KilnCalculator Web Application

Summary

KilnCalculator is a web application used for calculating and visualizing stresses and loads of a rotary kiln.

Key terms

Target platform	Web application
Frontend Technology	React with Next.js and TypeScript
Backend Technologies	Spring Boot (Security, Persistence, Validation) + Python/code_aster (Mechanical calculations)
Database	PostgreSQL
Tools	intelliJ, GitLab, SonarQube, Docker, Figma, Jira, Confluence

Project goal

The aim of our project is to develop a state-of-the-art web application, allowing the users to calculate main stresses and loads on a rotary kiln, used in the cement production industry. The application shall be easy to use, without in-depth knowledge of mechanical calculations.

Initial situation

Cement plants use large, heavy rotary kilns to allow chemical reactions in the raw materials. Sometimes these kilns can suffer from fatigue cracks due to high stress in the kiln shell. Damages to the kiln often result in high production losses and repair costs. To find the root cause of such problems, the forces acting on the kiln need to be re-calculated. Up to now, the maintenance team of a cement plant had to involve an external engineering company to calculate these loads and stresses acting on the kiln.

Benefits of your solution

With KilnCalculator the results of these calculations can be easily gathered by first inputting simple details of the kiln, like lengths, thicknesses and diameters. After, the calculations can be run directly inside the browser, instead of having to hire expensive external contractors.

Results

• The geometry of the kiln (diameter, lengths, thicknesses) can be modelled using a drag-and-drop system
• Loads (refractory, materials, point loads) can be added to a kiln
• Stresses and material deflections are correctly calculated and displayed in linear graphs and in a 3D model
• Kilns can be saved, edited, shared and exported as JSON
• Application access is secured using a sophisticated authentication and authorization provider (Auth0)

Project data

Project duration	February 2021 - January 2022 (2 semesters)
Total hours of work	approx. 2160h
Team size	6 part-time students, of which 2x iCompetence

Client

Project team

• Fabio Haussener
• Nathanael Weber
• Kenny Maurer
• Jonas Möller
• Michelle Wächter
• Timothy Grützner

Agile Coach

Thekla Müller

<< back