Abstract: A calcining kettle includes a cylindrical housing having a hot air chamber at one end, a dust collecting chamber at an opposite end and a calcining chamber between the hot air chamber and the dust collecting chamber, at least one air pad disposed between the hot air chamber and the calcining chamber, each air pad being supported by air pad supports for passage of hot air therethrough. At least one rake is disposed within the calcining chamber and configured for rotation about a vertical axis, the at least one rake stirring gypsum located adjacent to the at least one air pad. A plurality of burners is located within the calcining chamber and displaced from the air pad and the at least one rake in a direction toward the dust collecting chamber. The burners being disposed within a bed of gypsum that is heated by the burners for calcining the gypsum.

Abstract: A blower 31 has a blower fan 35, a fan motor 36 for driving the blower fan 35 into rotation, and a shaft 52 having one end portion coupled to the blower fan 35 and the other end portion coupled to the fan motor 36. Washing liquid fed into the water tank during washing process or rinsing process is intruded inside the fan case 34, and the one end portion of the shaft 52 is immersed in the washing liquid.

Abstract: A multiple hearth furnace including a rabble arm with a tubular structure and a solid plug body. The latter is received in a socket arranged in an arm fixing node. It has an axial through boring and cooling fluid supply and return channels arranged around this through boring. A clamping bolt is rotatably fitted in the through boring. It has a bolt head, which can be brought by rotation into and out of hooking engagement with an abutment surface on the arm fixing node. A threaded end of the clamping bolt sticks out of the through boring at the rear end of the plug body. A threaded sleeve, which is screwed onto this threaded end, bears on an abutment surface at the rear end of the plug body for exerting a clamping force onto the clamping bolt.

Abstract: A multiple hearth furnace includes a gas cooling system for its central shaft and its rabble arms. This gas cooling system includes within the shaft an annular main distribution channel for supplying a cooling gas to the rabble arms and a central exhaust channel for evacuating the cooling gas leaving the rabble arms. The gas cooling system further includes an annular main supply channel surrounding the annular main distribution channel and being outwardly delimited by an outer shell of the shaft. A cooling gas inlet is connected to the annular main supply channel. A cooling gas passage between the annular main supply channel and the annular main distribution channel is spaced from the cooling gas inlet, so that cooling gas supplied to the cooling gas inlet has to flow through the annular main supply channel through several hearth chambers before it flows through the cooling gas passage into the annular main distribution channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vertical furnace for fabricating an artificially lightweight fine-aggregates in that the aggregate,; can he fired in the vertical furnace in a floating state, so that the contacting time between the aggregates can he minimized, thereby preventing the adhesion between the aggregates and manufacturing the artificially lightweight fine-aggregates as an insulating concrete for building material, sound-absorbing materials, and lagging material.

Abstract: An apparatus for preheating particulate material in which the particulate material is transferred from one or more upper storage bins to a circular lower chamber that has an outer, essentially annular, portion which serves as a gas flow passage. The particulate material is directed from the feed bin or bins into a plurality of essentially vertical cylindrical feed cassettes via intermediate feed ducts. The lower chamber has a flat roof which is in contact with the bottom portion of the vertical feed cassettes. The vertical feed cassettes are approximately evenly spaced on top of the outer perimeter of the flat roof. The particulate material is preheated in the annular flow passage by hot kiln gases flowing in countercurrent heat exchange relationship with the particulate material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft furnace (1), in particular a direct-reduction shaft furnace, having a bed (2) of lumpy material, in particular lumpy material containing iron oxide and/or iron sponge, having worm conveyors (3) which penetrate through the shell of the shaft furnace for discharging the lumpy material from the shaft furnace (1), which conveyors are arranged above the base area of the shaft furnace (1) and are mounted in the shell of the shaft furnace.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft furnace (1), particularly to a direct-reduction shaft furnace, with a bed (2) of lumpy material, particularly lumpy material containing iron oxide and/or sponge iron, with discharge devices (4) for lumpy material which are located above the bottom area (3) of the shaft furnace (1), as well as with inlet ports (6) for a reduction gas which are arranged above the discharge devices (4). Arrangements (7) for moving the material in the shaft furnace (1) are located between the area formed by the inlet ports (6) and that formed by the discharge devices (4).

Abstract: Gravitational type furnace for the direct reduction of mineral iron comprising a median reaction zone (14) in which the reactions to reduce the mineral iron occur, means (11) to feed the mineral iron to said reaction zone (14), means (18) to introduce a mixture of reducing gas into said reaction zone (14) and means (15) to discharge the reduced metal iron, said discharge means comprising at least two extremities (15a-15c), shaped like a cone or a truncated cone, with the taper facing downwards, each of which being provided with a corresponding lower aperture (16a-16c) through which said reduced metal iron can be selectively discharged in a controlled and independent manner.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sealing device useful for attachment to a process equipment such as vertical shaft kiln (VSK) for providing air-seal self-controlled discharge of product from the said equipment, which comprises a chamber (1) having at its top end an inlet (3) with flange (2) for fitting to the discharge chute of a process equipment and a discharge outlet (16) at its bottom end, the said chamber being provided with a partition wall (4) having an inlet gate (5) & a discharge gate (6) hinged to its top & bottom respectively, the free ends of the hinged gates being such as to sit on means (7) and (8) to provide air seal, means (9,10,11,12,13,14,15,17,18,19,20& SOL) being provided for simultaneous operation of the inlet & discharge gates, the said means [9(a) & (b) and SOL] being connected to a control circuit for actuating the movement of the gates, the discharge outlet being fitted onto a volumetric discharge unit (21) provided with means (22) for measuring the quantity of product discharge.

Abstract: A preheating apparatus for particulate material includes a plurality of vertical chambers, a temperature sensor within each chamber and a particulate discharge mechanism. Each chamber is segregated from an adjacent chamber by a vertical wall and includes a material inlet for receiving particulate material, a material outlet for discharging particulate material, a gas inlet for receiving a gas, and a gas outlet for exhausting gas. The temperature sensor is located within a chamber so as to sense temperature of the gas being exhausted from each chamber. A particulate discharge mechanism discharges particulate material within each chamber through the material outlet, with a flow rate adjusted as a function of temperatures sensed by the temperature sensor. A method for preheating particulate material includes sensing temperature of the gas existing each chamber and adjusting a flow rate of the particulate material through each chamber as a function of sensed temperature of each chamber.

Abstract: A charging device for a shaft furnace with a lower bell comprises lower means of blockage allowing an upper hopper to be isolated in a sealed manner from a lower hopper and allowing the retention of the charging material. In their open position, these lower means of blockage are positioned so that they unblock a free central passage for the flux of material. This flux is established in the form of a compact and focused flux. Means for moving the lower bell are positioned so as not to disturb the focusing of this flux. Positioned above the lower bell is a deflecting surface, which causes the focused flux to diverge with axial symmetry. Inter alia, a better symmetry in the filling of the lower hopper is obtained.

Abstract: A preheating apparatus for particulate material includes a plurality of vertical chambers, a temperature sensor within each chamber and a particulate discharge mechanism. Each chamber is segregated from an adjacent chamber by a vertical wall and includes a material inlet for receiving particulate material, a material outlet for discharging particulate material, a gas inlet for receiving a gas, and a gas outlet for exhausting gas. The temperature sensor is located within a chamber so as to sense temperature of the gas being exhausted from each chamber. A particulate discharge mechanism discharges particulate material within each chamber through the material outlet, with a flow rate adjusted as a function of temperatures sensed by the temperature sensor. A method for preheating particulate material includes sensing temperature of the gas existing each chamber and adjusting a flow rate of the particulate material through each chamber as a function of sensed temperature of each chamber.

Abstract: A storage device 23 for storing a raw material to be calcined is provided at a position above a kiln cover 1, and the storage device 23 is connected to a preheating space 22 in such a manner as to be capable of dropwise supplying the raw material into the preheating space 22 by means of a raw-material supplying pipe 26. An airtight supplying mechanism 24 for dropwise supplying the raw material in a state in which the influx of air from the outside is prevented is provided between the storage device 23 and the raw-material supplying pipe 26.

Abstract: This invention relates to a a vertical shaft kiln (VSK) useful for manufacturing cement and other allied products, which comprises a rotary nodule feeder for feeding the raw materials, fitted above the kiln bed for uniform distribution of nodules of the raw materials, an air blower being placed at the base of the kiln for feeding air through a duct to a common air header having a plurality of outlet air ducts, the air duct being connected to an air cone placed inside an armoured shell of the VSK, the said air cone being provided with a grate assembly having a plurality of peripheral air slots, the air duct being connected to an air box placed above the said armoured shell, the said air box having perforations on the inside vertical wall, the air duct being connected to an air header having air entry nozzles placed in such a manner so as to supply air just below the sintering zone of the VSK, the air duct being connected to the chimney of the VSK, the said chimney being provided with a butterfly valve below th

Abstract: The kiln operating according to the parallel-flow-regenerative process has two shafts (2, 3), which at the transition from the burning zone (14) to the cooling zone (15) have a widening forming an inner step (38) at which the combustion gases are transferred to the adjacent shaft (2, 3). This widened shaft area continues at least approximately cylindrically up to the bottom opening ( 35 ) of the shafts ( 2, 3 ) closed by a discharge device ( 34 ). This design of the shaft areas makes it possible, preferably together with an improved fuel distribution and charging device and in the case of satisfactory product quality, to burn limestone having particles in the size range 10 to 30 mm, which could hitherto not be burned in shaft kilns.

Abstract: The kiln (1) for producing litharge has a thermally insulated tubular body (2) containing, throughout its length, a shaft (30) with paddles acting as an auger. The tubular body (2) is coaxial with an induction coil (11), which heats it. The raw material in powder form (i.e., the massicot) is charged at a first head (9) of the tubular body (2) and is moved forwards by the paddle shaft (30), until it reaches the second head (10), opposite to the first one (9). During the translation the material (massicot) is heated and is oxidated, being converted into litharge.

Abstract: An annular, vertical shaft kiln comprising a cascading process path with varying cross sectional area, in which the coarse charge particulants tend to follow the longer path near the walls as does the gas being injected into the mid-region of the kiln, while the fine particulants tend to take the straighter, shorter path near the middle, thus resulting in an even calcination of varying diameters of charge particulants. The briquetted fuel which may be made of hazardous waste, is heated slowly to safely destroy such wastes in the processing. Because of the limited range of the ratio of the smallest to the largest diameter of the charge particulants, the charge particulants are sorted through wire mesh screens into bins according to diameter. The kiln's computer then receives data on the process at various points along the path and controls the process by regulating the charge particulants injection, the rate of the fuel injection and/or the speed of the air injection.

Abstract: In a throat stopper for shaft furnaces, in particular blast furnaces with two hoppers of which an upper hopper is rotatable through a drive device, the upper hopper is designed, by a stationary hood equipped with charging flap valves, as a sluice chamber to be closed pressureproof. For sealing the stationary hood relative to the rotatable upper hopper, there is disposed, at the hood, a peripheral flexible inflatable bellows. The bellows can be pressed against the wall of the upper hopper pneumatically or hydraulically. While material is being charged in the upper hopper, one of the charging valves is open and the bellows is pressureless. During, or shortly after, the charging, the uppr hopper is rotated. For filling the lower hopper, the valves of the upper hopper are closed, bellows is inflated, and the upper sluice chamber is pressurized.

Abstract: Apparatus for charging a shaft furnace for calcining and sintering material in lump form, such as limestone, dolomite, magnesite or the like, with granular bulk material, with a charging silo arranged above the furnace shaft having a substantially circular cross-section with a substantially homogeneously mixed bulk material and a charging bunker outlet for supplying the bulk material onto the surface of the bulk material column to be covered in the furnace shaft in a distribution controllable over the shaft diameter, characterized by a substantially circular plate arranged in spaced manner below the charging bunker outlet and whose diameter is smaller than the internal diameter of the furnace shaft and larger than the diameter of the opening of the charging bunker outlet and a rotary ring box or the like concentric to the plate and to which is fitted a plurality of strippers which penetrate the sloping bulk material in the plate and with each of the strippers is associated in fixed manner one of the guide chu

Abstract: An apparatus for gas/solids exchange has a column having a plurality of vertically spaced grates on which the granular solids can form beds to be traversed by the gas. Each grate is provided in a grate plane by a plurality of fixed grate bars interdigitated with movable grate bars forming a planar unit which can be displaced by a controller out of the grate plane to allow the granular solids on the respective grate to trickle downwardly uniformly over the cross section of the column onto the next lower grate.

Abstract: In the process for the thermal and/or chemical treatment of grained, granular or lump material in plane heaps, the latter are transported with free intervals, in stages, from top to bottom through a shaft and are traversed by gases. The heaps lay on grates of which the bars may be taken out at least partially from the grate plane, temporarily and spatially, in such a way that the different heaps are disaggregated and fed in the form of a uniform gripping flow to the next stage so that a constant layer cross-section thickness is maintained. The introduction and evacuation of the gases are effected through side openings provided in the shaft wall in the cross-section which is not filled with the heaps.

Abstract: In the thermal process for treating swellable granulates of clay or the like, the granulates are entered in heaps (4) with free intervals between them into a shaft (1) and traverse said shaft (1) by stages from top to bottom. The heaps (4) are supported by grates (2) of which the bars may be temporarily and at least taken out from the plane of the grate (2) so that the various heaps (4) are fed in the form of a temporarily regulated trickling flow to the next stage, so that a constant thickness with respect to the cross-section is maintained. In the various stages, the heaps (4) are traversed by hot gases introduced sideways into the shaft (1) and exhausted on the other side according to a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layer.

Abstract: A system and method to achieve gasification of bark pieces, that includes a vessel to receive the bark pieces which are introduced at an upper region of the vessel and are burned at a lower region, which bark pieces settle from the upper region downward to the lower region in the course of burning and bridge as they settle to leave one or more bypass holes in the bulk thereof. A mechanism is provided to apply angular impelling reciprocating forces to the bark pieces or the like to revolve individual pieces through acute angles, first in one direction and then in the other, to disrupt the bridging and hence the bypass holes.

Abstract: Method and device for manufacturing of asphalt bulk masses where a substantial part of the heat energy of the furnace gases from the drying and mixing process is transferred to the bulk mass fractions before those are supplied to the drying and mixing process and where the furnace gases by this process at the same time are cleaned for pollutions. Bulk masses are directed downwards between two parallelly arranged inclined planes (1, 5) where the lower inclined plane (1) comprising horizontally arranged downwards directed ribs (2) directing the furnace gases to the lower side of the bulk masses and where the second inclined plane (5) comprising vertically arranged ribs (4) suctioning the cleaned furnace gases up from the bulk masses after a substantial part of the heat energy being transferred to the bulk masses. At the lower and upper ends of the inclined planes accumulations of the bulk masses (7, 11) are maintained for preventing air from the atmosphere to penetrate into the system.

Abstract: An apparatus for preheating granular ore includes a shaft defined by vertical walls, an inlet chute disposed above the shaft for introducing the ore thereinto by gravity, an ore discharge collector situated underneath the shaft for receiving preheated ore therefrom, and an arrangement for passing heating gases upwardly in the shaft. The discharge collector has vertical side walls and further, there is provided an insert situated in the discharge collector and extending generally horizontally thereacross. The insert has a downwardly widening configuration. A discharge device is disposed at a lower end of the discharge collector.

Abstract: Apparatus for discharging hot flowable solids comprises conical conveyor screws, which are arranged to form a star-shaped array and contained in respective conveyor troughs and at their inner ends are rotatably mounted in a centrally disposed hollow body. In order to ensure a gas-tight seal of the furnace and to permit a simple replacement of the conveyor screws, the conveyor troughs and the centrally disposed, open-bottomed hollow body are constituted by a bottom structure, which is adapted to be flange-connected to the shell of the furnace. The largest depth of each conveyor trough is at least as large as the largest outside diameter of the associated conveyor screw. Each conveyor trough is closed at its outer end by an end wall, which carries a discharge housing, which contains the outer end of the associated conveyor screw and carries a discharge fitting.

Abstract: A discharge implement is provided, which is operable to discharge sponge iron from a shaft furnace and constitutes the bottom structure of the shaft furnace and is formed with flow passages for a cooling liquid. In order to ensure a uniform discharge, the discharge implement consists of a grate, which comprises parallel grate bars, which are non-circular in cross-section and are operable to perform rotational oscillations about their respective longitudinal axes. The grate bars are hollow so that they can conduct a cooling liquid, and they surround and are radially spaced from an inner tube, which has at least one opening, through which the interior of the inner tube communicates with the annular space defined between the inner tube and the shell of the grate bar.

Abstract: In apparatus and method for treating granular product within a cylindrical chamber as the product, by the force of gravity, falls through a plurality of regions maintained at varying temperature and pressure. Structure formed by at least a pair of collectors is connected tangentially to a housing surrounding the regions to withdraw gas from and reintroduce gas to the cylindrical chamber. Particularly gas is withdrawn from a lower region, treated by heating and dilution with flue gases prior to reintroduction. Movement of gas is provided by a ventilator which serves to draw fresh air into the cylindrical chamber from the vicinity of the lower region. The flow of gas, the temperature of the gas, and the pressure within the regions result in granular product first moving counter to the flow of gas, then with the flow of gas, and then counter to the flow of gas. The granular product is heated, maintained at a heated temperature, and cooled within these flows.

Abstract: An apparatus for preheating particulate material in which the particulate material is transferred from an upper storage bin to a lower annular flow passage by a plurality of connecting chutes and the particulate material is preheated in the annular flow passage by hot kiln gases flowing in countercurrent heat exchange relationship with the particulate material and, in addition, by hot kiln gases introduced into the annular flow passage from the lower regions of radially extending ducts.

Abstract: This invention deals with a method of burning crushed or lump-sized combustible material, such as limestone, dolomite, magnesite or a similar material, in an annular shaft kiln having an annular outer shaft and an inner shaft, where the annular and the inner shafts are alternatively charged with fresh air and combustion gases, or are connected with the exhaust gas system. Furthermore, the invention deals with an annular shaft kiln for carrying out this method, which has a shaft insert that is open at the top, whereby the combustion material is selectively fed into the annular shaft formed around the shaft insert, or into the inner shaft which is formed inside the shaft insert. In a first operating position, the inner shaft adjacent its upper end is connected with the exhaust gas system, and combustion gas and combustion air are fed into the outer annular shaft.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for preheating a coarse fraction and a more fine limestone fraction in a shaft preheater including a first central vertical inlet for receiving the coarse fraction which forms a descending core in a vertical preheating chamber, and a second vertical inlet receiving the finer fraction annularly around the core, directing a first upper gas feed radially into the fractions with the gas first penetrating the outer finer fraction and then the inner fraction, and directing a second heating gas flow at a lower level into the core to bring the core up to the temperature of the outer layer, with the gases being received from a rotary kiln, and mixing the fractions and directing them to the rotary kiln from the lower end of the preheating chamber.

Abstract: In a top-shaped lime kiln which comprises a slowly rotatable platter-shaped kiln bed having a cylindrical calcined lime-cooling chamber extending downward for connection to the central opening of said kiln bed; an immovably hung round lid having a fuel combustion chamber extending upward for connection to the central opening of said lid; and raw limestone granules-feeding chutes 19 opened to an annular gap 12 formed between the peripheral walls of both bed and lid; an improvement wherein a hot-gas-circulating apparatus is fixed in the maturation zone of the cooling chamber, and automatically reciprocative pushing rods are inserted into the limestone granule layer formed on the rotary kiln bed through the peripheral wall of said bed or lid so as to let fall the calcined lime into the cooling chamber.

Abstract: In a device for raising the temperature of a plurality of solids which utilizes a heating chamber having at least one hot flue gas inlet and one or more solids inlet apertures to supply concurrent flows of solids and hot flue gas to a heating chamber, and, which utilizes at least one disengager to deflect the heated solids and prevent the solids from being exhausted from the heating chamber along with the hot flue gas, means are provided for coaxially mounting at least one hot flue gas outlet downstream of and displaced from at least one of the solids inlet apertures. Additionally, an individual disengager is associated with each hot flue gas outlet, each disengager being coaxially aligned with and positioned intermediate its associated hot flue gas outlet and a corresponding solids inlet aperture. Each individual disengager is positioned within a direct flow path of solids from a single solids inlet aperture, to prevent thermal stressing of the individual disengager.

Abstract: The furnace is circular in plan and comprises an annular charge space charged through chutes in its top wall. Effluent gas offtakes are provided in the furnace outer wall and the level of the charge bed is maintained above the chute bottoms but below those offtakes. Hot gases generated externally of the furnace pass into it through an opening in its bottom wall or hearth and travel upwardly through the charge. Solids are discharged downwardly through the same opening in counterflow. A vertical axle is journalled centrally in an upper wall of the annular furnace chamber spaced above the opening in the hearth, and a plow affixed to the lower end of the axle rotates in an open space between the hearth of the annular furnace chamber and its inside wall, so scraping heated charge solids into the discharge opening. The axle is pressure sealed to the wall through which it passes, and that seal is the only rotating seal required for the furnace.

Abstract: An automated poking system includes a plurality of pokerod assemblies positioned around the periphery of a two-stage, fixed-bed coal gasifier at two separate elevations. Each pokerod assembly includes an elongated pokerod selectively actuatable to extend into the coal bed within the gasifier, and appropriate sensors to provide data relating to the temperature of the coal bed, the resistance encountered by the pokerod, and the position of the pokerod. Alternatively, the temperature sensing function is separate from the pokerod activation, and the coal bed temperature is continuously moinitored. The mechanism for controlling activation of the pokerod may be a hydraulic cylinder-piston device or an electric motor driving the pokerod via mechanical means, such as a rack and pinion apparatus. Poking of the lower zone coal bed agitates the bed, detects and breaks up clinkers, and monitors the coal bed temperature.

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention is a vertical shaft kiln designed for firing aggregate materials. In a specific application the kiln is used to fire limestone aggregate (crushed limestone) to produce lime. The kiln chamber in this apparatus is defined by an annular space between an outer vertical shaft and an inner vertical shaft. An outwardly sloping cone member defines the bottom end of the inner shaft. The bottom end of the outer shaft is defined by an inwardly sloping cone. A space between the cone members provides an outlet for the kiln chamber.

Abstract: A method of processing granular material by passing a gas in contraflow to a bed of the material descending in an independently rotatable annular chamber of annular width a surmounting an annular eccentrically rotating floor, the outer bed wall being in gas-tight sliding relationship to the floor but the inner wall being spaced above the floor by a distance h, not less than, and not more than 10 percent in excess of, the value satisfying the relationship tan .phi. = h/a where .phi. is the operative angle of repose of the charge material at the bottom of the bed.