Cement Technology 3.

3 Precalcination

Cement Manufacturing Technology

Module 3. Pyroprocessing – raw mix to cement clinker.
3.3 Precalcination

At the end of session 3.2 we saw that the increasing thermal loads inflicted on the
burning zone, as cement kiln capacities rose, effectively capped long and preheater
capacities at ~3000 tonnes per day. Today, new cement kiln projects of 10,000 tonne per
day capacity are commonplace, as cement companies
seek the economies of scale which high capacity kilns
can deliver.

These high capacities could never be achieved with all

the thermal energy requirements and fuel supplied
through the main burner of the kiln. Kiln linings with
sufficient refractoriness to withstand the burning zone
thermal loads involved are not available. The solution to
this problem was delivered by precalcination technology.

In session 3.1 the chemical reactions and thermodynamics of the conversion of raw
materials to cement clinker were described.

The evaporation of any residual water, dehydration of clay minerals, CaCO3 calcination
and clinker flux formation are all endothermic and consume large amounts of energy.

Calcination of the CaCO3 is the most

energy consuming and endothermic of
3000 these reactions.
2000
The solution to the burning zone thermal
1000 load problem was to direct the thermal
0 energy input to the point in the kiln
where this reaction is taking place, rather
-1000 than inputing all the thermal energy
Evaporation

Calcination of

Clinker flux

formation
Deydration of
clay minerals

formation
of Water

limestone

C3S

through the main burner.

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 Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

A precalcination furnace was added at the base of the preheater

In the in-line configuration shown, the precalcining

furnace is installed in the gas riser from the back of
the rotary kiln….

…. to the lowest stage of the preheater

60% of the total kiln fuel requirements are fired in

this precalciner, relieving the burning zone of the
associated thermal load and directing the fuel input
to the calcination of CaCO3, where the energy is
absorbed by the calcination reaction.

As the fuel is being directed to the energy

consuming, endothermic, calcination reaction of the
CaCO3 the temperature in the precalciner furnace
remains constant between 860~900°C. The
endothermic calcination reaction absorbs the
thermal energy input in the fuel and prevents the
temperature in the precalciner from rising.

Fuel Fuel

Tertiary combustion air

Preheated combustion air is separately ducted to the

FL Smidth In-line (ILC) precalciner
precalciner from the cooler via the tertiary air duct.
Never-the-less the vitiated combustion product
gases from the rotary kiln, with their high CO2, H2O
and N2 content are also passing through the
precalciner. These dilute the oxygen in the tertiary
combustion air and suppress the combustion of the
fuel in the precalciner, meaning the precalciner
must be over-dimensioned to ensure adequate burn-
out of the fuel.

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Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

These combustion problems in the in-line precalciner

configuration were overcome by the development of
separate-line precalciner technology.

The vitiated exhaust gases from the rotary kiln are

directed through their own, dedicated preheater tower.
(Shown by white arrows)

The tertiary combustion air for the precalciner is

separately ducted to the precalciner with the calciner
combustion products directed to their own dedicated
preheater tower. (Shown by black arrows)

As the precalciner fuel is fired in pure tertiary air with

23% oxygen by mass the problems of poor
combustion are eliminated with separate-line
precalciner technology.

The necessity for twin preheater

towers was overcome by offsetting the
precalciner furnace from the gas riser,
therefore meaning that the vitiated kiln
exit gases do not pass through the
precalcalciner.

The tertiary combustion air for the precalciner is separately ducted to the
precalciner. (shown in pink)

Precalciner fuel is fired in pure, preheated tertiary air containing 23%

oxygen by weight.
Fuel Fuel
The combustion products from the precalciner are then drawn down into
the gas riser from the kiln. Firing in pure tertiary air and the long
residence time of these precalciners makes them particularly suited to low
volatile fuels (petroleum coke), or alternative fuels. (shown in white)

FL Smidth Separate-line-downdraft (SLC-D) precalciner

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Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

Precalcination technology has resulted in a step change in the production capacity of

cement kilns. Long wet cement kilns typically have a length to diameter ratio of 50:1,
and might be supported on 5 or more tyre and roller stations.

L = 50xD
D

They can extend to well over 200m in length and

have production capacities of 1 million tonnes per
year. Although less than 200m in length and
production capacities of ~½ million tonnes per year
is more normal.

Specific production capacity is typically 0.55

tpd/m3 of the internal volume of the rotary kiln.
Exceptionally this specific output might be as high
as 0.8 tpd/m3.

The feed to a long wet cement kiln is a slurry of the raw materials with >30% water
content. Evaporating this water from the slurry is the first process in the rotary kiln. This
evaporation consumes ~1000 kJ of thermal energy per kg of clinker increasing the overall
thermal energy consumption to 5000 kJ/kg, or significantly higher.

Heat exchange between the kiln gases and the feed

at the back of the rotary kiln is inefficient, and
therefore festoons of chains are hung from the
inside of the kiln shell to pick up the feed material
and promote this heat exchange. 0.7D
These chains typically extend to 70% of the internal
diameter of the kiln and 30% of the length of the
kiln.

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Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

Efficient, well maintained chain systems combined with chemical dewatering agents are
required to reduce the thermal energy consumption to 5000 kJ/kg clinker and boost the
kiln output to 0.8 tpd/m3

Long dry cement kilns typically have a length to diameter ratio of 35:1, and again might
be supported on 5 or more tyre and roller stations.

L = 35xD
D

They can extend to 160m in length and have

production capacities of ½ million tonnes per year.
Although 300,000 tonnes per year is a large long
dry kiln.

These kilns are particularly suited to desert climates

where there was no water available to slurry the raw
materials.

Thermal energy efficiency is better than long wet

kilns as the water in the slurry does not have to be
evaporated.

Festoons of chains are again used to promote heat exchange between the feed and kiln
gases at the back of the kiln. However, as the feed is a dry powder these kilns are prone
to high dust losses. These dust losses adversely impact on the thermal efficiency and
productivity of the kilns.

4900 kJ/kg clinker is the typical fuel consumption, which exceptionally can be reduced to
below 4000 kJ/kg with highly efficient chain systems. Specific productivity of 0.7 tpd/m3
of the internal volume of the kiln is typical. Exceptionally this can be raised to 0.9 tpd/m3
of the internal volume of the kiln.

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Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

The first major innovation away from long kilns was the Lepol process developed by
Otto Lelep and delivered by Polysius.

These incorporate a drying and calcining chamber before

the rotary kiln.

The dry kiln feed powder is mixed with ~9% water in a

nodulising pan, and the resulting nodules are fed to a
travelling grate within the chamber.

A travelling grate transports the nodules of kiln feed

through the Lepol chamber.

The chamber is divided into drying and

calcining chambers.

Hot gases from the kiln are drawn

successively through the bed of material on
the grate passing through the chambers.

A significant proportion of the thermal work

is taken out of the rotary section of the kiln
and transferred to the drying and calcining
chambers of the Lepol grate.

Intimate contact between hot kiln gases and the feed on the grate results in efficient
preheating and calcination. Thermal energy consumption can be as low as 3200 kJ/kg
clinker, although 3750 is more normal.

Lepol cement kilns typically have a length to diameter ratio of 25:1, and are supported on
3 or 4 tyre and roller stations.

L = 25xD
D

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Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

Annual capacity in excess of 500,000 tonnes of clinker per year are achieved by the
largest Lepol kilns. Specific output is normally around 2.0 tpd/m3, and exceptionally
might be 2.5 tpd/m3 or higher. Taking the preheating and part of the calcination out of the
rotary kiln and into the Lepol chamber therefore more than doubled the specific output of
cement kilns compared with long kilns.

The main problem faced with these kilns are high wear
rate and maintenance costs associated with the Lepol
grate.

These operate with “green” nodules at ambient

temperature at the inlet.

In the 1950s suspension preheater technology was

developed, and this was widely installed from the 1960s.

All modern cement kilns incorporate suspension

preheaters.

Hot exhaust gases from the rotary kiln are drawn up through
the successive stages of the preheater tower.

Heat exchange between the feed descending the towers

takes place in the gas risers between the successive
collection cyclones of the preheater.

Feed is alternately lifted into the cyclones, while being

preheated, and collected in the cyclones and passed down to
the next stage of the preheater.

All the preheating and 25~30% of the calcination is again

taken out of the rotary section of the kiln.
FL Smidth Suspension Preheater (SP)

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Cement Technology 3.3 Precalcination

Suspension preheaters have virtually no moving parts and therefore eliminated the wear
problems of the Lepol grate.

Thermal energy efficiency can be boosted by the addition of more preheater stages.
Preheater exit gas temperature will reduce by ~30°C for each additional preheater stage,
from ~360°C for a 4-stage preheater, to ~330°C for a 5-stage preheater, to ~300°C for a
six stage preheater. However, civil costs and pressure drop across the preheater tower rise
with each additional preheater stage. We will discuss the design and operation of
suspension preheaters further in a later session of the course.

Thermal energy consumption of 3500 kJ/kg clinker is typical, although this can be
reduced to 3000 kJ/kg clinker in exceptional cases. Specific output of 2.10 tpd/m3 is
typical, although in excess of 2.70 tpd/m3 can be achieved in exceptional cases.

With the addition of precalcining furnaces at the base of the preheater and before the
rotary kiln all the thermal work of precalcination has been taken out of the rotary section
of the kiln.

Typical kiln productivity has risen to over 4.10 tpd/m3.

The length of these kilns has reduced to 70m, or less.

The space required and footprint of modern precalciner

kilns is only ⅓ that of long wet kilns, while, output has
been more than tripled to over 10,000 tonnes per day
with the largest precalciner kilns.

Some Indian cement companies have been able to boost the output of their kilns to over
7.00 tpd/m3. We will explore the ways they have done that in succeeding sessions of the
course.

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