Preheaters & Precalciners

Summary: Priority study results

Oct 1993 - Jan 1995

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 Objectives:
Preheater & precalciner study
 Present the state of art for preheaters
 Performance expectations
 low pressure drop - investment, operating cost
 capacity flexibility
 number of stages
 combustion eff. with low cost fuels
 NOx reduction

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 Low Tower Pressure drop

 Designs of major suppliers very similar

 Most suppliers have upgraded design
 state-of-the-art cyclones, duct, splash box
 have decreased Tower dP
 without negative effect on separation eff.
 Dimension ratios must be maintained
 cyclone inlet and outlet area, etc.

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Cyclone Dimensioning

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Tower Design

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 Tower Pressure Drop

 Tower dP directly related to:

 cyclone & duct size
 capacity
 Cyclone chosen according to desired dP
 standardized ranges (steps of approx. 7%)
 no compromise between dP & separation eff.
 Min. dP required to avoid upset conditions within a range or
operation (80-100%)

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 Tower Pressure Drop

 Minimum dP
 dP process stage = 22 inWG, 550 mmWG
 dP dedusting stage = 4 inWG, 100 mmWG
 Richmond
 contract = 23.5 inWG, 597 mmWG
 actual is better than guarantee

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 Specifying Pressure Drop

 Flexibility
 Capacity increase: dP = kQ2
 Capacity decrease
 smaller sized cyclone selection is better

 Costs
 very low dP is expensive (payback = 8-10 years)
 suppliers will suggest “middle” dP
 higher dP = more flexibility to reduce capacity

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 Tower - Number of Stages

 5th stage - yes

 payback = 5-11 years
 fuel cost dependant
 6th stage - no
 only justified under special conditions
 elimination of conditioning tower, bag filter

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 Precalciners

 Precalciner retro-fits
 capacity increase
 SHC similar; only 10 kcal/kg less
 Preheater kilns
 difficulty to control & maintain f-CaO > 0.5%
 Current Precalciner designs
 fuel oil design residence time = 1.8 s
 required solid fuel residence time = (min 3.5 s

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 Precalciner combustion

 Higher combustion Temp. is better

 Min. solid fuel fineness is required
 R90um = 0.5%VM
 Preheater NOx = 1200- 1300 mg
 Europe norms: NO2 @ 10% O2
 existing - NOx = 800 mg
 existing - NOx = 500 mg
 RMD permit = 450; actual = 200

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 Low NOx Principle

 Reduction Zone
 breakdown NOx
 Post-combustion oxidation zone
 to burn all combustibles, reduce CO emissions
 Hot Core
 If Temp. increases 850°C to 1200°C
 NOx reduced by 50%

 CONCLUSION: SEPARATE COMBUSTION CHAMBER

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 N2 Fuel

 Fuel NOx cannot be ignored

 N2 content
 ability to form radicals for NOx reduction
 High N2 fuels may be limited in future
 pet-coke
 high N2 coals

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 Conclusions

 Cyclone dimension ratios determine dP

 Low dP vs. cost, capacity flexibility
 not selection efficiency
 Precal vs. preheater
 capacity, clk quality, fuel cost, NOx, not SHC
 Good combustion: high temp, & min. fuel fineness
 Modern precal’s required for new emission reg’s.
 Hot core, reduction zone followed by oxidation
 Fuel characteristics important (N2 fuels)

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