Determination of Key Parameters Required to Optimize Calcination Process in Ferrous Metallurgy Heating Plants

Abstract

Lime is the product of calcination. Its formation is always related to removal of carbon dioxide generated in the course of carbonate decomposition. Ferrous metallurgy, construction material, chemical and food industry companies account for about 90 % of lime produced in the country. Ferrous metallurgy is the major consumer of commercial lime using up to 40 % of all produced lime. Currently, despite occurrence of new binding and artificially produced chemical compounds, lime remains the major chemical compound produced by the industry in terms of output. Various units (shaft, rotary tubular kilns and fluidized bed kilns) are used for calcination. Shaft kilns are used the most widely. Considering continuously growing demand for lime, the need occurs for intensification of the burning process and optimization of the shaft kiln operating conditions. This requires knowledge of calcination physicochemical and heat transfer process mechanisms. Thus, the work deals with the issues related to determination of the optimal specific fuel consumption for burning of limestone from a particular deposit. It may be done only basing on thermal calculations for an operating shaft kiln, what, in its turn, causes the need for determination of the whole set of limestone and lime heat transfer properties. The obtained work results may be used to optimize the operating conditions of not only shaft but also rotary kilns intended for limestone heat treatment.