KIMA Echtzeitsysteme, a German manufacturer of measurement and control systems for the cement, minerals and energy industries, received orders for five KilnCooler HotSpot systems in December from four cement plants in Germany.

The system monitors kiln shell temperature and cools only the specific spots that show temperatures above a setpoint. This helps to avoid a kiln shutdown and helps to prolong refractory life.

Hotspots in the kiln are a growing problem for cement plants, as the use of secondary and alternative fuels grows. These fuels are relatively inhomogeneous compared to traditional fossil fuels, which results in more fluctuations in the burning process – and the formation of hotspots.

According to KIMA, one cement plant ordered a second unit only four weeks after it placed its first unit and also recommended the system to a sister plant, which purchased the system.

Including the systems in Germany, a total of 22 KilnCooler HotSpot systems are now operating worldwide.