Abstract: A multi-compartment tube mill is disclosed for the grinding of coarse material such as cement clinker in which the tube mill is divided into at least two mill sections each of which includes at least one grinding chamber. An inlet is provided at one end of the tube mill for the coarse material and for ventilating air or gas to ventilate the tube mill and for heat exchange with the material. An outlet is provided at the opposite end of the tube mill for the ground product. Disposed between the two mill sections is a composite diaphragm which defines a separation zone therebetween for removing humidity from the first mill section, and for introducing fresh ventilating air or gas into the second mill section. A method is disclosed for grinding coarse material in the inventive tube mill in which atmospheric conditions are controlled from the inlet to the outlet of the mill.

Abstract: A planetary cooler system is disclosed for cooling hot cement clinker exiting from a rotary kiln having a plurality of cooler tubes mounted in planetary fashion there-about and being adapted to receive material from the rotary kiln into their inlet end portions. A material outlet casing communicates with the planetary cooler tubes and is adapted to receive at least partially cooled hot material from the outlet portion of each cooler tube when its rotational position is at or near its uppermost position. The outlet casing defines two shafts joined at their upper ends and configured and adapted to receive the partially cooled cement clinker from the tubes for passage down through the shafts to cause the outlet casing to act as a shaft cooler, while at least one ventilating device blows or draws cooling air through the casing to provide further cooling of the clinker preferably countercurrently to its passage therethrough. The invention also relates to a rotary kiln plant incorporating the cooler system.

Abstract: A tube mill is disclosed for drying and grinding moist material which comprises at least one compartment for drying moist material and at least one compartment communicating with the drying compartment for grinding the material. A separating chamber is positioned between the adjacent communicating drying and grinding compartments with means being provided for introducing hot gases and material to the drying compartment so that the material may pass to the separating chamber and the grinding compartment.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for burning pulverous or granular raw material such as cement raw meal in a rotary kiln plant by directing a first flow of raw material to a cyclone preheater, preheating the first flow of raw material in the cyclone preheater, and directing the preheated raw material from the cyclone preheater to a rotary kiln for burning the material in the kiln. The burnt kiln product is directed to a cooler which may be of several types and which communicates with the material outlet of the kiln while a second flow of fresh raw material is directed to the cooler to at least partially cool the burnt kiln product by transferring heat therefrom to the second flow of fresh raw material in the cooler.

Abstract: A tube mill is disclosed for grinding and drying granular material which comprises an elongated shell having one or more grinding chambers, and downstream of the first chamber, a dispersing compartment for receiving hot gases and material and bounded by a sieving diaphragm defining a central opening therethrough. A frustoconical sieve drum is attached to the sieving diaphragm for rotation therewith and forms a portion of an end wall of the discharge compartment.

Abstract: A method of heat treating a preheated, pulverous, raw material consisting of or containing lime, such as cement raw meal. By mixing at least part of the preheated raw material intimately with a fuel capable of carrying out at least a partial calcination, a suspension of raw material in a combustible gas is provided. Upon providing a flow of oxygen-containing gas in contacting relation with the suspension of gas/material, at least a partial calcination takes place according to an endothermic process in which calcium carbonate is dissociated into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide. A finishing calcination and/or other heat treatment may follow the calcination process. When the raw material is cement raw meal, the aforesaid finishing heat treatment following the calcination is a sintering by which cement clinker is produced according to an exothermic process.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing white cement wherein cement clinker is burnt in a kiln and prior to discharge from the kiln the clinker is contacted with a reducing agent such as fuel oil. The method further comprises discharging the hot cement clinker from the discharge portion of the kiln to a movable clinker supporting means such as a rotatable conveyor and quenching the cement clinker simultaneously with the discharge thereof from the kiln by subjecting the clinker to a spray of cooling water in a manner such that a major portion of the quenching water evaporates substantially immediately following the quenching.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for heat treating granular or pulverulent raw material wherein the raw material is directed to a heat exchanger having at least two preheating units operating in parallel, each preheating unit having at least a first preheating stage and at least a lowermost calcination stage to effect a preheating and at least partial calcination of the material. The preheated, at least partially calcined material is fed from the heat exchanger into a kiln and undergoes a sintering process in the kiln. The sintered material is directed from the kiln into a cooling means in which cooling air is directed in a manner to effect a heat exchange between the material and the cooling air.

Abstract: A rotary drum plant is disclosed in which a unique system for directing a liquid medium to the rotating drum is utilized. A rotary drum such as a tube mill has a driving shaft connected thereto, with at least one U-shaped inner ring member having a channel-like cross-section positioned about the shaft and mounted for rotation therewith with the opening of the U-shape facing radially outwardly. At least one stationary ring member has a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration and is positioned about the rotating U-shaped member to form a generally annular chamber with the U-shaped inner ring. A conduit adapted for carrying a liquid medium such as water communicates the chamber to the rotating drum and rotates therewith, while another liquid conduit directs the liquid medium to the chamber via the stationary ring member.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for transferring valved bags such as cement sacks from a first supply position to a second position whereby they are removed by filling spouts of an associated packing apparatus. First bag transporting means in the form of a conveyor belt has a bag receiving position and a bag discharging position and is adapted to successively move bundles of the bags from the bag receiving position to its discharge position. Second bag transporting means such as a second conveyor belt is positioned adjacent the first transporting means and adapted to successively receive bundles of the bags discharged from the first transporting means and to position the bags so received in a generally upright stacked relation.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed for heat treating a preheated, pulverous raw material such as cement raw meal wherein a stream of oxygen containing gas is directed through a calcination chamber and the preheated raw meal and a calcining fuel are fed separately therein in a manner which provides mixing of the raw meal and the fuel and thereafter creates eddys of the mixture when it contacts the oxygen containing gas. The combined stream is directed out of the chamber and particles of raw meal are separated therefrom. A calcination plant is disclosed for practicing the method of the invention and a rotary kiln plant is disclosed for burning cement raw meal in a manner which includes at least partial calcination according to the inventive method.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for heat treating pulverous raw material such as cement raw meal prior to subjecting it to further heat treatment such as sintering. By directing the raw material to a multi-stage preheater having a final stage which comprises at least two substantially equivalent sub-stages and directing hot gases to the preheater in a manner to contact the raw material, an effective heat exchange between the raw material and the hot gases is achieved. The raw material is directed from the penultimate preheater stage so as to be entrained in the hot gases prior to directing the hot gases to the sub-stages of the final stage of the preheater and the hot gases and entrained raw material are divided into substantially equal divisional flows with each divisional flow being associated with a sub-stage of the final stage.

Abstract: A planetary cooler system is disclosed for cooling hot pulverous or granular material produced and exited from the discharge end of an inclined rotary drum such as a rotary kiln. A plurality of cooler tubes are mounted in planetary fashion about the material discharge end of the kiln with the axis of each tube in parallel, or approximately parallel, relation to the axis of the drum. A conduit communicates the discharge portion of the rotary drum with each cooler tube for the passage of hot material therethrough in countercurrent to preheated cooling air passing from the cooler tube to the drum to serve as combustion air. The conduit is so positioned as to divide each cooler into at least two sections, a first section of the cooler tube extending away from the conduit in a direction generally upstream of the flow of material inside the kiln, and the second section extending away from the conduit in a direction generally downstream of the flow of material in the kiln.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for introducing material such as cement into sacks of the valve type which are positioned in a magazine adjacent a rotary packing means having a plurality of material filling spouts distributed thereabout and means to supply the material to the spouts. The method relates to positioning the sack magazine adjacent the rotary packing means in a manner such that the foremost sack is positioned adjacent the rotary path defined by the spouts while rotating the rotary packing means in a direction such that the spouts successively and repeatedly approach the bag carrying means in the general direction of rotation.

Abstract: A method of burning pulverous raw materials in a rotary kiln is disclosed wherein the material is preheated and at least partially calcined prior to subjecting it to a finishing heat treatment such as sintering. The calcination of the raw material is accomplished prior to the final burning by feeding preheated at least partially calcined raw material to the upper inlet end portion of an inclined rotary kiln and mixing it intimately with a fuel capable of producing a combustible gas. The combustible gas thus produced is passed to a calcination chamber communicating with the upper end of the rotary kiln. Substantially uncalcined raw material is suspended in the gas mix while an oxygen-containing gas capable of supporting combustion in the calcination chamber is provided causing the oxygen-containing gas to be ignited and calcined substantially isothermally.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for heat treating a preheated pulverous raw material containing at least a portion of lime to produce a partial calcination prior to passing the raw material down through an inclined rotary kiln for further heat treatment. Partial calcining is accomplished by introducing into at least one end of a rotary kiln an amount of fuel sufficient for preheating, at least partially calcining, and substantially completely sintering the raw material, at least part of the fuel being introduced into the lower material outlet end portion of the kiln. An amount of oxygen containing gas sufficient for substantial combustion of the fuel introduced into the kiln is introduced into the lower end portion of the kiln, and preheated raw material is introduced into the mouth of the kiln in such a manner that the material is entrained in gases exiting from the kiln mouth.

Abstract: A centrifuge rotor which is laminated and consists of at least two layers of different materials, a mechanically stronger layer being outermost and a chemically more resistant layer being positioned as an inner filler material. A method of forming a centrifuge rotor laminated and consisting of at least two layers of different materials is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of manufacturing cement clinker from raw material in the form of cement raw slurry wherein the raw material is subjected to an initial heat treatment by bringing it into contact with hot gases by subjecting it to an initial spray drying in a spray dryer to convert the raw slurry into cement raw meal and preheated in a suspension preheater prior to burning it in a rotary kiln. Hot gases are directed from the rotary kiln to the preheater for preheating the spray dried raw meal while hot gases are directed to the spray dryer to provide heat for spray drying the raw slurry. A means for producing supplementary hot gases is provided with means for directing said supplementary hot gases in a manner to provide supplementary heat for heat treating the raw material prior to feeding it into the kiln. A rotary kiln plant for manufacturing cement clinker from raw material in the form of cement raw slurry according to the method of the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: Improvements relating to cement manufacture wherein a unique method and a plant for practicing the method are disclosed for removing at least a portion of gaseous compounds containing alkalis, chlorine or sulphur from the exit gases of a rotary kiln in which cement raw meal is burnt to cement clinker with a view to subsequent cement manufacture. The method comprises the steps of dividing the hot exit gases from the rotary kiln into a main gas flow and a separate divisional flow and directing the main flow through a suspension preheater for preheating cement raw meal prior to feeding the raw meal into the kiln. A plurality of individual relatively cool solid condensation bodies are directed to pass through the divisional flow under the influence of gravity to permit the alkalis, chlorine or sulphur to condense on the surface of the bodies and the condensed compounds are removed from the bodies for redirecting them into the separate divisional flow.

Abstract: A method of heat treating a preheated, pulverous raw material consisting of or containing lime, such as cement raw meal. Preheated pulverous raw material is accumulated in a lower portion of a calcination chamber and a substantially incombustible gas is introduced into the accumulation at a sufficient velocity to traverse the accumulation to cause surface portions to overflow a weir. An oxygen-containing gas is introduced into a flame chamber overlying the accumulation. At least one flame is maintained within the flame chamber by burning a fuel therein. The heat necessary for at least partially calcining particles of raw materials suspended in the incombustible gas and oxygen-containing gas is transmitted from the flame to the suspension of raw materials. The treated materials may then be subjected to a finishing calcination and/or any other final heat treatment.