Enhancing Durability of Spring Plates in Rotary Cement Kiln Girth Gear

This research focuses on enhancing the fatigue life of spring plates in rotary cement kilns. These plates are crucial for connecting the girth gear and kiln shell, often fail due to stress and fatigue. The study uses finite element analysis with ANSYS software to evaluate the fatigue life of a standard spring plate design and three novel proposed designs. Experimental investigations are conducted using a custom-built bending fatigue testing apparatus. This device enables the evaluation of various models with respect to their dimensions, design configurations, and material. The aim is to identify a design that minimizes crack initiation and propagation, extending the lifespan of these critical components. Results suggest that the proposed model P3 is the most effective at reducing fatigue. The findings offer potential cost savings and improved operational efficiency for cement plants by reducing downtime and maintenance related to spring plate failures. The minimum value of fatigue life obtained in the proposed models (P1, P2, and P3) was (1,403,195, 449,676, and 2,133,763), respectively. From the theoretical and experimental results, the best model for the proposed model was the (P3). This improvement in fatigue life leads to an increase in the working life of the spring plate. From the results of the fatigue life, the proposed novel model (P3) is the best model to reduce fatigue life.