Calciner Technology for improved alternative

fuel firing

Calciner Presentation Agenda

Comparison of several HeidelbergCement calciners which

are firing high percentage of calciner alternative fuels

Desirable features which maximize the ability of burning

alternative fuels in the calciner
Conclusion

Comparison of several HeidelbergCement calciners which are

firing high percentage of calciner alternative fuels
Antoing (CLE Onoda type calciner)
Slite (CLE Onoda type calciner)
Brevik (KHD Low Nox calciner)
Important features and principles for enhancing secondary
fuel firing in a calciner
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Gas retention time

Geometry: particle retention time gas mixing
Hot core combustion
Kiln riser restrictor
Chlorine bypass system
Pressure drop across calciner system

Comparison of several HeidelbergCement calciners which are

firing high percentage of calciner alternative fuels

Date of testing
Calciner Design
Clinker Production
Kiln Bypass Rate
Calciner gas retention
time
Gas retention time in swirl
calciner (inlet to kiln riser)
Calciner Firing Rate (% of
total fuel firing)
Calciner alternative fuels
(% of calciner firing)
Alternative Fuels fired in
the calciner
Primary fuel usage in
calciner

Antoing
Mrz-00
SLC-S
3000
5 - 7%

Slite
Jun-00
SLC-S
5200
6%

Brevik
May/June-00
SLC-S
3200
None

Seconds

2,9

3,7

3,5

Seconds

1,2
55 - 62%
ave = 59%

0,9
50 - 60%

50 - 65%
ave. = 56%

typical > 80%

typical 65 - 70%

MTPD
%

% Firing
% Firing

mixture of plastic,
carpet pieces and
car fragmentation
waste
Shredded Tires

Petcoke

Coal

typical < 40%

RDF and SHW

Coal, petcoke,
charcoal mixture

Geometry of Antoing Calciner (CLE Onoda type)

F

Petcoke Waste fuel

Preheated
Tertiary air
meal
Preheated meal
Tertiary air

To lower
cyclone stage

Tertiary air
SWIRL
CALCINER
D

C
B

Calciner downcomer

LOOP
DUCT

MIXING
CHAMBER

Kiln gas

Inclined Duct

Geometry of Slite Calciner (CLE Onoda type)

8

Shredded
car tyres

Calciner
coal

Preheated
meal

Tertiary
air

Tertiary
air

11
1

To lower
cyclone stage
13

Mixing Chamber

Inclined Duct

Diaphragm

Bypass
gas

Kiln gas

Samples and measurements Brevik

(KHD Low-NOx calciner)

X10

13

Loop Duct

To lower
cyclone
stage,
string 2

X5

To lower
cyclone
stage,
string 1

Inclined Duct
F

Square Duct to Circular

Transition

Preheated
meal,
string 1

Solid
hazardous
waste
Preheated
meal,
string 2

Kiln
gas

Tertiary air

Secondary
coal

1. Residence time in investigated AS calciners of HeidelbergCement

(note retention times calculated on a common set of data)

Plant

Antoing
Brevik
Bykcekmece
Canakkale
Edmonton
Kjoepsvik
Mason City
Slite
Tehachapi
Vac

Calculated gas
residence time
[s]
2.9
3.5
3.7
1.9
6.4
3.3
3.1
3.7
4.4
3.2

This data along with

following table makes
clear that retention time
isnt the only prerequisite for burning
secondary alternative
fuels

The calculated residence times are from the calciner fuel inlet to the
lower cyclone stage. Residence times calculated using a common set of data
Avg = 3.6 seconds
Max = 6.4 seconds (Edmonton)
Min = 1.9 seconds (Canakkale)
Union Bridge = 6 seconds @ 5500 MTPDclk and 5 seconds at 6500 MTPDclk
Padeswood and Lixhe similar to UB

Calciner Testing Data

Calculated gas retention

time
CO concentration bottom cyclone exit
Oxygen concentration bottom cyclone exit
Temperature - bottom
cyclone exit

Antoing

Slite

Brevik

seconds

2,9

3,7

3,5

ppmv ol

130

700

1000

% v ol

3,8

4,6

3,5

964

895

890

130 ppmvol CO

1100 ppmvol CO

Antoing
Bottom Cyclone
Conditions

Antoing Data
Calculated gas retention time for bottom
Cyclone is 0,75 seconds assuming that
50% of the cyclone body is active. This means
that the required gas retention time for fuel burnout
is at least 3,7 seconds with good calciner
geometry (as will be discussed in the next
section). It is therefore recommended to have as a
minimum about 3 seconds to top of loop duct, then
deflection chamber, then 1 2 seconds gas
retention time before entering bottom cyclone

2. Good calciner geometry: higher particle retention time and gas mixing

Calciner design which enhances

particle retention time and gas
mixing

Tube type calciner Not a

good design for increasing
particle retention time and gas
mixing
X10

13

Turbulant flow increases

mixing which is generated
by the geometric design
and the way the various
flows are introduced into
the calciner. Low
velocities and turbulance
increase particle retention
time

To lower
cyclone
stage,
string 2

Preheated
meal,
string 1

Solid
hazardous
waste
Preheated
meal,
string 2

Kiln
gas

Tertiary air

X5

To lower
cyclone
stage,
string 1

Brevik - When
RDF and SHW
are supplied at >
40% of calciner
fuel, CO in main
stack gases goes
high (> 0,3% CO)
Secondary
coal

Geometry of the Antoing calciner system is good to promote

gas mixing, turbulance and particle retention time
F

Petcoke
Quaternary air

Waste fuel
Preheated
meal

LOOP
DUCT

Preheated meal
Tertiary air

To lower
cyclone stage

Tertiary air
SWIRL
CALCINER
D

C
B

Calciner downcomer

MIXING
CHAMBER

Kiln gas

Inclined Duct

Interesting to compare geometry and gas velocities

of both Antoing and Slite
12 m/s
LOOP
DUCT

Petcoke Waste fuel

Preheated
Quaternary air
meal
Preheated meal
Tertiary air

Tertiary air

25 m/s
Secondary
coal

To lower
cyclone stage

SWIRL
CALCINER

Quaternary
air
Tertiary
air

11 m/s
29 m/s
15 m/s

Shredded
car tyres
Preheated
meal

12 m/s

14 m/s

25 m/s

To lower
cyclone stage

Retention time = 2,9 sec.

13 m/s Average Velocity = 17 m/sec
MIXING
CHAMBER

Diaphragm

Kiln gas

Retention time = 3,7 sec.

Ave. Velocity = 10 m/sec
Bypass
gas

Kiln gas

Union Bridge design based on computer modeling and

pilot plant testing
Deflection Chamber Model
Mixing efficiency, build up and plugging tendencies are
important topics
Deflection Chamber

Manual CO
Measuring Ports
CO Injection

Deflection Chamber
Outlet Duct
Deflection chamber
Inlet Duct

Feed Pipe

3. Hot core - promotes combustion with a flame and reduces

tendency of flameless combustion or delayed combustion

Both Slite and Antoing are feeding alternative fuels to the hot core in
the combustion hat of the swirl calciner
8

Petcoke
Quaternary air

Waste fuel
Preheated
meal

LOOP
DUCT

Secondary
coal

Preheated meal
Tertiary air

To lower
cyclone stage

Tertiary air
SWIRL
CALCINER
D

Shredded
car tyres
Preheated
meal

Quaternary
air

Tertiary
air

11
1

To lower
cyclone stage

13

MIXING
CHAMBER

Diaphragm

Kiln gas

Bypass
gas

Kiln gas

4. Kiln riser restriction - (high riser duct velocity) important to

assure solid alternative fuels do not fall into the kiln and burn in
the feed bed of the kiln leading to increase in volatile cycles.
8

Shredded
car tyres

Secondary
coal

Preheated
meal

Quaternary
air

Tertiary
air

11
1

To lower
cyclone stage
13

Diaphragm

28 32 m/sec Good design number

Slite gas velocity is about 40 m/sec, but the pressure drop
is also high. Pressure measured above the restriction is >
15 mbar, during tire firing.
Bypass
gas

Kiln gas

5. Chlorine bypass system

Alternative fuels are typically high in chlorine.

Animal meal 0,7 1,0 % Cl
Plastics 1,0 % Cl
Refuse derived fuel 0,5 2,0 % Cl
Resofuel (impregnated saw dust) 0,3 % Cl
Solid hazardous waste 0,5 % Cl
Small chlorine bypass systems significantly increase the
ability of a kiln system to utilize alternative fuels. Slite and
Antoing operating with about 6% kiln bypass.

6. Calciner system pressure drop

Pressure drop across different calciner systems are in

general in the range of 8 15 mbar (~80 150 mmwg)
verified by a pressure drop across Antoing calciner of
about 11 mbar (110 mmwg).

Conclusions

CLE-Onoda type SLC-S calciner promotes alternative fuel firing in

the calciner verified by the success these types of calciners
have in the HeidelbergCement group burning hard to burn fuels
(solid alternative fuels)

Geometry has an important influence on overall calciner

performance verified by testing done by HTC in 2000.

Antoing geometry is best for particle retention time and mixing,

but retention time should be more verified by testing done by
HTC in 2000 and internal HTC standards

Calciner with good geometry requires a gas retention time of

about 5 seconds to assure good burnout of solid alternative fuels
Verified by Antoing data and supported by design of new
installations

Gas mixing and particle retention time are important parameters

that we as a group could learn a lot from with regards to
optimizing calciner designs for alternative fuel firing

Conclusions
The effectiveness of a loop duct creating good mixing
behavior is limited, therefore a mixing chamber (deflection)
in top of loop duct is important. Investigations and
reporting on UB deflection chamber results will be
important, including build-up tendencies.
A great deal could be learned from computer modeling of
calciner systems. Purpose of modeling is to thoroughly
investigate geometry with the target of finding an optimized
combination of gas mixing, particle retention time and low
build-up tendencies.
Small scale modeling (water bead and acid / alkali
modeling), might in particular be useful to investigate
existing calciner designs/problems. FCT-Combustion
supplies this type of service to the cement industry.