Advances in Preheater and

Cooler designs in Pyro

Processing
V Naga Kumar

National Council for Cement and Building Materials

 Clinker Manufacturing Process

a) Pre-treatment of raw materials b) High Temperature treatment

 Definition
Pyro-processing is a process in which
- materials are subjected to high temperatures
- to bring about a chemical or physical change.

Pyro-processing in Cement manufacturing are termed

as Preheating / Calcination and Sintering.

This process as a whole is endothermic and takes place at

maximum material temperatures of 1450oC. The thermal
energy is received from hot gases of up to 2000oC
generated by burning of fuel
 Targets for Pyro-Processing
Objective / Purpose
• To produce quality Clinker and more Clinker :- Productivity
• To produce with regularity :- Sustainability
• To produce Cheaper…Cheapest :- Economics

Performance Indicators
• Specific Heat Consumption
• Specific Power Consumption
• Kiln Availability
• Refractory Consumption
• Environment emissions at the lowest level
 Material & Gas Flow
50-70oC

1000 oC
Flame Temp.
~ 2000 oC

860-880oC

~ 1400-1450oC
Clinker Temp.
 Elements

Preheater

Calciner

TAD

Cooler
Kiln
Specific Energy Consumption: Thermal
PH exit Vol: 1.40 – 1.50 Nm3 / kg Clk
Exit Temperature: 270 – 320 oC
Heat content: 120 – 140 kcal / kg Clk

Specific Heat Consumption: ~ 670 kcal / kg Clk

Specific Heat Consumption: ~ 765 kcal / kg Clk

Radiation Losses: 50 - 80 kcal/ kg Clk

Cooler exit Vol: 0.85 – 1.0 Nm3/ kg Clk

Exit Temperature: 285 – 320 oC
Heat content: 100 – 120 kcal / kg Clk

Clinker: 1.0 kg / kg Clk

Exit Temperature: 80 – 120oC
Heat Content: 20 – 25 kcal / kg Clk
Specific Energy Consumption: Electrical
Preheater fan SPC: Bag House fan SPC:
5.0 – 8.0 kWh/ton clk 2.0 – 4.0 kWh/ton clk
Kiln Bag
House

Overall Specific Power Consumption:

17.0 – 25.0 kWh/ton Clk
Auxiliaries:
0.5 – 3.0 kWh/ton clk Cooler Vent fan SPC:
0.5 - 1.0 kWh/ton clk

Cooler Drive CPC :

2.0 – 3.0 kWh/ton clk
Cooling Air fan SPC:
4.0 - 6.0 kWh/ton clk
Cyclone &
Pre-heater
Cyclones in Preheater: for Separation

- Separation of dust particles

Role - Resistance to air flow (Pressure drop)
Cyclones in Preheater: for Separation
Separation Efficiency:

de
dd •distance dip tube to cylinder wall (de)
dc •ratio Ø cylinder (dc) to Ø dip tube (dd)
•dip tube length
•PSD (particle size distribution)
•inlet velocity
•inlet geometry
•discharge cone geometry
Cyclones in Preheater: for Separation

Pressure Drop Δp:

• inlet velocity
de
dd • spiral design
dc
• friction and gas viscosity
• dip tube diam. (Ø dd)
• dip tube length
• 60% of total Δp result from gas entry
into dip tube
 velocity increase (Ø dip tube)
 change of direction radial to axial
 turbulences dip tube edge
Generations of Cyclones
Generations of Cyclones
LOW PRESSURE DROP HIGH EFFICIENCY
CYCLONES CYCLONES

70- 85- 100-150

80% 60-90 95% mmWg
mmWg

efficiency pressure
drop efficiency pressure
drop
Development in Cyclone Technology
Advancements in Cyclone Technology
Low Pressure Drop High efficiency Cyclones
Advancements in Cyclone Technology
Low Pressure Drop High efficiency Cyclones
Advancements in Cyclone Technology
Low Pressure Drop High efficiency Cyclones - FLS
Advancements in Cyclone Technology
PMT Zyklontechnik
Conventional high A-Tec, member of Loesche Group

efficiency cyclone

91-93 %

50-70
mmWg
improved sep. efficiency

50 % less pressure drop

100,000 m³/h efficiency pressure drop

Advances in Cyclones
 Advantages:
• Low Civil Cost in
new Preheater
• Low installation

CCX Cyclone by FLS

cost & Low weight
• Net heat
consumption
reduces by 8-10
Latest kcal/kg cl
• 50% pressure drop
Advances
compared to
in standard cyclone
Cyclones • 5% increase in
capacity
Latest Technological advances in Cyclones

Use of Computation Fluid Dynamics for better

understanding of cyclone performance
Riser Duct: for Co-Current Heat Exchange
Additional components of Cyclone:
Dip Tube (Immersion Tube)
Splash Boxes (Dispersion boxes)
 Performance of Preheater

Moisture in Raw 7 – 12% 5 – 8% < 6%

Material Also depends on raw material grinding system
SHC, kcal/kg clk
750 – 820 720 – 750 680 - 720
(design)
 Typical Figures

Cyclone Design
max = 25o
max = 65o
Lmin = 2.5 m
h= 2/3*H
d = D/2
c = 500 mm
Cyclone Preheater: Typical Problems
1) Dip tube missing
or damaged
5) Too high velocity

2) False air
6) Meal flaps not working

3) Meal deposit 7) Thermocouple bad location

(No mix temp gas & meal!)

4) Cyclone blockage 8) Splash plate not clean

Calciners
 General Designs – 3 Types
There are basically 3 Designs, which in turn may
have some variants:

Separate Line

Air Through Air Separate Combination of In-line &

(In-Line Calciner) (In-Line Calciner) Separate-Line Calciner)

Designs differ with regard to the geometric configuration, the proportioning

of fuel, kiln feed and Tertiary air and location of fuel feed
Comparisons of Calciner Arrangements
Air – Through Air – Separate Combination of In-Line &
(in-Line) (in-Line) Separate Line
PC Arrangement Extended Riser Duct Parallel to Riser Duct Parallel to Riser Duct

Combustion Kiln Gas and Air Mix Pure Air Pure Air
Atmosphere
Advantages • Low Nox version • Suitable for • Suitable for modification
(possibility of modification
reducing kiln NOx) • Two independent
• Good combustion combustions – easy
combustion control
Weak Points • Mixing of Air with • Higher peak • Higher peak temperature
Gas temperature (Nox) (NOx!)

• Larger volume • PC drop out can • PC drop out can fill TAD
required fill TAD
• Requires 2 strings
• Incomplete (generally not feasible for
combustion < 3000 tpd)
 Requirements of Calciner
Process: Combustion:
 High calcination degree  High burnout degree of fuels
 Good control of calcination degree  Best mixing of air (O2) with fuel
 No material drop-out (meal, ashes  Instant ignition of all fuels
etc)  Direct return of fuel residues to
 No build-ups on walls kiln
 Simple and rapid start-up procedure  Optimum combustion
 Forgiving operating behaviour monitoring / control
 Flexibility regarding fuel ratio BZ/
PC
 Safe regarding equipment
overheating
 Minimum primary air requirement
 Minimum pressure drop
 Requirements of Calciner
Fuels: Tertiary Air System:
 Suitable for all fuel types (high  No dust deposits and dust
flexibility) cycles
 Insensitive to changes of mix of fuels  No hot dust handling
 Suitable for low reactivity and toxic  Reliable O2-control for BZ and
fuels PC firing

Emissions: Design:
 Reduction of pollutants from BZ  Easy integration in preheater
 Possibility for SNCR  Stepwise upgrading possible
 No (low) generation of pollutants in PC
firing
PRECALCINER: Control Strategy
 Calcination Degree
(via LOI) of bottom cyclone
hot meal; normally 88% to
92% apparent calcination
degree

 Gas Temperature at exit of

bottom cyclone (correlates
with Calcination degree);
Normally 860°C to 890°C

 Via Fuel Feed Rate

Normally 45% to 60% of
total fuel (depending of
Calciner residence time)
 PRECALCINER: Control Strategy
True and Apparent Calcination Degree
• True Calcination degree:
Degree to which the calcination is completed,
i.e. how much % CO2 has dissociated from CaCO3.
Extremes: Raw meal 0% (LOI=35%)
Clinker ~100% (LOI= ~0%)
• Apparent Calcination degree:
The Calcination degree determined from a hot meal sample taken from
the meal duct of the bottom cyclone

Hot Meal
Sample
Effect of Calcination with PC Fuel &
Influence of Kiln Inlet dust
PID fan O2 Control for PC/BZ
Tertiary Air Damper
Kiln Riser Orifice

PC5 exit

Variable P2

Variable P1
Standard Calciner
Calciner with Pre-combustion Chambers
Calciner with Pre-combustion Chambers
Low NOx Calciner

Features:

 Low NOx solution as a

primary reduction
technique
 Staged Combustion in
the calciner
 Meal Split for generating
hot spot
 Higher residence time for
complete burnout of
secondary fuels
Low NOx
Calciners
FLS
Low NOx
Calciners
Low NOx
Calciners
Arrangements for AF use in Calciner
FLS Hot Disc
Arrangements for AF use in Calciner
Step Combustor Polysius
Arrangements for AF use in Calciner
Step Combustor Polysius
Arrangements of AF use in Calciner
KHD Pyro Rotor
Pre-Calciner: Typical Problems
1) CO at outlet
5) Material
of PC or cyclone
build-ups

6) Refractory
2) Locally too damage
high temp.

7) Tertiary air
3) Unburnt fuel damper failure
particles in
hot meal
8) Tertiary air duct
blockage
4) Too high / low (elbow type only)
calcination
degree
Computation Fluid Dynamics for
Simulating the Calciner

Coal Injection Kiln Exhaust Tertiary Air

51
Kiln
Rotax Kiln
Rotax Kiln
 Latest
Developments in
Clinker Cooler
 GRATE COOLER
TERTIARY
AIR
SECONDARY
AIR
VENT
AIR
 Clinker Cooler
All Modern Clinker Coolers of today have the
following features:

 Heat Recuperation efficiency > 70%

 Good Clinker Distribution
 Less movable parts
 Less metal exposure to hot clinker
 Less Clinker fall through
 Low specific cooling air requirements
 Lower Electrical energy consumption
 CLINKER COOLER
Basic Model of Cooler

Hot clinker Pressure, Time

from Kiln Cooled
Cooling &
Clinker
Hot air : crushing
Secondary &
Tertiary

Atmospheric air
 CLINKER COOLER
Tasks of the Clinker Cooler
1) Recuperation
= Return heat from hot clinker back to process
2) Cooling
= Reduce temperature of clinker
Approach to achieve this:
• Hot clinker is exposed to a stream of cold air for a
certain period of time (= residence time)
• Heat the ambient air and use for combustion
• Clinker is conveyed at a controlled speed
• Cooler is TIGHT for clinker and air
 GRATE COOLER

RECUPERATION ZONE
 GRATE COOLER
Recuperation Efficiency

Q hot air to for comb.  Q loss

cooler = -------------------- = 1 - ------------
Q clinker from kiln Q clinker from kiln

Heat in hot clinker Q cli = m cli * Cp cli * ( t cli – t ref)

Heat in hot air Q air = v cli * cp air * (t air – t ref)

Radiation loss Q rad = cR**A*[ (t shell/100)4 – (t amb/100)4]

 GRATE COOLER
Impact of Recuperation  on SHC

Specific heat consumption ( kcal/kg clk) 776

764

752

740

728

717

705
 GRATE COOLER
Practical Limitations in estimating the Cooler Recuperation
Efficiency on a day to day basis. It requires to:

• Measure all process parameters within the cooler

boundary
• Establish the Air, Mass and heat balance
• Estimate the Recuperation efficiency based on results
of heat balance

Handy Tool:
• Measure the Vent Air temperature, Vent Air Volume
and Clinker Temperature.
• Estimate the Cooler Losses

Rule of Thumb: Good cooler operation => Cooler losses 100 – 120
kcal / kg clinker. Though there are some operating at Cooler
losses < 100 kcal/kg clk
 GRATE COOLER
Factors influencing Recuperation Efficiency

– Qty. of Air flow required for combustion (SA and TA)

 determined by system fuel requirement + excess air
– Temperature of SA & TA
 determined by heat exchange in recuperation zone

– Clinker temperature from kiln

 determined by process; difficult to measure ~1450°C

Emphasis:
Focus on achieving the highest possible combustion air
temperature by optimizing the heat exchange in the
recuperation zone!
GRATE COOLER: Typical Indicators

Hood
SA + TA: 0.85 – 1.0 Nm3/kg clk Vent Hood
Take Off Velocity: VA: 0.85-1.0 Nm3/kg
< 5 m/sec clk
Take Off Vel.
< 5 m/sec

Specific Aeration: Specific Grate loading

~1.0 Nm3/sec / m2 ~40 tpd/m2 (Design)
40-45 tpd/m2 (Ideal)

Cooling Air:
1.7 – 2.0 Nm3/kg clk Operating
2.0 – 2.2 (2.5) Nm3/kg clk Design
 GRATE COOLER: Heat Balance

Fuel Consumption
Total Energy 720 kcal/kg clk Waste Air
To Kiln & Calciner 285 °C
~990 kcal/kg clk 100 kcal/kg
Radiation &
Convection
~3.0 kcal/kg clk
Recuperated Air
1050 °C
Hot Clinker 270 kcal/kg clk
1450°C
378 kcal/kg clk

Cold Clinker
120°C
Cooling Air 20 kcal/kg clk
25 °C
Cooling
15 kcal/kg Air
clk
What is the Recuperation efficiency of
this cooler
Fuel Consumption
Total Energy 720 kcal/kg clk Waste Air
To Kiln & Calciner 285 °C
~990 kcal/kg clk 100 kcal/kg
Radiation &
Convection
~3.0 kcal/kg clk
Recuperated Air
1050 °C
Hot Clinker 270 kcal/kg clk
1450°C
378 kcal/kg clk

Recu. Eff.: Cold Clinker

120°C

= 270 /378 Cooling Air

25 °C
15 kcal/kg clk
20 kcal/kg clk

= ~71.4%
 Cooler Heat Balance
Through Clinker at Cooler exit
5 – 13 %
each 10 °C rise costs 2 Kcal/ kg losses
Through Cooler radiation < 1%
Recuperation 60 - 75% clinker at exit

Radiation

Exhaust air Through Cooler Exhaust Air

19- 32%
Recuperation
Problems of Conventional Grate Coolers
 Uneven clinker distribution
 “Red River”
 Air breaking through (“Geyser”)
 Overheated / burnt plates
 Thin clinker bed
 Poor UG-compartment sealing
-> Poor recuperation (low hth)
Heat in Clinker at Null Point
 Clinker Cooler - Generations
1st generation 2nd generation 3rd generation

 Steep grate inclination  Lower grate inclination •Horizontal arrangement

 Big air chambers  Static cooler inlet •Aeration floors
 Internal drag chain  Hoppers •New transport elements
 Concrete inlet  External drag chain •No clinker fall through
 Sometimes no crusher  Smaller air chambers •Pre-assembled modules

Unsealed Controlled air New conveying

compartments distribution principles
IKN – Pendulum Cooler with KIDS
Advantages:
 Uniform clinker distribution
across the grate width
 Less maintenance of the
grate
 Improved transport of the
fines to the bed surface
 Higher recuperation
efficiency
 Low clinker outlet
temperature
IKN – Pendulum Cooler with KIDS
Advantages:
 Horizontal air jets on the grate surface
support the clinker transport, resulting in
a reduction of movable rows
 IKN clinker coolers have one movable row
of Coanda Wing plates followed by two
fixed rows
 The air flow into the beams and clinker
bed is controlled to ensure that the gaps
between the fixed and movable rows
receive more air for purging. The result is
a reduction in clinker fall through and
associated wear of the movable gap
KHD – PYRO FLOORE
Advantages:
 Pyro Static horseshoe arrangement
with a new grate plate design that
offers a low pressure drop, this along
with an improved inclination angle of
15°, increases cooling efficiency
 Strategically integrated air blasters
within the horseshoe allow operators
to easily handle disturbed conditions,
such as negotiating “snowman“
formations.
KHD – PYRO FLOORE
Advantages:
 Temperature gradient across the length of a
chamber leads to sudden change in pressure
profile within the clinker layer; this causes air
to escape through the rear part of the chamber
where the pressure is relatively low.
 With optimized chamber size clinker can be
cooled more efficiently, using the same time
input as the air is prevented from “escaping„
through the rear, resulting in higher
recuperation
 Orientation of the aeration channels in the
cassettes has been optimized, allowing for
homogenous distribution of air passing through
the clinker bed, resulting in efficient cooling
 Unlike other types of flow regulators, the design
keeps the air flow constant irrespective of any
influence.
FONS Cooler
Advantages:
 No snowmen With adjustable
Stepped Air Flow Function
(STAFF’s) and its orifice
 With the optimized air
distribution/consumption with
STAFF
 With special static grate plate
design
 Adjust air-flow setting without
spare parts and in operation by
just repositioning the orifice.
FONS Cooler

Advantages:
 No through fall of clinker to the
lower compartment
 No conveying system below the
cooler
 No through fall of clinker to the
lower compartment
 No conveying system below the
cooler
Cross-Bar Cooler- ABC Inlet
Advantages:
 Better Air flow with mechanical
Flow Regulators (MFR) in essential
zones, we have the opportunity to
optimise air flow to maximise
cooling and recuperation efficiency
 The MFR acts as a flow limiter in
places where more air flow than
needed typically passes through
due to the lesser degree of
resistance
 No/Very Low tendency of snowman
formation
 Higher recuperation efficiency with
Mechanical flow regulator valves
Cross-Bar Cooler- ABC Inlet
Advantages:
 By comparison, on moving grate cooler
models, the grate plates wear and create
gaps between plates, which leads to
inefficient cooling and poor thermal
efficiency
 Gradual wear of the cross bars has no
impact on cooler efficiency
 No Gaps, no loss of efficiency
 The cross bars are raised about 90 mm
above the grate line so there is no contact
with the grate itself, and the grate is
further protected by a bed of clinker
Polysius – Polytrack
Advantages:
 High availability and robustness for
continuous operation under the most
demanding process conditions
 Modular and flexible design for fast and
uncomplicated conversion projects
 High thermal efficiency and low power
consumption for low operating costs
 Low wear, maintenance friendly
design for low, easy maintenance
 Attractive investment cost
 No clinker spillage and no
requirement for undergrate spillage
system
 ETA- Coolers
Moving Grate / Lane Cooler: Claudius Peter

 Clinker conveying by parallel

grate lanes by Walking Floor
 Static inlet (HE Modul)
 Horizontal main grate (negative
inclination possible)
 Different conveying capacities
(stroke lengths) across width
possible
 No fall through -> no riddling
conveyor, flat bottom
 All welded steel parts (no cast!)
 Modular system
 Simple design
Roller Crusher
Cooler- WHR
Case Study of Cooler WHR