product
fineness
Buffer plate: A replaceable wear ring located
above the separation zone designed to protect
the outer housing of the HES from the impact
and abrasion of material ejected from the
dispersion plate
Inlet Guide Vanes: Stationary vanes located
in the inlet ducts forming a complete circle around the rotor assembly. The inlet guide vanes
are designed to distribute the primary and secondary air flow evenly around the
circumference of the separation zone, in the direction of rotor rotation
Hopper: Cone assembly at the bottom of the HES designed to collect rejects from the
separation zone and return them to the process for further size reduction
Rejects Tipping Valve: An airlock used at the bottom of the rejects hopper to permit the
controlled flow of material out of the Separator while maintaining an air seal preventing
inleakeage

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Principle of Operation
H IGH E FFICIENCY S EPARATORS
P RINCIPLE
Fresh feed enters through inlet chutes (2 or 4)
located on the top of HES casing
The fresh feed is equally balanced between
the inlet chutes and as a result, is evenly
distributed around the circumference of the
rotor. The material feed is directed
downwards from the feed chute onto a
dispersion plate located on top of the rotating
cage
The material is thrown outwards by
centrifugal force against the buffer plate by
the rotation of the cage. The buffer plate re-
directs the material downward into the
annular gap between the spinning rotor and
the inlet guide vanes
Three forces are applied to the material introduced into this annular gap that defines the
separation zone:
The force of gravity
Centrifugal force imparted by the rotating cage
Drag Force created by the Horizontal Vortex, or the inward flow of air from the primary
and secondary inlets to the center of the rotor
In order for material to become finished product, it must be fine enough to pass through the
rotating cage by becoming entrained in the air stream or horizontal vortex continually
flowing through the rotor, and exiting the Separator
As the cage rotates, it creates a centrifugal force in the form of a pressure wave at the leading
edge of the rotors vertical blades. This forces coarse material back into the separation zone
and away from the face of the rotor. The coarser the material the larger the impact this
centrifugal force has. This pressure wave created in front of the rotor blades also reduces
rotor abrasion

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F INES P ATH
The finest fraction of the feed material is
easily accelerated into horizontal vortex as it
enters the separation zone. These fines are
immediately carried through the rotating
cage and exit with the air stream through the
Separators outlet duct
The remaining material distribution rotates
and falls through the height of the separation
zone. During its residence time within this
zone, the material is continually classified
by the horizontal vortex, the speed of the
rotating cage and the force of gravity. At any
point within this zone, the remaining material can become finished product if it is fine
enough to be entrained or dragged into the airflow passing through the rotating cage
R EJECTS P ATH
Finally, the coarse fraction of the feed
material that does not pass through the rotor
as it leaves the separation zone is discharged
into the rejects hopper This material is
evacuated through a tipping valve located at
the bottom of the rejects cone and returned
to the process for further size reduction
The increased residence time in the
separation zone, along with the even
distribution of material and air, speaks to the
increased efficiency of the 3rd generation of
mechanical air Separators
O SEPA R OTOR B ATH
Fineness in the HES can be automatically
controlled in one of two ways:
Rotor or Cage Speed
Airflow
Increasing the cage speed increases the
centrifugal force applied to the material
passing through the separation zone. This
increase in centrifugal force makes it more
difficult for a particle to become entrained
and pass through the rotor to finished
product. The result is a finer finished product.
A decrease in rotor speed will have the opposite affect and result in a coarser product

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An increase in airflow through the Separator will increase the force of the horizontal vortex
or Drag forces making it possible to entrain coarser particles through the rotor. The result is
a coarser finished product. A decrease in airflow through the Separator will have the opposite
affect resulting in a finer finished product

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Applications
Finish Grinding Process
Raw Grinding Process
Coal Mill

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Inspection Points

High Efficiency Separators Running Inspection

Check For OK

Inspect the condition and support integrity of all safety guards

Inspect the drive motor for material build up on cooling fins and cooling fan inlet screen. Remove build-
up
Palm test the motor casing temperature- If too hot to touch, record temperature with hand pyrometer or
contact thermometer
Inspect drive motor electrical connections for damage or strain
Listen for abnormal noise or vibration in the Separator and the Separators drive system
Inspect the drives mounting base for damage, cracks, loose bolts
Inspect the condition of drive components (motor to reducer), direct coupling condition, intermediate
shafts and bearings
Check Separator reducer for signs of leaks, verify oil reservoir level and flow of oil to lower bearing
Inspect the Separators lubrication system for proper oil level
Record the temperature of the upper and lower Separator shaft bearings if available from the lubrication
panel
Inspect Separator Feed / Rejects chutes for material leaks
Inspect the Separator feed chutes and position of flow control gates for even feed distribution to the rotor
Inspect duct work to main Dust Collector for signs of in-leakage
Inspect Separator for signs of improper venting or positive pressure
Inspect the position and operation and condition of the primary and secondary inlet air control dampers
Inspect the condition of the primary and secondary inlet ducts. Note any material build up or wear on the
casing
Inspect field control station for damage or cable strain. Remove any obstructions for access
Inspect the equipment for general condition cleanliness, damage
Check that all access doors and inspection ports are closed and properly sealed

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High Efficiency Separators Static Inspection - External

Check For OK

Inspect the condition and support integrity of all safety guards

Inspect the drive motor for material build up on cooling fins and cooling fan inlet screen. Remove build-
up
Palm test the motor casing temperature. If too hot to touch, record temperature with hand pyrometer or
contact thermometer
Inspect drive motor electrical connections for damage or strain
Inspect the drives mounting base for damage, cracks, loose bolts
Inspect the condition of drive components (motor to reducer). direct coupling condition, intermediate
shafts and bearings
Check Separator reducer for signs of leaks, verify oil reservoir level and flow of oil to lower bearing
Inspect the Separators lubrication system for proper oil level
Inspect Separator Feed / Rejects chutes for wear or sign of material leaks
Inspect the Separator feed chutes and verify the free operation of the flow control gates used for even
feed distribution to the rotor
Inspect duct work to main Dust Collector for signs wear or damage
Inspect the position, operation and condition of the primary and secondary inlet air control damper
Inspect field control station for damage or cable strain. Remove any obstructions for access
Inspect the equipment for general condition cleanliness, damage
Check that all access doors and inspection ports are closed and properly sealed

High Efficiency Separators Static Inspection Internal

Check For OK

Inspect the primary and secondary inlet ducts for missing ceramic or wear liners. Material build up in the
ducts
Inspect the dispersion plate on top of the top of the rotor assembly for wear damage or missing or broken
sections
Inspect the rotor assembly noting excess wear on the vertical, horizontal blades, rotor hub, spokes, shaft
struts
Inspect the condition of the inlet guide vanes, note excess wear or damage
Inspect the buffer plate for excess wear, damage or missing sections
Inspect the air seal at the top of the rotor for excess wear or damage
Inspect the vertical position of the rotor in relation to the seal to ensure the cage is properly positioned on
the main shaft

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High Efficiency Separators Static Inspection Internal

Check For OK
Inspect the condition of the ceramic or wear liner in the exit duct
Inspect the lower bearing assembly and lubrication supply lines for sign of damage or leaks

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Troubleshooting
The following troubleshooting information has been prepared to help you resolve material flow
problems associated with High Efficiency Separators.
T ROUBLESHOOTING L OSS OF M ATERIAL F LOW
Problem Possible Reasons
Reduced Separator Inaccurate cage speed
Performance indication
Worn / damaged air seal
Worn or damaged rotor
Worn or damaged inlet
guide vanes
Material build-up in
primary and or secondary
inlet ducts
Damaged or worn
Primary and or Secondary
inlet dampers
Airflow not at optimum
Insufficient seal at rejects
cone
Separator Vibration Misalignment of drive
components
Material build-up
Worn Bearings
Damaged or worn rotor
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Actions Taken
Verify actual cage speed with tachometer in the field by
measuring speed of reducers output shaft and compare
to feedback
Inspect the condition and position of the air seal in
relation to the rotor
Inspect the condition of the rotor and inlet guide vanes
Inspect the primary and secondary inlet ducts on a crash
stop for signs of material build up impeding uniform air
flow into the inlet guide vanes
Inspect the opposed louver dampers in the primary and
secondary inlet for proper operation and position
Measure the airflow through the HES either directly
Anemometer in inlets or indirectly at the Dust Collector
inlet or exhaust by pitot tube. Note any in leakage
Establish pressure drops across the circuit and compare
with original design i.e. across Separator, ducting, dust
collector , dampers, and main fan
Inspect tipping valve at discharge of rejects cone for
proper seal
Assess the accuracy of drive component alignment and
repair as necessary
Inspect upper and lower main shaft bearings and seals
for damage or wear
Inspect rotor for damage, build-up or wear
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Safety Work Page

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Safety
Follow confined space entry procedures when entering a Separator for inspection
Be aware that material and casing temperatures and internal gases may be extremely hot
Be aware that Separator casings may be oxygen deficient due to process gases
Be aware that Separators are controlled automatically and can start and stop at any time
Keep the work area clear of grease, oil, water, and other objects that could cause a slip or a
fall
Keep clothing, fingers, hair, and other parts of the body away from drive components
Inspect all guards for damage and support integrity regularly
Know the location and function of all control stations
Keep all control stations free from obstructions to ensure access at all times
Keep area around Separator clear of obstructions and debris
High airflow through an HES makes ports and inspection doors dangerous to open as they
can close violently due to high static pressures
Report all unsafe conditions or practices immediately

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Review Exercise
Complete each of these questions and review your answers with your Instructor.

1. What is the purpose of the High Efficiency Separators?

2. List 8 components of a HES

3. What three forces are acting on the material within the separation zone?

4. What are the 2 means by which fineness can be controlled in the HES?

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5. What is the purpose of the air seal?

6. What is the purpose of the tipping valve at the bottom of the rejects cone?

7. Describe the applications for a HES in cement manufacturing

8. Describe 5 running inspection points for a HES

9. Describe 5 static external inspection points for a HES

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10. Describe 3 reasons that would explain a loss of fineness control in a HES

11. List 5 safety hazards associated with a HES

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